Westfield, New Jersey —
One day before Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to Capitol Hill for the first time in months, the long-missing congressman sat on the steps of his tidy Tudor-style home in North Jersey, sifting through mail beside his wife.
Kean, wearing a gray polo, offered a casual wave and headed inside when he noticed a reporter from CNN on his street. Then, he dispatched a spokesperson for his campaign to deliver a message that his own GOP colleagues have been eager to hear for months.
The 57-year-old congressman will be “fully transparent” about his nearly four-month absence when he returns to Washington on Tuesday, spokesperson Harrison Neely told CNN.
Upon his return, the two-term Republican is planning to deliver a floor speech that is expected to address his unexplained health condition, according to a person familiar with the plans. He arrived at the Capitol a little before 10 a.m. Tuesday, remaining silent as reporters peppered him with questions. As he prepared to speak, Kean mingled with his colleagues on the floor, receiving handshakes and cheery greetings from Republicans like Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana and Keith Self of Texas, then leafed through what appeared to be prepared remarks.
