Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the U.S. Senate on Monday, casting his first vote since June 14. His return to Capitol Hill ends a three-month absence that began after he was hospitalized following a fall at his home.
The 84-year-old senator revealed that he had been briefly unconscious after the fall and also treated for a mild case of pneumonia. McConnell spent several weeks in recovery and was discharged from a rehabilitation center last month.
The senator's prolonged absence had sparked widespread speculation about his health, leading to online conspiracies and demands for greater transparency. Upon his return, McConnell told reporters it was time to get back to work to finish the job for this Congress, pledging his presence for crucial Senate decisions.