Ailing Sen. Byrd Returns to the Senate

The ailing Sen. Robert Byrd returned to the Senate chamber on Tuesday, casting a vote against an amendment that would strip money from a defense bill.

Byrd, the longest serving senator in history, is a die-hard appropriator and zealously guards the purse strings. His vote Tuesday, cast from his wheel chair, bucked the White House and Pentagon, both of which have said that additional F-22 fighters jets are not needed.

The Senate sided with the White House and the Pentagon and voted 58-40 to remove $1.75 billion of new spending for the F-22 jet fighter program.

That vote was of critical importance to Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., a longtime friend and ally. The F-22's engines are made in Connecticut by United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney subsidiary.

"He said he wanted to come in and do this for Sen. Dodd," said spokesman Jesse Jacobs.

The 91-year old West Virginia Democrat said in a statement that it was "wonderful to be back in the august body where I have served for more than 50 years."

Byrd has been out since May suffering from a staph infection contracted when he was hospitalized for another type of infection. He was recently released from the hospital.

Byrd's office says he is expected to ease back into his duties as Senator and hopes to return to vote on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court and on key legislation such as health care and climate change.

His slower pace has not affected his ability, as a former Senate majority leader and chairman of the Appropriations Committee, to direct millions of dollars to West Virginia for roads, buildings and economic development projects.

Byrd has become frail in recent years, especially after the 2006 death of Erma, his wife of 69 years. He infrequently speaks on the floor.

Byrd left the building shortly after the vote to return to his home in the Washington suburbs, said spokesman Jacobs.

Byrd was first elected to the Senate in 1958, and in 2006 was re-elected for a record ninth six-year term. Last November he stepped down as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, but he remains the Senate's president pro tempore, a largely symbolic post reserved for the longest-serving member of the Senate. That puts him third in line of presidential succession after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

FOX News' Trish Turner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.