This comes as Congress has been busy ahead of the midterm elections.
Two lawmakers—Reps. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) and Tom Kean (R-N.J.)—have been missing from Congress for weeks as their peers take up key pieces of legislation.
Both have been dealing with health issues and missed a long list of votes as Republicans face a slim majority in the House.
Here’s what to know about the members and their absences.
Frederica Wilson Gone Since April
Wilson’s last vote in the lower chamber of Congress was on April 16, and she was last recorded by official sources in the chamber on April 17. Her last vote was in support of a resolution urging President Donald Trump to end the conflict with Iran.
Wilson has not publicly addressed her nearly monthlong absence, though her staff has continued maintaining active social media accounts on her behalf.
Some recent posts sparked criticism for potentially creating the impression that Wilson remained publicly engaged. One post was highlighted by Capitol Hill correspondent Jamie Dupree who noted that the lawmaker reposted a photo and text on May 12 from more than six months earlier, citing her previous involvement in a military academy event. This was seen by some as an effort by the congresswoman’s office to imply current constituent outreach activities.
Wilson serves on both the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Education and Workforce. While both committees have held hearings since April 17, the 83-year-old congresswoman did not appear in publicly available footage from those sessions.
Wilson has represented Florida’s 24th Congressional District, which covers parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties, since 2013 and is seeking reelection in November. The district remains strongly Democratic, according to analysis from the Cook Political Report.
She is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Christine Sanon-Jules Olivo, a small-business owner affiliated with the NAACP. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on May 14 that Wilson’s absence was related to her health.
“She’s recovering from a procedure, and I expect that she’ll be back shortly,” Jeffries told reporters.
Wilson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kean Out Since March
Kean, who has represented New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District since 2022, has missed votes and public appearances for more than two months. His office declined to provide specifics about the medical issue or a timeline for his return, instead directing inquiries to a May 12 report by the New Jersey Globe.
“Congressman Kean is still attending to a personal health matter and we appreciate the outpouring of support,” Kean’s chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, told the outlet in a statement, adding that Kean was expected to resume a normal schedule soon and that constituent services continued without interruption.
The 57-year-old lawmaker last voted in the House on March 5. After an initial week of missed votes, his office acknowledged on March 20 that he was addressing a health issue. He went on to miss 78 House votes and didn’t appear publicly for official or campaign-related events in either Washington or New Jersey.
Kean’s absence began drawing national attention in April, with several news outlets reporting that even some Republican colleagues had not heard from him for weeks. Shortly afterward, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he spoke with Kean by phone and was told the congressman expected to be “back to 100 percent very soon.”
“He said he was out on a medical issue and he’ll be back as soon as possible. That’s the full extent of what I know about it,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a personal thing, and obviously I told him that we’re praying for him, and I need him to get back as soon as he can.”
On April 27, Kean released a statement, saying his doctors expected a full recovery.
“I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult,” he said.
His extended absence created challenges for House Republicans in a narrowly divided chamber and added uncertainty to the race for the 7th District, where several Democrats were preparing campaigns against him. Despite speculation about his political future, Kean’s advisers say he plans to seek a third term.
“Of course Congressman Kean is running for reelection,” longtime campaign consultant Harrison Neely told Politico last week. “He’s looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail very soon.”
