Mitch McConnell recovery continues as doctors keep him from office
Congressional physicians said Mitch McConnell remains in rehab after a fall and has not been cleared to return to work.
By Sarah Jenkins · Chief Macro Economics Correspondent
· 2 min read
Mitch McConnell recovery remains under medical supervision, with congressional physicians saying Monday that the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has not been cleared to leave rehabilitation and return to work. The update, issued more than six weeks after McConnell was last seen publicly, keeps one of the Senate’s most senior Republicans away from the office while doctors monitor his progress.
The Office of the Attending Physician said its doctors are seeing McConnell each day at a rehabilitation facility and are reviewing all parts of his care, according to a statement distributed by McConnell’s staff. The office said McConnell has been undergoing an intensive rehabilitation program since leaving hospital care.
According to the physician’s office, the program includes several physical therapy sessions each day aimed at restoring strength and lowering the chance of another fall. The office also said McConnell’s history of polio as a child remains a material issue for his mobility.
Is Mitch McConnell cleared to return to work?
No. The Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell is not medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility or return to his office.
The medical update followed a fall last month that the physician’s office described as debilitating. McConnell’s staff also released a photograph dated Sunday showing the senator with his wife, Elaine Chao.
McConnell provided a written statement through his office apologizing for being unable to attend an annual Kentucky picnic scheduled for next Saturday. No return date was included in the medical update.
The Office of the Attending Physician serves members of Congress and provides medical care and guidance for lawmakers. In this case, its clearance is the formal medical step required before McConnell can leave rehabilitation and resume office work, according to the statement.
The update did not describe a new diagnosis, give a timetable for discharge or say when McConnell might next appear in public. It did state that doctors continue to meet with him daily and that his rehabilitation remains focused on strength and fall prevention.
McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, is among the longest-serving figures in the Senate. His continued absence is therefore a matter of attention in Washington, though the physician’s office framed Monday’s update in medical terms rather than political ones.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
