Mitch McConnell returns to the Senate after three-month absence due to health issues
By Morgan Rimmer, Ted Barrett, Manu Raju, CNN
(CNN) — Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to Capitol Hill on Monday for the first time after a three-month absence due to health issues.
McConnell arrived at the Capitol for the evening vote series in a wheelchair, his appearance noticeably thinner and his speech slower than before his prolonged absence. The 84-year-old was hospitalized on June 14, but did not initially disclose the reason for the hospitalization, leading to weeks of speculation over his health status.
The Kentucky Republican briefly spoke to reporters upon his return Monday, saying it’s “time to get back to work,” but he did not answer questions, including whether he should have been more transparent about his health during his absence.
“I must admit, after two years — two decades, actually — dodging your questions, I wasn’t sure how many of you would be here today, but I’m glad to see you,” he said.
“Time to get back to work, finish the job for this Congress,” he said, pointing to passing the annual farm bill and aiding Ukraine in its war against Russia.
In a statement released as he was en route to the Capitol, McConnell said, “My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven’t made it any easier. 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.”
Several weeks after his hospitalization, amid intense speculation, the senator released a statement revealing he had suffered a fall and later contracted pneumonia. The former Senate GOP leader said he had been “briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital.”
On August 6, McConnell announced he would continue his recovery at home after a stint in a rehabilitation facility following his hospitalization.
The Senate returned to session in Washington, DC, on Monday after a five-week summer recess.
The Kentucky Republican’s lengthy absence from Capitol Hill and the delay in disclosing why he had been hospitalized led to widespread speculation about his health and calls for greater transparency.
In July, Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear sent a letter to McConnell, saying that residents of the state “have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate.”
“As Governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health,” he wrote.
McConnell announced last year he would not run for reelection in 2026. Republican Rep. Andy Barr, endorsed by Trump, will take on Democratic former state lawmaker Charles Booker in the November election to replace the longtime senator.
What we know about McConnell’s health
CNN previously reported that emergency responders took McConnell to an ambulance on a stretcher after being called to his home in June for a report of an unconscious person, according to video of the incident and an eyewitness account.
In McConnell’s July statement, he said he was “briefly unconscious” after he fell, but said his doctors “confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages.”
Along with his own statement, McConnell included a note from the attending physician of Congress, who described the injuries after the fall at his Washington home as “minor.” The physician added that “McConnell has experienced several falls throughout the year that have been attributed to his post-polio condition.”
The former Senate GOP leader is a childhood polio survivor, and has faced a series of health issues in recent years, including multiple falls. In 2023, he froze midsentence during a press conference in the Capitol.
In July, McConnell indirectly addressed why it took so long to share what sent him to the hospital.
“You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct — I can’t help it,” he said.
He added, “You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you. And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do.”
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