Tom Kean Reveals Depression Treatment After Four-Month Absence from Congress

breitbart ^ | 30 Jun 2026 | Sean Moran

[chief lee runamok]

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. revealed on the House floor on Tuesday his diagnosis for depression led to extended hospital treatment.

Kean’s speech to the House floor served as the first time he disclosed the reason for his absence from Congress.

He said, “I believe that I owe an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s seventh congressional district, colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people about my absence.”

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TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Unclassified
KEYWORDS:

[chief lee runamok]

For however many votes and other duties missed for four months, kean should be docked pay, if receiving full pay.

The way his depression was kept from the public deserves termination his position.

For failure to fulfill his duties, kean should have resigned months ago.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

At least he admits he’s mentally ill.

So many in Congress don’t.

[kawhill]

“Rep. Tom Kean Jr. revealed on the House floor on Tuesday his diagnosis for depression led to extended hospital treatment.” Guess he didn’t take his medicine as prescribed.

[fwdude]

Depression isn't a "mental illness." Almost nothing is.

Being sad isn't an excuse to miss votes.

[Texan5]

Was he getting workers comp while he was out? Does congress have workers comp insurance? I’ve always figured they did-but now I’m going to look it up-I’m curious...

[Miami Rebel]

There have been hundreds of reps who’ve taken time off for physical maladies. This is no different, and there hasn’t been a single vote that’s failed on the absence of one congressman in Kean’s absence.

[Jan_Sobieski]

WTH…does he feel guilty for eating children? Selling his soul? Here we are in a fight for the republic, and this guy’s AWOL!? …but getting paid…

[chief lee runamok]

"This is no different, and there hasn’t been a single vote that’s failed
on the absence of one congressman in Kean’s absence."

Makes no difference, whatever malady suffered.

Kean failed his duty, failed his constituents, missing 142 consecutive votes.

Any private organization would have fired him months ago.

[Texan5]

Looks like congress has workers comp insurance. Clinical depression is real and it is far more than just being sad-it is also covered by every comp carrier I’ve ever dealt with.

Grok says:

Does congress have workers comp insurance to cover serving congress members?

Yes, members of Congress (Senators and Representatives) are covered by workers’ compensation through the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).⁠Congress

FECA is the federal government’s workers’ compensation program, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). It provides benefits for job-related injuries, illnesses, or deaths, including medical care, wage replacement (compensation for lost wages), and other support, without regard to fault.⁠Congress
Key Details on Coverage

Who is covered: FECA applies to all civilian employees of the federal government across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This explicitly includes Members of Congress, as they qualify as civil officers or employees in the legislative branch.⁠Congress
Scope: It covers full-time and part-time workers for injuries or occupational diseases sustained in the performance of duty. This has been in place since the original 1916 FECA law (with expansions, such as in 1949 to include “officers” of the United States).⁠Congress
Real-world example: Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords used FECA benefits for medical costs and lost wages after being shot during a 2011 constituent event.⁠Govinfo

FECA serves as the exclusive remedy against the federal government for covered work-related claims (similar to how state workers’ comp works for private employers). It is funded through congressional appropriations, not traditional private insurance.⁠Everycrsreport

Note that this is distinct from health insurance (e.g., Members and staff use ACA exchange plans like DC Health Link with employer contributions) or retirement benefits. FECA specifically addresses on-the-job injuries.⁠Opm

[moviefan8]

Family and Medical Leave Act protects his job and benefits for 12 weeks.

I am not sure what the procedure or policy is for the federal government, but I know what it is for my workplace.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

[Texan5]

Thank you...

[Greg123456]

If I had to work with all those Rinos and Rats I would have depression, too.

[desertsolitaire]

I believe James Brady also used it. He was President Reagan’s press secretary and was severely wounded when John Hinckley Jr. attempted to kill the president. Brady took a bullet through the forehead at close range. He lived but had a rough go after trying to recover. I seem to remember the President offered him his old job back afterwards, disabled as he was but he did not feel right taking it.

[Dr. Sivana]

Guess he didn’t take his medicine as prescribed.

Prescribing for clinical depression is an inexact science, and often takes a lot of adjustments for both the type of medication and the dosages.

[moviefan8]

I forgot to add what happens after the 12 weeks are up. Just wanted to clarify my earlier post.

In my workplace, an employee is put on a health leave.

Pay is state disabilty insurance and the rest comes his leave banks (sick, vacation, and comp time). The employee can waive using his leave banks.

[PGalt]

Leave government Tom Kean. It’s depressing you’re still there. Enjoy life. What’s more important?

[fwdude]

Clinical depression does not have any physiological cause. There is no “serotonin imbalance” or any other kind of brain chemistry imbalance. That is just conjecture, and clinicians never check these anyway in patients who present.

Psychology/psychiatry is one of the biggest cons in human history. Much of medicine is too.

I got a good family friend off of a series of psychotropic drugs he had been on for years for depression and uncontrollable anger issues. They began causing dementia. They also crippled his legs. In about a month, he was a completely different person: calmer, more interactive and a lot less depressed. He also began walking again.

These medications are poison, for the mind and body.

[Vermont Lt]

Depression treatment for four months? Is that what they are calling it now?

[Texan5]

I remember how badly James Brady was injured, and his long recovery-he lost his speech, and ambulated with a wheelchair for a while, God bless him.

I’m sure every member of congress who has fallen, tripped, run into a door, had substance abuse issues that are work related-or injured their hand slamming it repeatedly on the surface in front of them while screaming at someone when congress is in session has used that workers comp, too...

[Vermont Lt]

I don’t dispute that depression is a real disease. It had hit my family and it can mess you up. But a four month hospitalization? That’s pretty hard core. That type of institutionalization usually follows a suicide attempt or substance abuse.