Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the Senate on Monday for the first time since June 14, when he was hospitalized after a fall in his home.
The senator cast his first vote since being hospitalized in June. McConnell's three-month absence from the Senate generated criticism and speculation, as he initially remained quiet for weeks about his condition. The 84-year-old senator eventually disclosed that he had been 'briefly unconscious' due to the fall and had also been treated for mild pneumonia in the hospital.
'My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven't made it any easier,' McConnell said in a statement Monday. 'I'm still not quite back to 100%, but I've assured Leader Thune that, as I continue with physical therapy on the advice of my doctors, I will do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me.'
Concerns over McConnell's absence highlighted public concern about the age of lawmakers and their capacity to carry out their duties. Speculation about his condition grew so intense that Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear issued a public letter asking McConnell to update the public in a 'transparent manner.'
McConnell's absence was felt over the summer as Republicans were unable to advance a farm bill out of committee. His return could provide GOP leaders with a needed vote as they attempt to advance legislation on cryptocurrency regulation and college sports.
McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader, is in his final months of his four decades in office and plans to retire at the end of January. Republicans have nominated U.S. Representative Andy Barr to replace him, while Democrats have nominated former state lawmaker Charles Booker. McConnell stated he is determined to finish out his term.
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., waved at reporters outside the Senate Chamber after his return to Capitol Hill on Monday. McConnell had polio in his early childhood and has long acknowledged difficulty in walking and climbing stairs as an adult.
The physician's office in Congress stated in July that McConnell has 'experienced several falls through the year' due to his 'post-polio condition.' The office noted that his physical therapy aims to reduce the risk of future falls.
'A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team determined that he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage,' the physician's office said.
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and served as the Republican leader from 2007 until last year, holding both majority and minority leader roles during that time. He has remained active as a rank-and-file senator, often using a wheelchair to navigate the Capitol.
However, his physical condition has visibly declined in recent years. He was hospitalized with a concussion in March 2023 and missed several weeks of work after falling in a Washington hotel. He twice froze up during news conferences after returning, staring vacantly ahead before colleagues and staff. A year later, he fell and sprained his wrist while leaving a GOP luncheon.
By Steve Peoples, Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press