Mitch McConnell still not cleared to resume Senate duties, office says

US Senator Mitch McConnell has still not been medically cleared to return to his Senate duties, his office confirmed on Monday, six weeks after he was hospitalized following a fall at his home. The Republican lawmaker, a former Senate majority leader, is undergoing “intense physical therapy” and working hard to get back to work.

In a statement, McConnell said he would not be able to attend the annual Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky on the first Saturday of August. “I hate that I’ll miss the fun this year,” he said, expressing disappointment and sending best wishes to the community.

McConnell has been absent from the Senate and out of public view since mid-June, when he was hospitalized after a fall that left him briefly unconscious. His office provided an update on July 12, revealing he was recovering at a rehabilitation center and had also been treated for a mild case of pneumonia. The senator explained his prolonged silence by noting that people of his generation often hesitate to share vulnerabilities associated with aging.

He has missed 38 Senate votes since his hospitalization. Last year, McConnell announced he would not seek re-election and plans to retire at the end of his term in January. His office released a photo of him with his wife, Elaine Chao, taken on July 26.

The Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) in Congress stated that McConnell receives daily visits and undergoes multiple sessions of physical therapy each day to rebuild strength and reduce fall risk. The statement added that his childhood polio continues to significantly affect his mobility. He has not yet been cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.