Rep. Tom Kean Jr. to Miss Another Week in House

Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a New Jersey Republican, will miss another week of work in Washington as the House returns this week, his office said on May 12, 2026. Kean has not voted in the House since March 5, and his office has attributed the absence to an undisclosed personal health matter.

The congressman has missed 68 votes during the period, including on legislation to end a record 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. His office said he is “attending to a personal health matter” and expects to resume a full schedule soon.

Kean’s chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, said in a statement that the office appreciates “the outpouring of support” and that the congressman’s team continues to serve constituents “uninterrupted” while he is away. The office has not provided additional details about Kean’s condition.

Votes missed as House returns

Kean’s continued absence comes as the House reconvenes after a break. He has not cast a vote since March 5, according to information cited in the source material, and his missed votes now total 68.

Among the measures he did not vote on was legislation to end the 75-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown. The office has framed his absence as temporary and tied to a personal health matter.

Re-election campaign in a targeted New Jersey district

Kean, 57, is seeking re-election in November in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, a Westfield-based seat that Democrats are targeting. He faces no Republican opponent in the state’s June 2 primary.

Kean has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, while four Democrats are competing for their party’s nomination to challenge him in November.

Kean’s office said it expects him to return to a regular schedule soon; attention is likely to remain on when he resumes voting and public appearances as the election season intensifies.