New Jersey Republican Tom Kean Jr. has been absent from Congress for weeks, his office disclosed this week, citing a personal health matter that has kept him away from legislative duties since early March.
Kean last cast a vote in the House on March 5, according to official House records. His chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, told NBC News the congressman "is addressing a personal health matter and will be returning to a regular full schedule," though no timeline or details about the nature of the issue were provided.
Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed he had spoken to Kean by phone and said the congressman "expects to be back to 100% very soon." In a statement, Johnson praised Kean as "one of the most dedicated and hardest working Members of Congress."
The extended absence carries real weight in a chamber where Republicans hold an extremely narrow grip on power. The GOP controls 217 seats, Democrats hold 212, and one independent caucuses with Republicans, leaving little room for absences on close votes.
Kean, 57, was first elected to the House in 2022 and represents New Jersey's 7th District, which stretches from suburbs outside New York City to the state's northwestern corner. He is running for re-election in a race rated as a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
His absence comes as other lawmakers grapple with health challenges. Republican Neal Dunn of Florida is facing a terminal diagnosis, and Democratic Rep. David Scott of Georgia died earlier this week at age 80.
Fellow New Jersey Republican Jeff Van Drew said he had not heard from Kean about his status.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "In a House where every vote counts, a weeks-long absence without clarity raises immediate questions about when a member can realistically perform their job."
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