‘It’s great to be back’: John Fetterman returns to the Senate

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) made his highly anticipated return to the Senate on Monday, following a six-week hospital stay for depression, which put mental health challenges under a spotlight that had already been trained on him and his health for months.

Fetterman climbed out of a black SUV and waved to a crowd of gathered reporters and then put his hands to his heart. Dressed down in his signature navy shorts, sneakers, and a Carhartt hoodie, he didn’t stop to talk to the press but smiled and said, “It’s great to be back.”

A few hours later, Fetterman — in a suit and blue tie — and Sen. Bob Casey walked into the Senate to cast their votes to advance a nominee for deputy under secretary of defense, Radha Iyengar Plumb, to a confirmation vote. Fetterman walked into the mostly empty chamber (senators typically file in slowly on Mondays for procedural votes) and gave a thumbs up.

Less than a minute later, he walked out with Casey, who also voted yes. Fetterman didn’t talk to reporters.

Fetterman’s return for the routine vote was met with outsized attention, given his past year — suffering a stroke, winning a politically coveted open seat, and then sharing his struggles with depression and seeking treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Many of his colleagues have applauded his public acknowledgment that he was suffering from depression as a courageous disclosure about an often-stigmatized topic. For many of them, this week will be the first time they greet him in person since he went on leave.

Fetterman is expected to cochair a panel hearing on Wednesday about food assistance and nutrition programs. Following a report on Monday that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will unveil a debt limit proposal that includes some restrictions to food assistance, Fetterman sent out a short statement with information about the hearing:

“Cut SNAP for families and kids while pushing tax cuts for billionaires? Not on my watch.”

Fetterman will also join all senators for a classified briefing about the leaked U.S. documents about the war in Ukraine.

» READ MORE: How Sen. John Fetterman's hospital stay for depression compares to other Pennsylvanians'

Fetterman had not voted in the chamber, where Democrats have a razor-thin majority, since Feb. 15, though they spent most of that time on confirmation votes, mostly on noncontroversial nominees

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) also returned Monday after a medical absence following a fall and concussion.

» READ MORE: A look at Sen. John Fetterman's health journey

Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Feb. 15 to receive treatment for clinical depression. He was released from the hospital March 31 and his staff released a letter from doctors at Walter Reed that described his depression as in remission.

He returned home to Braddock, Pa., where he spent some time with his family, enjoyed Easter and a belated birthday celebration for his son before heading back to Capitol Hill.