Rep. Tom Kean Jr. Returns to House After Nearly Four-Month Absence for Depression Treatment

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to the House floor on June 30 and said he had been diagnosed with depression after entering the hospital for testing several months earlier. Kean, 57, a Republican representing New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, stated that doctors recommended he remain hospitalized to address the illness.

He added that he was grateful he accepted help. Kean last voted on March 5 and missed more than 100 floor votes during the nearly four-month absence. Kean signed off on five stock trades between April 14 and May 17, according to congressional disclosures.

He also introduced legislation as lead sponsor of the PREEMPT Act, which would require the federal government to clarify whether Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover early detection screenings for preeclampsia. House Speaker Mike Johnson said ahead of the speech that he would have been more specific about the condition and encouraged Kean to do so.

Johnson added that Kean had worked overtime, remained in constant contact with his office, and that constituents had been served throughout the process.

Kean made his first public statement in April, writing that he was addressing a personal medical issue and that doctors assured him recovery would be complete. He flipped the House seat in 2022 and won reelection in 2024 by six points.