WASHINGTON — Rep. Tom Kean Jr. received bipartisan support from members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation following his announcement Tuesday that he had been hospitalized for depression.
Lawmakers of both parties said the announcement by Kean (R-Westfield) about his illness will remove some of the stigma associated with mental health problems
“Knowing Tom, I imagine he’s going to do good with it, because I think, you know, he obviously had to admit it openly, and there are at least 50 million Americans who have depression problems, one out of seven people,” Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) told the New Jersey Globe.
“I appreciate the fact that he said that he had depression and he was basically setting an example in saying people should acknowledge that they have depression or other concerns,” Rep. Frank Pallone Jr, (D-Long Branch), a fellow member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told the Globe.
“I watched the whole thing, and I thought that the fact that he explained that people that have depression need to get help, that was a positive thing.”
Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) told the Globe that Kean’s comments could encourage others to get help.
“A lot of people have depression, and it goes under-recognized,” he said. “Usually they recognize it, but they don’t know what to do with that, and so they can become an inspiration for others that can help, because depression is very widespread.”
Kean was the lead Republican sponsor of bipartisan legislation requiring the director of the National Institutes of Health to set up a program to address youth mental health. The lead Democratic sponsor. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) said on X that she was “glad to hear” that Kean was “getting the support he needs.”
“I pray his story inspires more of our colleagues to join this fight to get our fellow Americans the help they need,” she said.
Kean missed more than 100 votes during his absence, which, until today, went unexplained except for a message stating that he had a medical issue.
Van Drew said that it was up to Kean to decide how to reveal why he was away.
“When you go through something like that, you, I think, have to, as an individual human being, choose how you’re going to reveal it,” Van Drew said. “So he decided to do it this way. And that’s fine. It’s his decision.”
U.S. Senator Andy Kim, who served in the House with Kean for two years, said Kean’s public disclosure that he spent the last several months hospitalized for depression underscores the need to expand mental health protections for workers nationwide.
“I wish Congressman Kean continued progress in his battle against depression. I come from a family with a history of depression and have seen my loved ones struggle,” said Kim on X. “I believe every person should have access to mental health support, including paid time off and sick leave.”
But Kim also called out Kean for his past votes.
“I believe every person should have access to mental health support, including paid time off and sick leave. Congressman Kean has opposed these very benefits for all workers that Members of Congress get,” he said. “It’s time for that to change.”
Three years ago, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) announced he was hospitalized for depression, and then made another announcement when he was released six weeks later.
“We all do things in different ways,” Van Drew said. “So the way Fetterman’s going to do it and the way Tom Kean’s going to do it are remarkably different, but that is up to them. They make those decisions.”
Kean is running for re-election this fall in one of the nation’s most competitive House races., and his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Bennett, said she was “relieved that Congressman Tom Kean Jr. is well” and would “ continue to wish him good health.”
“But let’s be clear,” she said in a statement. “I got into this race because Tom Kean Jr. was failing our community long before this absence.”