After a prolonged absence that sparked conspiracy theories and persistent calls for transparency, Kentucky’s 84-year-old Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to the halls of power Monday afternoon.
In a statement, McConnell said he's looking forward to returning to Senate business and seeing his colleagues. He cast his first in-person roll call vote in months to approve a district court judge in southern Ohio.
“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 in the statement. "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."
The Senate has a lot of work before them as they head toward a scheduled Dec. 18 deadline. While Congress successfully passed a continuing resolution, it will only fund the government until Dec. 11 — they’ll need to pass another funding bill before leaving D.C. at the end of the year. The 5-year farm bill, which McConnell generally champions, is also still held up in a Senate committee. McConnell is expected help move it through committee on Wednesday, according to Politico.
“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," McConnell said in the statement.
In a series of emails, Sen. McConnell’s office has provided statements with updates about his health alongside photos. In a previous statement, McConnell said that he fell and briefly lost consciousness, landing him in the hospital on June 14 and then he picked up pneumonia during his hospitalization.
After weeks with little communication — and no direct audio and video messages directly from McConnell — his office said last month that he had been released from his rehabilitation center and would continue his recovery at home.
Pundits, politicians and McConnell’s constituents have repeatedly expressed concerns about the aging senator's fitness to serve as his absence from the Senate stretched on. His term is set to end on Jan. 3 and the race to replace him is well underway.
Even so, critics like Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear made clear they expect greater transparency from officials elected to represent Kentuckians. Before McConnell’s reappearance, Beshear said last week he had gotten little information from the longtime senator.
"If he is not there on Monday, he owes an explanation to the American people, to the people of Kentucky. You can't not show up to work and not call and talk to your boss. His boss is the people of Kentucky," Beshear said.
