WASHINGTON: Tom Kean’s depression disclosure sparked debate after the New Jersey Republican said his more than 100-day absence from the House was caused by the illness.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to Washington on Tuesday and explained his absence in a roughly five-minute speech before a nearly empty House chamber.
“I was given the diagnosis of depression,” Kean said, adding that he had accepted help and returned healthier.
Kean said he was private by nature and was still trying to understand his condition when his office first described the absence as a medical issue.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ, @CongressmanKean) returns to Congress, last voting on March 5th: "I was given the diagnosis of depression…it is physical, it is emotional and until you've experience it yourself it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be." pic.twitter.com/mQpR1naXa9
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 30, 2026Speaker Mike Johnson said he had encouraged Kean to be more specific but acknowledged the sensitivity of a mental health diagnosis.
Rep. Lauren Boebert drew criticism after telling TMZ she had been “marked safe from depression” and questioning who could take four months off work “because they’re sad.”
Jonathan Komisar, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Duke University School of Medicine.
He said mental illness still receives less acceptance than physical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
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Lynn Bufka, executive lead psychologist for practice at the American Psychological Association, said public disclosure of depression requires vulnerability.
The report said Kean’s absence has also raised questions about access to treatment, as many people with serious depression lack the health care or financial resources to step away from work.
Sen. John Fetterman, who checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre for depression treatment in 2023, later said people had weaponised his decision to seek help.
