Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Mitch McConnell’s months-long absence may have crossed a legal and institutional line, urging more transparency and possible rules for extended congressional leave.
McConnell, 84, disclosed that a June 14 fall left him briefly unconscious and that childhood polio complications and a mild case of pneumonia slowed his recovery, keeping him off the Senate floor.
That statement still gave no return date, saying only that he cannot vote "quite yet," after weeks of silence fueled online rumors about his condition.
Republican senators said they remain in regular contact with McConnell and expect him back for critical votes, arguing his resilience and continued leadership should reassure colleagues.
The episode has widened a broader Capitol Hill debate over how much lawmakers should disclose when health problems keep them away for long stretches.