GOP congressman reveals mystery illness that sidelined him from Congress for nearly four months
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., delivered an emotional speech Tuesday revealing for the first time the medical condition that kept him away from the House and campaign stops for nearly...
By Fox News · Fox News
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., delivered an emotional speech Tuesday revealing for the first time the medical condition that kept him away from the House and campaign stops for nearly four months. Kean said he was given a diagnosis of depression after entering the hospital for "some testing." He said the illness took him months to heal from and left him under doctors' care during a prolonged stay in the hospital. "I'm grateful that I accepted help, because today I stand before you stronger, healthier and excited to return to the work that I love," Kean said on the House floor. Tuesday's speech came after Kean, 57, returned to Washington this week after being absent since early March. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Republican said earlier this month that Kean would return for the June 30 session. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN WILL END MONTHS-LONG ABSENCE FROM DC AFTER MISSING 135 ROLL CALL VOTES During his recovery, he missed 140 roll call votes, amounting to a 100% absence rate, according to the website GovTrack. Throughout his absence, Kean's office suggested he would return to work shortly but pushed back the timeline on several occasions. In his speech, Kean said the reason was that he didn't understand how long it would take him to fully recover. "When I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it," Kean said. "Those were the best estimates that the doctors could provide. But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing." The two-term lawmaker kept the nature of his condition private while recovering, but promised transparency upon his return. His silence appeared to extend to House Republican leadership, who said they were in the dark about Kean’s ailment when questioned by reporters on several occasions. His return will pad Republicans' razor-thin majority as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., aims to clear a must-pass defense bill through the House chamber this wee…