Discharge and Recovery Plan
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Republican from Kentucky, announced Thursday that he has been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home. In a statement, he expressed gratitude for the support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, as well as the care from doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff. He said that on the advice of his doctors, he will maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy at home during the state work period and will continue to engage with his staff and colleagues on important Senate business.[S2][S3][S4]
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 after a fall at his home, which left him briefly unconscious. He later disclosed that he also had a mild case of pneumonia. His office initially provided few details, but on July 12, he revealed the cause of his hospitalization. The attending physician's office confirmed he sustained minor injuries but no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage. A subsequent statement noted that his bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility.[S3][S4]
Political Implications and Health History
McConnell's absence has narrowed Republicans' path to confirming Todd Blanche as attorney general, a vote expected this week. He has missed 51 Senate floor votes since his hospitalization. The Senate is set to begin a five-week recess, and McConnell has not provided a timeline for his return. Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear had publicly urged McConnell to release more information about his health, citing growing concern among Kentuckians.[S3][S5]
McConnell, who is retiring in January, has faced various health issues in recent years, including a hospitalization for flu in February, a concussion in 2023, and a shoulder fracture in 2019. He is one of the oldest members of the Senate, after Chuck Grassley and Bernie Sanders. His staff released a photo on July 27 of him smiling with his wife, Elaine Chao, but he has not been seen in public since mid-June.[S5][S6]
