Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday that he will not return to the Senate floor for votes just yet as lawmakers prepare to return to Washington following recess, but emphasized that he remains actively engaged in Senate business while continuing his recovery.
In a statement shared with The Hill, McConnell acknowledged that his recovery has taken longer than he would like but said he is following the advice of his medical team.
“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 said.
The longtime Kentucky senator added that he has remained involved in legislative work despite his extended absence from Capitol 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 said.
The statement included a photograph showing McConnell seated in a hospital chair alongside his wife while holding a copy of The Washington Post.
McConnell has been hospitalized for more than four weeks after suffering a medical emergency at his Washington, D.C., home on June 14. He has not participated in a Senate vote since June 11.
According to the office of McConnell’s physician, the senator was admitted to the hospital after falling at home because of mobility issues related to childhood polio.
Doctors said McConnell sustained only minor injuries in the fall. Medical evaluations found no evidence of fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor or hemorrhage.
His physician’s office also disclosed that McConnell developed pneumonia early during his hospitalization but said the illness responded quickly to antibiotic treatment.
“Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment,” the attending physician’s office said in a statement.
Medical officials said the remainder of McConnell’s hospital stay has focused primarily on rehabilitation and preventing future falls.
“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,” the physician’s office added.
The 84-year-old senator has faced several health concerns in recent years, prompting renewed questions about his ability to continue serving in the Senate.
Last week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, publicly urged McConnell to provide an update on his health, sending a letter encouraging the senator to share more information about his condition.
McConnell’s continued absence has also affected the Senate’s legislative dynamics. Combined with the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Republicans have lost two key votes on the closely divided Appropriations Committee, making it more difficult to move defense spending legislation forward along party lines without Democratic backing.
In the absence of both lawmakers, Congress is weighing the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2027.
The annual defense legislation establishes military policy, sets personnel levels and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense, making it one of the most significant measures considered by lawmakers each year.
[READ MORE: Elon Musk Postpones CNBC Interview as SpaceX Shares Slide Following Public Debut]
