Brown Says He Will Go To D.C. Thursday

Sen.-elect Scott Brown (R-MA) said today that he plans to go to Washington, D.C., this Thursday.

In a press conference today, he said he hoped Senate leadership would seat him right away. But leaders have said they will wait until they get official certification from Massachusetts, which could take around 15 days.

There has been speculation that the Senate may try to pass a merged health care bill before Brown is seated, while Democrats still have a filibuster-proof majority. But some Democrats, including Sens. Jim Webb and Claire McCaskill, have urged their colleagues not to try to pass the bill before Brown is seated.

It would still have to pass the House first, as well.

Brown said his first order of business will be to meet the Massachusetts delegation and Republican leadership, as well as Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who Brown said was a great help in his campaign.