Dem
51
GOP
49
For about a month now, the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate has been down two votes, due to the mental health challenges faced by Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and the physical health challenges faced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). However, it looks like both absences will soon come to an end.
Fetterman, for his part, has been discharged from Walter Reed hospital, where he was being treated for depression. On his release, the Senator issued a statement thanking his medical team and declaring "I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works." Yesterday, he sat for a teary interview with CBS in which he tried to explain what it was like to experience severe depression, while also lamenting that he missed his son Karl's birthday, which took place the same day as Fetterman checked into Walter Reed. Not too many politicians are willing to be that vulnerable, and we suspect that the Senator's honesty will inspire at least a few people to reach out for the help they need. Certainly, his conduct stands in sharp contrast to right-wing politicians and media figures who mocked him and/or questioned his fitness for office. So, good on him. Fetterman is currently taking some downtime in his hometown of Braddock, PA, but he expects to be back at work when the Senate reconvenes on the 14th of this month.
Meanwhile, Feinstein has also been discharged from the hospital where, in her case, she was being treated for shingles. She's keeping details close to the vest, as is of course her right, but she's about 4½ weeks into a disease whose course usually between 3 and 5 weeks. The Senator has also said she hopes to return to Washington sometime this month. That seems well within reason, and so by May 1, the blue team should be back to 51 votes, assuming we're still counting Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
Thus far, the absence of Fetterman and Feinstein hasn't mattered too much, since the Senate has been on break for much of the time they were gone, and since the relatively small amount of legislation (and other matters) that came before the Senate in the last month or so didn't really break along party lines. But, of course, the ugly, ugly fight over the debt ceiling and the budget are coming up. And so, those extra two votes might be returning just in the nick of time. (Z)