Missing US congressman explains mysterious four-month absence

New Jersey Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr. returned to the House of Representatives after a 142-day absence, explaining that he was hospitalized for depression. Kean stated that he entered the hospital for testing due to health concerns and was subsequently diagnosed with depression, which his doctors recommended he treat with a prolonged hospital stay for the fastest recovery. He missed over 140 votes during his leave, which he had previously described vaguely as a "personal medical issue." Kean, who is running for a third term, addressed his absence on the House floor, emphasizing that depression is a powerful illness that is physical and emotional. He recently won the Republican nomination for his seat unopposed.

Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr. returned to the U.S. House of Representatives after a nearly four-month absence, explaining he was diagnosed with depression following hospitalization for health concerns. Kean, who last voted in March, stated that doctors recommended he remain hospitalized for treatment, which took longer than initially anticipated. He described himself as a private person and noted that healing from depression has no set timeline. His absence had fueled speculation and complicated Republican control of the House. House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged Kean's health condition but suggested more specificity about the absence would have been beneficial.