Mitch McConnell Returns to Senate After Three Month Absence
Senator Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican and former leader, had been absent for more than 13 weeks after a health incident, fueling questions about his ability to continue serving.
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Senator Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican and former leader, had been absent for more than 13 weeks after a health incident, fueling questions about his ability to continue serving.
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· 3:59 min
Sept. 14, 2026
Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate on Monday for the first time in more than three months, ending an absence that had fueled questions about his medical condition and ability to continue serving after a health incident at his home in mid-June.
Mr. McConnell, the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican and former party leader, arrived in a wheelchair for the Senate’s evening vote on a federal appeals court nominee, the first time he had been seen there since he last cast a floor vote on June 11.
“My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven’t made it any easier,” Mr. McConnell said in a statement released by his office announcing his return.
“I’m still not quite back to 100 percent,” he added, saying that he had told party leaders “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.”
Mr. McConnell’s office has said he suffered a fall at his Capitol Hill home on June 14 and was transported by ambulance to George Washington University Hospital, where he was treated and underwent rehabilitation before his release and return home on Aug. 6. His office had released photographs of the senator and issued statements in his name, but before Monday evening, he had not been seen publicly since he entered the hospital.
On the Senate floor on Monday, Mr. McConnell was wheeled out and immediately surrounded by a procession of senators who approached to shake his hand. Clad in a navy blazer, tie and khaki pants, he could be heard speaking in characteristically low tones with both Democrats and Republicans who came to wish him well.
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Originally published by nytimes.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Glamour Canada.
