Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from Congress for several months, is finally returning to Capitol Hill.
The “missing” Republican congressman will be back on June 30th — notably, just two days before Congress breaks for Independence Day.
Previously, it was revealed that he has been battling an undisclosed personal health issue.
Here’s what we know:
Tom Kean is returning June 30. The House leaves July 2 for the July 4 break.https://t.co/8BmvDCObBl
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) June 18, 2026
BREAKING: New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. will return to Washington on June 30, @wildstein is reporting, marking the end of an extended leave as he recovered from a personal health issue which became a national story over the last three months. https://t.co/ZZWvfmVu8R
— Shlomo Schorr (@OneJerseySchorr) June 18, 2026
The New Jersey Globe was the first to report on Rep. Kean’s return to Congress:
Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) will return to Washington in less than two weeks, marking the end of an extended leave as he recovered from a personal health issue.
“The congressman will be back for votes on June 30,” his political advisor, Harrison Neely, told the New Jersey Globe.
The House was out of session this week and is scheduled to return for votes on June 23. That is expected to give Kean three days of votes before the House takes a week off for the 4th of July.
The two-term Republican, who is locked in a hugely competitive re-election campaign against Democrat Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th district, has promised to fully disclose the details of the health issue that has caused his absence once he returns. He and his staff have not commented on any details so far.
The last time Rep. Keane voted in Congress was on March 5th, and he has missed 135 votes while gone.
However, he is still committed to seeking re-election this year.
The New York Post has more:
To date, it’s still not clear exactly what health situation kept him away from Congress for just under four months.
Kean represents one of the most competitive districts in the country and did not make an appearance when he won the Republican nomination for his uncontested reelection.
The congressman is facing a bruising battle against Democrat Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th district this cycle.
At times, some of Kean’s colleagues didn’t know what was going on with him.
However, he has since had calls with key Republicans and did a brief interview with the New Jersey Globe, where he claimed that the health situation wasn’t impacting his cognitive skills and isn’t chronic.
“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” Kean, 57, told the New Jersey Globe on May 21. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.
“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail.”
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