Mitch McConnell showed up Wednesday for a Senate committee meeting, but he needed help clarifying his “aye” vote to help Republicans advance their bill.
The 84-year-old senator was wheeled into the Senate Agriculture Committee meeting on the Farm Bill, where he mostly sat silently at the table.
This was only his second appearance on Capitol Hill after he was hospitalized on June 14. Before his return on Monday, the public had not seen him for more than three months, sparking rampant speculation about his health. His frail state upon his return has raised further concerns.
When McConnell’s name was called during the vote, confusion followed as his aides and Republican senators appeared to prompt him to vote “aye.”
His name had to be repeated twice before McConnell lifted his finger slightly and said “aye” in a hoarse voice as everyone in the room leaned in.
As the rest of the meeting took place and senators took turns speaking, McConnell sat quietly with his chief of staff, Terry Carmack, seated just behind him. McConnell left the meeting early after the vote.
During his first appearance on the Hill on Monday after disappearing for 92 days, McConnell’s aides wheeled him into the Senate chamber through the corridor, where taking video was not allowed. While he gave brief remarks then, they were not captured on camera.
On Wednesday, reporters were able to capture video of McConnell being wheeled into and out of the committee meeting, as filming is allowed in the halls of Senate buildings, but he did not answer any questions as he was wheeled directly across the hall.
His staff moved him in and out of the room quickly without pausing as reporters tried to ask him about voting for the Russian sanctions bill and how he was feeling. McConnell responded only with a brief thumbs-up on his way into the meeting.
He also ignored questions when he arrived on the Hill on Wednesday and was wheeled into the Russell Senate Office Building.
At another point, while his team loaded him into an elevator, he gave a peace sign and smiled at reporters but did not speak. He then put up a peace sign again while leaving the Hill but did not respond to questions.
His “aye” vote, prompted by his team and Republicans in the room, was the only audible word from the senator captured on camera in months.
For most of the committee meeting, McConnell sat quietly, his hands mostly clasped in front of him. At one point, Chairman John Boozman leaned over to speak quietly in his ear. He also briefly engaged with his chief of staff, who has been his constant shadow during his public appearances this week.
After the meeting, McConnell posted a picture on X of himself shaking hands with Boozman.
“I want to commend Chairman Boozman for his work on the Farm Bill. As a member of the Agriculture Committee since my first day in the United States Senate, I was proud to vote yes on the Farm Bill on behalf of the hardworking farm families across Kentucky,” the post read.
The post included more words than McConnell made in public during his entire Wednesday appearance back on Capitol Hill.
While he was gone for 92 days, his team put out several statements attributed to him, but they remained largely tight-lipped about his recovery.
