John Fetterman returns to Senate after depression treatment


Sen John Fetterman (D-Pa.) returned to the Senate two months after he checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he received treatment for clinical depression, CNN reports. Fetterman started inpatient treatment in February and was discharged last month.
As he arrived at the Capitol on his first day back, Fetterman told reporters, "It's great to be back," before declining to answer questions. His return coincided with the Senate coming back into session on Apr. 17 after a two-week recess.
"I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works," Fetterman said in a statement after his release in March. "This isn't about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Pennsylvania Democrat had dealt with "depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks," his chief of staff explained in February after announcing that the senator had decided to seek treatment.
Legislators from both parties "expressed support for the Pennsylvania Democrat as he underwent treatment for clinical depression," CNN says, "and Fetterman's decision to seek treatment opened up a broader conversation on Capitol Hill about mental health."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, told CNN's Lauren Fox that Fetterman "saved lives" by being open about his struggles with depression and his choice to seek help. "I think John Fetterman saved lives by being a prominent person who stepped up and said he had a problem with mental health issues and he would seek treatment in a very visible and public way," Warren said.
Fetterman is one of three senators who have been absent due to medical reasons, Reuters says. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also returned on Monday after being treated for a concussion after he fell last month. Sen.Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has been out since early Match after being hospitalized for shingles.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Sodium batteries could make electric flight viable
Under the Radar Low-cost fuel cell has higher energy density and produces chemical by-product that could absorb CO2 from the atmosphere
-
Flying into danger
Feature America's air traffic control system is in crisis. Can it be fixed?
-
Pocket change: The demise of the penny
Feature The penny is being phased out as the Treasury plans to halt production by 2026
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge
-
US trade court nullifies Trump's biggest tariffs
speed read The US Court of International Trade says Trump exceeded his authority in imposing global tariffs
-
Trump pauses all new foreign student visas
speed read The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews with those seeking student visas in preparation for scrutiny of applicants' social media
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges