WASHINGTON—Senate Republican chief Mitch McConnell is again at work within the U.S. Capitol on Monday, virtually six weeks after a fall at a Washington-area lodge and prolonged remedy for a concussion.
The longtime Kentucky senator, 81, has been recovering at dwelling since he was launched from a rehabilitation facility March 25. He fell after attending an occasion earlier that month, injuring his head and fracturing a rib.
McConnell arrived on the Capitol early Monday and is anticipated to work a full schedule within the Senate this week.
In short remarks on the Senate ground because the chamber got here again into session after a two-week recess, McConnell criticized President Joe Biden for not doing sufficient to barter on the nation’s debt ceiling and thanked his colleagues for his or her well-wishes.
“I’m very pleased to be again,” McConnell mentioned. “There’s vital enterprise for Congress to deal with.”
And he joked, “Suffice it to say, this wasn’t the primary time that being hard-headed has served me very effectively.”
McConnell returns to the Senate forward of a busy stretch through which Congress must discover a technique to increase the debt ceiling and negotiate further support for the Ukraine conflict, amongst different coverage issues. And he comes again as a number of different senators have been out for medical causes, elevating questions on how a lot the Senate will be capable of obtain within the coming months with a 51–49 cut up between the events.
Already, the GOP chief’s absence, together with these of Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and John Fetterman, amongst others, have added to the Senate’s torpid tempo within the first few months of the 12 months. In contrast to the final two years, through which Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer was capable of push via key components of President Joe Biden’s agenda with the assistance of a Democratic-led Home, the Senate has been considerably slowed with Republicans now in cost within the Home. And absences have made even easy votes like nominations harder.
One rapid query for McConnell upon his return is whether or not to assist Democrats quickly change Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee as she continues to recuperate in California from a case of the shingles. Democrats have grow to be more and more annoyed because the Democrat’s greater than six-week absence on the panel has stalled affirmation of a few of Biden’s nominees, and Feinstein has requested for a short-term substitute on the committee.
Democrats can’t do this, although, with out assist from Republicans, since approval of the method would take 60 votes on the Senate ground. Two GOP members of the Judiciary panel, Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, have already mentioned they don’t imagine that Republicans ought to assist Democrats change Feinstein.
It’s unclear when Feinstein, 89, will return to Washington. Her workplace has to date declined to say.
Additionally returning to the Senate on Monday was Fetterman, who was hospitalized for scientific despair in February. He was handled for six weeks at Walter Reed Nationwide Navy Medical Heart, and his docs say his despair is now “in remission.”
Fetterman’s announcement that he was checking himself into the hospital earlier this 12 months got here after he suffered a stroke final 12 months and has struggled with auditory processing dysfunction, which might render somebody unable to talk fluidly and shortly course of spoken dialog into which means. The Pennsylvania Democrat, 53, now makes use of gadgets in conversations, conferences, and congressional hearings that transcribe spoken phrases in actual time.
In a press release when he was launched from Walter Reed late final month, Fetterman mentioned the care he obtained there “modified my life.”
“I’m excited to be the daddy and husband I need to be, and the senator Pennsylvania deserves,” mentioned Fetterman, who gained reward for his resolution to hunt remedy.
McConnell visited his Capitol workplace on Friday forward of his Monday return. In video captured by NBC Information, he walked into the constructing with out help as aides stored shut by.
This was the second main harm for McConnell in recent times. 4 years in the past he tripped and fell at his dwelling in Kentucky, inflicting a shoulder fracture that required surgical procedure. The Senate had simply began a summer time recess, and he labored from dwelling for some weeks as he recovered.
McConnell had polio in his early childhood and he has lengthy acknowledged some issue as an grownup in climbing stairs.
By Mary Clare Jalonick