Thomas Keane Jr., republican The U.S. House representative from New Jersey has been absent from the House of Representatives for more than 60 days as he continues to deal with “personal health issues.” When the U.S. House of Representatives resumed session on Tuesday, May 12, Keane Jr. was once again absent, sparking outrage from his rival Democratic lawmakers.
Kean Jr., who has served as a member of the House of Representatives for New Jersey’s 7th District since 2023, has not revealed what exactly the “private health issues” in the case are.
As the House returns to session this week, his office released a statement Assuring lawmakers and the public that he would return to his normal full schedule “soon.” His absence has also frustrated other Republican lawmakers, given that the party currently holds a slim majority in the House.
Where is Thomas Keane Jr.?
Thomas Keene Jr. is not only absent from the U.S. House of Representatives, but he has also not been seen in public recently. His official social media accounts remain active, with regular posts celebrating holidays such as Nurses Day, but none of them feature the 57-year-old himself.
On Tuesday, for example, he shared photos of congressional staff participating in the “10th Anniversary Celebration of Our North Jersey Community Salute to Honor the Class of 2026 High School Enlistees.” However, members of Congress were conspicuously absent.
“Congressman Keene is still dealing with personal health issues and we appreciate everyone’s outpouring of support,” his chief of staff Dan Scharffenberg said in a statement Monday. “He will be back to his normal full schedule soon.”
However, the statement did not clarify what health issues Kean Jr. is dealing with or a timetable for his return to the House of Representatives.
Colleagues support young Keane
Despite internal frustration over Tom Keene Jr.’s absence, which could be a roadblock to the bill’s passage, his Republican colleagues expressed support and sought to explain his absence.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, said last month that he had been in contact with Keane and expected the 57-year-old to make a full recovery.
“Tom is one of the most dedicated and hard-working members of Congress, and I appreciate everything he has done and will continue to serve New Jerseyans and our country,” Johnson said, without specifying the nature of his health issues.
Currently, Republicans hold 217 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, while Democrats hold 212 seats. There are still 5 seats available.
