New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to Congress on Tuesday after a four-month absence, disclosing in a House floor speech that he had been diagnosed with depression and received hospital treatment. Kean, who last voted on March 5, addressed his nearly 117-day absence and the more than 140 missed votes that had fueled speculation and concern among his constituents and colleagues.
Speaking from the House floor, Kean said doctors recommended he remain hospitalized to address the illness. “It is physical. It is emotional,” Kean said, according to NPR. “And until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness could be.” He acknowledged that he had initially underestimated the severity and duration of his condition, expecting recovery to take weeks rather than months.
Kean’s absence proved difficult for House Republicans, who operate with a razor-thin majority. His office had declined for weeks to provide details about his health, feeding rumors and raising questions about his fitness to serve. The second-term congressman, who represents New Jersey’s 7th district, said he was grateful that he accepted help and that he now stands “healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love.”
Delayed Disclosure Contrasts with Congressional Precedent
Kean’s months-long silence before revealing his depression stands in stark contrast to how other lawmakers have handled similar conditions. When Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2023, his office announced the news within days of his starting treatment, according to NPR. Fetterman took a leave from the Capitol and returned after several weeks, and his early disclosure allowed constituents to understand his absence in real time.
Kean’s reluctance to share information about his condition during his absence raised questions about transparency and mental health stigma in Congress. Despite his absence, Kean won the GOP primary earlier in June to defend his seat in the 2026 midterm elections, where he faces Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive. Bennett had criticized Kean’s absence during the campaign, saying he had failed the district long before the health crisis.
Sources
- NPR — Kean’s House floor remarks, last vote date (March 5), duration of absence, and quote about the difficulty of understanding depression
- The New York Times — Confirmed 117-day absence duration
- Roll Call — Confirmed over 140 missed votes and return date
- The Washington Post — Absence from early March, GOP concerns about majority
- Reuters — Kean’s return and depression diagnosis disclosure
