Tom Kean Jr. expects return to Congress within weeks

Republican Representative Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey said Thursday he expects to return to Congress within weeks, breaking a prolonged public silence over a medical absence that has stretched for more than two months and caused political complications for his party's narrow House majority. The congressman has not cast a vote since March 5, missing at least 88 consecutive roll call votes.

In his first interview since his absence began, Kean told the New Jersey Globe his doctors are confident he is on the road to a full recovery. He said his prognosis is positive, with no expected long-term effects or chronic health complications, and that the condition has not affected his cognitive health. I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I'll return to voting and to the campaign trail, Kean stated. He declined to specify the nature of the illness but said he intends to publicly discuss the details soon.

The lawmaker's father, former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean Sr., previously described his son's condition as a serious but temporary illness, stating that doctors expect a full recovery. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he spoke with Kean by phone recently and was told the...