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Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday said he won’t return to the Capitol for votes “quite yet” as lawmakers prepare to return from recess.
“As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet. But rest assured that, in the meantime, I’m not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you,” McConnell wrote in a Sunday statement shared with The Hill.
“I’ve been working closely with my legislative staff on current issues, and with my Kentucky team who help me provide timely constituent services across our Commonwealth. I’ve also been keeping in touch with my Senate colleagues on the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between,” he added.
The press release had a photo of the Kentucky senator with a copy of The Washington Post in hand while seated on a hospital chair next to his wife.
McConnell has been hospitalized and absent from the Senate for more than four weeks, following a medical emergency at his Washington, D.C., home on June 14.
He has not cast a vote in the chamber since June 11.
The office of McConnell’s physician said he was admitted to the hospital after falling at home due to mobility issues that stem from childhood polio.
The office said he sustained minor injuries, but ultimately, there were no signs of fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor or hemorrhage.
“Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment,” the office of the attending physician wrote in a statement.
“The remainder of his hospital stay focused on physical therapy and strategies to reduce his risk of future falls. He has been medically cleared to continue fully participating in his intensive physical therapy program,” they added.
The 84-year-old lawmaker has faced a string of health concerns in recent years that have caused some to question his ability to serve in the legislature.
Last week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) pressed McConnell in a public letter urging him to provide the public with an update on the status of his health.
McConnell’s absence, coupled with the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), removes key GOP votes on the closely split Appropriations Committee, narrowing the margins required to advance defense spending bills along party lines without Democratic support.
In the absence of the two defense hawks, lawmakers are currently weighing the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2027.
The sweeping annual package sets military policies, determines personnel levels and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense.
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