Kean says absence from Congress was because of depression
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) will cast his first vote in the House in four months on Tuesday, returning from a prolonged absence after he was diagnosed with depression.
“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing,” Kean said during a floor speech marking his return. “I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay. I was given the diagnosis of depression.”
Kean, 57, has been absent from Capitol Hill since March due to a health matter and missed over 100 votes, but few details were shared with the public in that time regarding his condition.
“When people hear the word depression, many people think it’s simply the need to feel sad, but depression is so much more than that,” Kean said. “It is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it’s difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.”
The New Jersey lawmaker did not answer questions from reporters when he arrived to Capitol Hill. Upon entering the House floor, Kean appeared to be in good spirits, chatting with other GOP lawmakers and flipping through a binder as he prepared to deliver his speech.
During his remarks, Kean noted it was “not an easy speech for me to give,” and that he is “a private person by nature.”
“Talking about myself has never come naturally, but I believe that I owe an explanation to people in New Jersey’s 7th District, to my colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people for my absence,” Kean said.
He explained why he was hospitalized for his depression, saying his doctors told him it would be the “fastest way to recovery.”
“To be honest, I was hesitant,” Kean said. “I didn’t think that I had time for it. I had responsibilities to my family, I had responsibilities to my constituents, I had responsibilities to this institution, and like many people, I believed that I could simply push through, but I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendation again, not believing that it would result in a long-term stay.”
Very few statements were issued by Kean and his staff during his absence, though the New Jersey Republican wrote in an April 27 statement that he expected to be back on Capitol Hill “very soon,” and in a June 2 statement said he would be back in a “matter of weeks.”
In his Tuesday speech, Kean acknowledged the prolonged time frame of his return, saying that when he first informed the public he was dealing with a health matter, “I was still trying to understand what was happening myself.”
“When I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it,” Kean said. “Those were the best estimates that the doctors could provide, but as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery, only the work of getting better one day at a time. Today I am grateful that I listened to my doctors. I am grateful for the exceptional care that I received from doctors, nurses, and support staff.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters before Kean’s floor speech that if he were in Kean’s shoes, he “would have been more specific” about his condition and that he has encouraged Kean to be transparent during his remarks. However, Johnson asserted that there is “no conspiracy” surrounding Kean’s absence and that it “isn’t scandalous at all.”
“It’s not an uncommon kind of condition and ailment that he’s been fighting, and I think people resonate with that,” Johnson said. “I think he’ll get a lot of empathy because it’s something that’s very, very common.”
The speaker declined to share the details of Kean’s health matter earlier this month, telling reporters that Kean asked him to not disclose it.
“I do know what his health issue is, but he’s asked me not to disclose that, and I’m going to honor that,” Johnson said. “I should do that. That’s my job. I’ll do the same for anyone.”
While Kean himself has been absent since March, his social accounts have remained active, and the congressman has certified several stock trades made on his behalf. He has also signed off on “gift travel” expenses for his staff.
Kean is seeking reelection to New Jersey’s 7th District and will face former Navy pilot Rebecca Bennett in November. Kean ran unopposed in the GOP primary election; however, the New Jersey Republican’s absence has sparked GOP concern about whether he will be able to maintain his seat in November.
The New Jersey Republican is seeking his third term in Congress in one of the nation’s most competitive seats, and winning it will be crucial to the GOP’s effort to hold its narrow House majority. President Donald Trump narrowly carried the district in 2024 after former President Joe Biden won it in 2020.
Democrats are targeting Kean’s seat as a prime pickup opportunity, with Kean being the only New Jersey Republican on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Districts in Play” target list.
This story is developing and will be updated.