Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress
Representative Tom Kean of New Jersey has returned to Congress after a four-month absence. He announced that he was treated for depression during this time. (sources: nytimes, nbcnews, cbsnews)
Kean addressed his absence in a House floor speech, emphasizing the importance of mental health care. He expressed gratitude to his family, supporters, and colleagues.
- Kean's absence lasted nearly four months.
- He stated that he sought treatment for depression.
- Kean highlighted the significance of mental health care in his remarks.
Why it matters
This announcement brings attention to mental health issues and the experiences of public officials.
↓ Congress can act on this
6 bills on this issue are moving right now — and the most active one is S3199: 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act of 2026.
S3199 · 119th Congress
988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act of 2026
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About this bill
What S3199 actually does
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would establish an advisory committee to address geolocation problems with 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline calls.
If passed, it would:
- establish an advisory committee to address geolocation problems with 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline calls • improve recommendations for connecting crisis callers to the right local response.
5 other bills moving on this issue
Take action on any of them individually.
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would support peer support specialists as part of the behavioral-health workforce.
If passed, it would
- support peer support specialists as part of the behavioral-health workforce • build nonclinical support capacity for people navigating mental-health and substance-use systems.
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would improve the certified community behavioral health clinic program.
If passed, it would
- improve the certified community behavioral health clinic program • strengthen community-based infrastructure for ongoing behavioral-health treatment.
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would create civil monetary penalties for violations of mental health parity requirements.
If passed, it would
- create civil monetary penalties for violations of mental health parity requirements • raise the cost of insurers treating mental-health coverage less favorably than other medical care.
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would ensure Medicare coverage of mental and behavioral health services furnished through telehealth.
If passed, it would
- ensure Medicare coverage of mental and behavioral health services furnished through telehealth • make remote therapy and psychiatric follow-up easier to sustain for Medicare patients.
This story is about Rep. Kean Discusses His Absence from Congress. This bill would expand Medicare shortage-area bonus eligibility to practitioners furnishing mental-health and substance-use services.
If passed, it would
- expand Medicare shortage-area bonus eligibility to practitioners furnishing mental-health and substance-use services • increase incentives for more clinicians to serve areas with too few behavioral-health providers.