Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sidestepped questions about his health in his return to the Capitol on Tuesday, six days after freezing up for a second time while speaking in public.
"Now, one particular moment of my time back home received its fair share of attention in the press over the past week. But I assure you, August was a busy and productive month for me and my staff," McConnell said in an address to the Senate.
McConnell ignored repeated questions about his health from reporters as he made his way to and from the Senate chamber.
His speech came after the Capitol’s attending physician, Brian Monahan, said in a new letter that McConnell did not suffer a stroke or seizure and is not suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Monahan said in the letter that he consulted with McConnell’s neurologists and conducted several evaluations, including brain MRI imaging and a test that measures electrical imaging in the brain.
“There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease,” wrote the physician.
Last Thursday, a day after McConnell’s second freeze up, Monahan said that the Senate Republican leader was medically cleared to continue his schedule.
“Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration,” wrote Monahan. McConnell’s office has previously said that his freezes were due to lightheadedness and dehydration.
Last Wednesday’s freeze up is similar to the one he experienced in late July, when McConnell suddenly froze for about 19 seconds as he was speaking during a weekly Republican leadership news conference.
Following the first incident, McConnell’s office said he has no plans to step down, noting McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues and “plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do.”
In March, McConnell tripped and fell after an event for the Senate Leadership Fund at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington.
He was hospitalized with a concussion and a minor rib fracture and was discharged five days later before entering rehab. McConnell did not return to the Senate until mid-April.