Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to the House floor on Tuesday and disclosed that depression kept him away from Congress for nearly four months. The New Jersey Republican said he was hospitalized after health concerns and received the diagnosis during testing.
Kean last cast a vote on March 5 and missed more than 100 House votes during his absence. He told colleagues that many people underestimate the condition. "Many people think it is feeling sad. It is so much more than that," Kean said. "It is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be."
The second-term lawmaker explained that doctors recommended hospitalization for the quickest recovery. He initially expected to return within weeks but learned there is no fixed timeline for healing, noting that more than 48 million Americans are treated for the illness.
Speaker Mike Johnson said he had urged Kean to be transparent. "I encouraged him all along to be as transparent as possible," Johnson told reporters. Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett welcomed Kean's return but criticized his prior absence from the competitive 7th district.
Kean encouraged others facing mental illness to seek help. "Asking for help is not a weakness," he said. "It is a strength."
