GOP lawmaker questions Mitch McConnell's health: 'Do you know that he’s alive? I don't'

The lack of information about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health has sparked criticism from both sides of the aisle as he remains in the hospital more than three weeks after being found unconscious at his home in Washington, D.C. 

In a Thursday interview with News Nation, Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Indiana, questioned McConnell’s health status and said Republicans "need to hold our own party accountable." 

GOP lawmaker questions McConnell’s health

What they're saying:

"I have not heard from him, and I think it’s a question that Republicans should be asking because he does represent the state of Kentucky," Stutzman said on "Morning in America." "His constituents deserve answers [on] where he is at. I think that the governor of Kentucky has every right to ask after three weeks if no one has said anything.

"Do you know that he’s alive? I don’t," Stutzman continued. "The things that I’ve heard and seen from some friends are that he’s obviously not doing well, but I don’t know if he’s alive or has passed away."

What happened to Mitch McConnell? 

What we know:

According to the 911 call obtained by WLKY, a dispatcher reported a "cardiac arrest" at McConnell’s Washington, D.C. address around 8:30 a.m. June 14. The dispatcher called for a Medic 3, or a "highly trained advanced life support unit" with paramedics trained on advanced medical interventions. 

The dispatcher also said the person was "unconscious," while a medic confirmed that CPR was in progress. According to multiple reports, video from a neighbor shows a person on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance. Another neighbor reportedly saw McConnell's face on the stretcher and said he wasn't wearing an oxygen mask. 

A few hours later, McConnell’s office announced that he was in the hospital "receiving excellent care." 

RELATED: Sen. Mitch McConnell taken to the hospital

What we don't know:

McConnell’s office still hasn’t said what happened or why McConnell remains in the hospital. On Tuesday, his office sent out the same statement it shared last week: 

"Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session."

What does the law say? 

Dig deeper:

According to The Washington Post, there's no law requiring members of Congress to reveal health issues that prevent them from serving, and they're not required to be present for a minimum number of votes. There are members of Congress who missed years of their terms because of serious health problems, "leaving their constituents unrepresented and refusing to let someone else give them a voice in Washington," The Post analysis points out. 

McConnell’s wife releases statement

According to WLKY, McConnell’s wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, was in China when McConnell was first hospitalized. She released the following statement on Wednesday: 

"The secretary was on a long-planned trip in China to support her family's philanthropic endeavors. During the trip, she met with a number of people, including the US ambassador. The Senator's health did not warrant an immediate return to the US."

McConnell’s colleagues say they've spoken to him

What they're saying:

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he had spoken with McConnell by phone on Monday and that the two had a "lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security." As leader, Thune is generally kept up to date on illnesses and absences in his conference as he has to navigate vote counts and his narrow 53-47 majority.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, had a 20-minute conversation with McConnell on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman. The two discussed Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court and other topics, the statement said.

"Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate," said Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes.

Another McConnell ally, Republican strategist Scott Jennings, posted on X that he had also talked to McConnell for 20 minutes on Tuesday, and that "he’s still recovering in the hospital." Jennings said they spoke about politics, foreign policy "and even a little bit of Senate history."

Will McConnell return to the Senate? 

What's next:

It’s unclear whether McConnell will return to the Senate when it’s back in session Monday, July 13. 

Political observers say with the Senate so evenly divided, McConnell’s absence could have legislative consequences, particularly with the upcoming vote to increase defense spending as requested by President Donald Trump. 

McConnell’s health scares

The backstory:

McConnell’s health has been a subject of scrutiny for years.

RELATED: Video shows McConnell appear to freeze again while talking to reporters

He fell and sprained his wrist while walking out of a GOP luncheon in December 2024. He was hospitalized with a concussion in March 2023 and missed several weeks of work after falling in a Washington hotel. After he returned, he twice froze up during news conferences that summer, staring vacantly ahead before colleagues and staff came to his assistance.

RELATED: McConnell slams polio vaccine critics in apparent warning to RFK Jr.

McConnell had polio in his early childhood, and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult with walking and climbing stairs. In addition to his 2023 fall, he also tripped and fell in 2019 at his home in Kentucky. He had surgery for a fractured shoulder.

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