Absent from Congress for more than a month due to an unspecified medical issue, Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) will miss votes again this week but says his doctors anticipate a “complete” recovery from whatever it is that’s been ailing him.
“I want to thank my constituents and colleagues for their patience as I address a personal medical issue,” Kean said in a statement this afternoon. “My doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent.”
The statement is the most detailed update since Kean’s absence began last month, and the first time anything has been released that’s credited to Kean himself, rather than to his office. Still, many questions remain unanswered, including the nature of Kean’s medical troubles and how soon “soon” really means.
The two-term congressman first started missing votes on March 17; he’s missed more than 50 roll-call votes in total, very out of the ordinary for a congressman who maintained a near-perfect attendance record during his first three years in Congress. After his first week of missed votes, staffers confirmed he was dealing with a medical issue and said he’d return “soon,” an assertion they’ve continued to make in the month-and-a-half since.
Last week, the prolonged absence caught the attention of several national newspapers, which reported that even Kean’s colleagues seemed to have little idea of where he was or when he’d be back. In the midst of those reports, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement saying that he had spoken with Kean personally.
The legislative and constituent services services wings of Kean’s office have remained active, but the congressman himself does not appear to have held any in-person events or meetings since mid-March, when his absences began.
And in a narrowly divided Congress where a bill’s passage or failure often comes down to one or two votes, Kean’s absence this week will continue to have ramifications for GOP leaders. Within the next few days, the House is expected to vote on the reauthorization of a key surveillance law and on a budget resolution clearing the way for tens of billions of dollars in new DHS funding; after that, both chambers of Congress are scheduled to break for a weeklong recess.
There’s also the fact that Kean represents New Jersey’s most competitive district, one that Democrats are eager to flip in November. Kean has no opposition in the June Republican primary, meaning that there’s little imminent need for him to hit the campaign trail in-person, but four well-funded Democrats are vying for the nomination to defeat him.
In his statement today, Kean said he appreciated “patience and understanding” from his colleagues and constituents.
“I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult,” Kean said. “I am especially proud of my congressional team, who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward without interruption, and my political team for ensuring the campaign continues to run strong.”