WASHINGTON – Six weeks after he was first hospitalized for a fall and pneumonia, Sen. Mitch McConnell's doctors still have not medically cleared him to return to work or leave a rehabilitation facility, his office said.
Since June, the Kentucky Republican's health has been a source of widespread speculation and interest. He's missed 38 roll call votes in the Senate, including on key measures such as the annual defense policy bill and ending the Iran war, as well as high-profile confirmation hearings for critical Trump nominees like Todd Blanche, who's awaiting a vote to become the next attorney general.
All summer, his office has provided only limited updates on his condition. But in a new July 27 statement, McConnell, 84, said he was still undergoing
"intense physical therapy," and he wouldn't be able to travel to western Kentucky for the annual Fancy Farm picnic, a marquee political event in the state.
"As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon," he said.
The Office of the Attending Physician, which provides medical services and guidance to members of Congress, said the lifelong effects of McConnell's bout with childhood polio continue to be a "significant factor in his mobility." Doctors visit with him every day.
"Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls," the office said in a statement.
McConnell also released a new photo, dated July 26, of himself alongside his wife, Elaine Chao. While his Senate colleagues say they've talked to him several times by phone over the course of his prolonged absence, the former majority leader hasn't spoken himself publicly since his departure. He hasn't given any external interviews, either.
His office did not provide a tentative date for when he could be expected back at work in the Senate, which is scheduled to depart for a monthlong recess in two weeks on Aug. 7.
Zachary Schermele is the congressional correspondent for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mitch McConnell's office releases new photo of senator amid health questions
