Posted by Christi Parsons at 6:15 a.m. CST
Senate Democrats say they'll assign a temporary committee replacement for Sen. Tim Johnson, a South Dakota Democrat recovering from brain surgery.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he still expects to see Johnson back in the chamber.
“Sen. Johnson is recovering, and we all look forward to the day he can rejoin us in the Senate," Reid said in a written statement naming Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to chair the Senate Ethics Committee during Johnson's recovery.
"Until he does, however, it is critical to have Sen. Boxer’s leadership," Reid said. "She will do a wonderful job, and I thank her for taking on this important responsibility.”
Johnson's December surgery set Capitol Hill into a brief fury, as officials and their lawyers tried to figure out what it might mean for the Democratic takeover in January. Democrats hold a 51-49 majorityin the upper chamber.
But aides to Johnson say he is recovering well and responding to the touch and voice of family members.
Boxer said she was on board to fill in.
“Today, Sen. Reid asked and I agreed to temporarily lead the Senate Ethics Committee on behalf of Sen. Johnson," she said in a statement. "I am pleased to be able to do my small part to help ensure that my good friend Tim Johnson and his family can focus 100 percent on his recovery without worry about his duties on the Committee.”
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