Fetterman returns to Senate after depression treatment
Published Date: 4/17/2023
Source: axios.com

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) returned to the Senate on Monday, two months after he checked himself into Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was treated for clinical depression.

The big picture: Congress reconvened Monday after a two-week recess, with Fetterman as well as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) returning after absences. Meanwhile, Democrats have grappled with the impact of Sen. Dianne Feinstein's absence (D-Calif.) on their slim majority.


Driving the news: "It's great to be back. Thank you," Fetterman told reporters as he returned to the chamber on Monday.

  • The first-term senator was discharged from the hospital on March 31 and returned to his home in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
  • Fetterman indicated last month that he would be back in the Senate on April 17, when the chamber returned from recess.
  • He said in a statement after his release that he was "extremely grateful to the incredible team" at the medical center, adding that "the care they provided changed my life."

Of note: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said last week that Democrats would try to "temporarily" replace Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee as she recovers.