Mitch McConnell has been absent from the U.S. Senate for 74 days, having last cast a vote on June 11, 2026.
The U.S. Senate went into its August recess on Saturday, August 8, 2026 (following early morning votes).Recess DetailsDeparture Date: Saturday, August 8, 2026.Return Date: Scheduled to return on Monday, September 14, 2026.Key Actions Before Leaving: Passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown and confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general.
list of senators or representatives that have missed long period of time due to illness
Historically and in recent legislative sessions, several members of the U.S. Congress have taken extended leaves of absence spanning weeks or months to recover from serious illnesses, surgeries, or mental health struggles.Because there are no formal disclosure laws for lawmakers' health, information regarding these absences usually comes directly from personal statements or press reports.Recent Long-Term Medical Absences
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): Hospitalized on June 14, 2026, after suffering a fall that left him unconscious. He transitioned to a rehabilitation center in mid-July and was discharged to continue recovering at home in August 2026, marking more than two months away from the Senate floor.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ): Absent from the House of Representatives for 142 days between March and June 2026. Upon his return, he disclosed to the House floor that his extended absence was due to clinical depression treatment.
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL): Missed several consecutive weeks of legislative action and over 150 votes in mid-2026 due to recovery from eye surgery.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA): Voluntarily checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for approximately six weeks in early 2023 to receive clinical treatment for severe depression.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): Missed nearly three months of Senate votes in early 2023 after being hospitalized and recovering at home from a severe case of shingles that resulted in Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis.Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX): Missed several months of House votes in 2024 due to undisclosed, "unforeseen health challenges".
Notable Historical Medical Absences
Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM): Missed roughly four weeks of votes in early 2022 after suffering a stroke that required immediate brain surgery to ease swelling.Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD): Suffered a brain hemorrhage on Capitol Hill in December 2006. He was absent from the Senate for more than eight months while undergoing intensive physical and speech therapy before returning in September 2007.
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL): Suffered a major ischemic stroke in January 2012. He underwent multiple surgeries and an intensive rehabilitation program, returning to Congress nearly a full year later in January 2013.
