Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to the Capitol on Monday after a three-month absence, saying he remains in physical therapy and is “not quite back to 100%” following a June fall that left him hospitalized.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate on Monday for his first vote in three months, ending an extended absence that began after the Kentucky Republican suffered a serious fall at his Washington home in June.
The 84-year-old senator announced his return before heading to the Capitol, acknowledging that his recovery remains incomplete and saying the lingering effects of childhood polio have complicated his rehabilitation.
“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.
His appearance Monday marked his first return to the chamber since June 14, when he was hospitalized after falling at home. McConnell later disclosed that the fall left him briefly unconscious and that he was also treated for mild pneumonia during his hospitalization.
“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,” McConnell said as he prepared to resume voting in the Senate.
McConnell also thanked supporters in Kentucky who had contacted him and his wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, during the recovery.
“Elaine and I are very grateful for all the continued well wishes from our fellow Kentuckians, and I’m glad to get back to more of business as usual on their behalf this month,” he said.
McConnell’s absence began after the June fall sent him to a Washington-area hospital. In July, he disclosed that doctors had determined he suffered no broken bones, concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumor or hemorrhage but had briefly lost consciousness. He subsequently developed a mild case of pneumonia and was moved from hospital care into rehabilitation.
Doctors recommended continued physical therapy and work aimed at reducing his risk of additional falls. McConnell has dealt with mobility difficulties throughout his life because of childhood polio, a condition he has repeatedly said has become more challenging with age.
Although he remained away from the Senate floor, McConnell said during his recovery that he continued working with legislative staff and communicating with fellow senators.
His extended absence nevertheless meant he missed Senate votes while undergoing treatment and rehabilitation.
On Monday, McConnell was seen leaving his Washington residence in a wheelchair before being transported to the Capitol.
Capitol Police officers surrounded the senator as he was moved to a waiting vehicle before his trip to the U.S. Capitol.
The return comes during McConnell’s final months in office. The former Senate majority leader, who has represented Kentucky since 1985, previously announced that he would not seek another term and is scheduled to leave the Senate in January 2027.
McConnell indicated Monday that his presence in Washington may still depend on his recovery and medical advice. Rather than suggesting he has fully resumed his previous schedule, he said he intends to make a particular effort to participate when closely contested votes require Republican attendance.
For Monday, however, his return ended a three-month stretch away from the chamber and put McConnell back on the Senate floor for the first time since the June fall that began his lengthy hospitalization and rehabilitation.
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