Washington — Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to Capitol Hill on Monday after a three-month absence, ending weeks of public uncertainty over the Kentucky Republican’s health.
McConnell arrived in the Senate chamber in a wheelchair and voted on a judicial nomination.
“Today, I’ll cast my first Senate vote since I took a bad fall back in June. I’m really looking forward to being back on the Senate floor and seeing my colleagues,” McConnell said in a statement ahead of his return.
Speaking briefly with reporters before casting his vote, McConnell said, “Time to get back to work, finish the job for this Congress.”
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McConnell, 84, last voted June 11. Three days later, his office confirmed that he had been hospitalized. The announcement came the same day emergency medical personnel responded to a call involving an unconscious person at his home, according to a public EMS dispatch call that did not identify the former Senate majority leader by name.
In the days that followed, McConnell’s office said he remained “fully engaged” with his staff, while several senior Republicans said they had spoken to him by phone. Still, the limited information about his condition fueled broad speculation in Washington.
After Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear formally requested an update on McConnell’s health in July, McConnell issued his first statement since the hospitalization. He said the incident stemmed from a fall and disclosed that he had moved to a rehabilitation facility. On Aug. 6, McConnell announced he had been discharged from the center and would continue recovering at home, nearly two months after his hospitalization.
The lengthy absence followed several health episodes in recent years for McConnell, a childhood polio survivor. He was hospitalized with a concussion after a fall in 2023 and later appeared to freeze while speaking with reporters on two occasions. Another fall caused minor injuries in 2024. In February, his office said he had spent more than a week in the hospital after developing flu-like symptoms.
“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. “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.”
McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. He led the Senate Republican Conference from 2007 until stepping down after the 2024 elections. He plans to retire early next year and will not seek another six-year Senate term.
