Senator John Fetterman’s office told CBS News that the newly elected senator from Pennsylvania will return to his job soon, as he undergoes inpatient treatment for depression. His Democratic colleagues have continued to support Mr Fetterman throughout the process.
The senator checked into Walter Reed Medical Center last month to undergo treatment for depression, following a brief stay at George Washington University hospital after he experienced light-headedness.
Mr Fetterman’s chief of staff Adam Jentleson reportedly briefs the senator on a daily basis and he has opened regional offices throughout Pennsylvania.
“He’ll be back soon, at least over a week, but soon,” Mr Jentleson said.
Mr Fetterman had reportedly dealt with depression “off and on throughout his life” but it had become more severe in recent weeks and Capitol physician Brian Monahan recommended he go to the hospital.
Mr Fetterman suffered a stroke last year right before the Democratic primary for Pennyslvania’s Senate seat. Nevertheless, he managed to beat Republican nominee and celebrity physician Mehmet Oz, giving Democrats one more seat in their Senate majority.
Since then, he’s had to manage auditory processing disorder, which means he uses a speech-to-text device to understand what people are saying.
“We want to give him the space to recuperate,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference on Wednesday. “He needs it, it's fair, it's right. There are other people in the Senate who have taken their time to recuperate but I'm confident he's going to come back and be an outstanding and fine senator.”
More recently, Mr Fetterman cosponsored legislation with fellow Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, also a Democrat, Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio as well as Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida and JD Vance of Ohio to increase rail safety regulations after a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border.
