Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Trump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Ky.) is publicly urging senators to vote to allow debate on repealing and replacing ObamaCare, a day before the key procedural hurdle.

"The first vote we will take soon is on whether or not to have the debate. ... I know many of us have waited literally years for this moment to finally arrive and at long last it has. I would urge every colleague to join me," McConnell said from the Senate floor.

McConnell's comments come as leadership is expected to try to proceed to the House-passed healthcare bill, being used as a vehicle for any action, on Tuesday.

Republicans have a slim 52-seat majority. GOP leadership will need at least 50 senators to vote to take up the House bill and pave the way for trying to either repeal or repeal and replace ObamaCare.

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That path could be even narrower if Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainBiden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states Replacing Justice Ginsburg could depend on Arizona's next senator The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Ariz.), whose office announced last week he was diagnosed with brain cancer, isn't able to return to Washington by Tuesday.

McConnell didn't signal from the Senate floor if his endgame is to have the Senate try to pass a repeal bill with a delayed healthcare replacement bill, or ultimately move ObamaCare repeal and replacement together.

Instead, he urged senators to vote "yes" on the initial hurdle if they wanted to debate any of their healthcare ideas.

"The only way we'll have an opportunity to consider ideas is if senators are allowed to offer and debate them. That means voting to begin the open amendment process," McConnell said.

Several moderate and conservative senators have yet to say if they will vote "yes" to take up the House bill without knowing which path leadership wants to take. But Republicans have campaigned for years on repealing and replacing ObamaCare and McConnell urged his caucus on Monday to uphold their "commitment."

Sen. John Cornyn John CornynTumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate Texas Democrats roll out first wave of planned digital ads as Election Day nears Calls grow for Biden to expand election map in final sprint MORE (R-Texas) told reporters on Monday as he headed into McConnell's office that they hadn't made a decision yet on which legislative path to take.

Pressed why a decision hadn't been made he added that "we're trying to maximize the number of votes."