Kirk, 53, suffered an ischemic stroke Jan. 21 and has spent the past year recovering in suburban Chicago. Aides announced last month that Kirk would return to the Senate at the start of the 113th Congress. He arrived at 11:30 a.m. and used a cane to approach the stairs, where he was greeted by Vice President Biden, Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Kirk’s close friend, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). “Welcome back, man!” Biden said to Kirk as a crowd of hundreds cheered. Kirk hugged Biden and grabbed the back of the vice president’s head. “You know, during the debate I was rooting for you,” Kirk told Biden, who laughed heartily.