Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. is set to return to Washington later this month, ending a months-long absence from Capitol Hill while he recovered from a personal health issue.
The New Jersey Republican will be back for House votes on June 30, according to his political adviser.
“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 June 23, giving Kean a short window of votes before lawmakers leave again for the Fourth of July break.
Kean, a two-term Republican from Westfield, represents New Jersey’s highly competitive 7th Congressional District and is facing Democrat Rebecca Bennett in what is expected to be a closely watched re-election fight.
His extended absence has drawn growing attention after he last voted March 5 and missed 135 votes while away from Washington.
The New Jersey Globe first reported on Kean’s absence March 20.
At the time, his office said he would be back “soon,” a word his staff continued to use in nearly every public statement as questions mounted.
The absence became a national story in mid-April as Democrats and political observers pressed for more information about why the congressman had been away from Capitol Hill for so long.
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
Kean has said he will fully disclose details about the health issue once he returns, though neither he nor his staff has shared specifics so far.
In a May 21 telephone interview with the New Jersey Globe, Kean said he was nearing a full recovery and confirmed he planned to seek re-election.
But on June 2, he issued a statement saying his return would be pushed back by a few more weeks.
Kean has also told the outlet that his health issue is not chronic and will not affect his cognitive abilities.
The announcement gives Republicans some clarity as they look to defend a battleground House seat in a district Democrats are eager to flip.
For Kean, the return to Washington will come with renewed scrutiny, both over his missed votes and the health issue he has promised to explain.
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