Story highlights The Illinois Senator found he has an atrial flutter during his recent annual physical

Durbin says everyone is "one diagnosis away" from needing health care

Washington (CNN) Preparing for a procedure to fix an abnormal heart rhythm Thursday, Sen. Dick Durbin called on his colleagues in Congress to reconsider their plans to cut funding for medical research and repeal Obamacare.

"My Congressional colleagues who want to cut funding for medical research and take away health insurance for millions of Americans should remember that all of us are only one diagnosis away from needing the best care for ourselves and the people we love," Durbin said in a statement.

The senior senator underwent an outpatient procedure Tuesday morning to fix what is known as an atrial flutter. During the procedure "the catheter emits a pulse of painless radio frequency energy, which destroys the abnormal heart tissue and corrects the irregular heartbeat," according to a description given by his office. It was performed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are still working feverishly to introduce and pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare but so far have not collected all the votes needed.

Of his recovery Durbin said, "I anticipate that this heart tune-up will give my classic roadster many more miles of reliable service."

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