Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will receive inpatient hospital care for a few weeks as he seeks treatment for clinical depression, a senior staffer for the senator told CNBC on Friday.
The expected length of Fetterman’s hospital stay was shared hours after his office revealed that the 53-year-old freshman lawmaker checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Wednesday night.
Fetterman’s absence from Capitol Hill will temporarily narrow Democrats’ slim 51-49 Senate majority, potentially making it harder for the polarized chamber to accomplish its goals. Congress is working to craft a bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling before the summer and prevent the country from defaulting on its obligations, among other legislative priorities. The Senate is not in session next week.
Should Fetterman choose to resign, Gov Shapiro would be responsible for choosing a replacement who would serve in the Senate seat until the next scheduled statewide election. (2024) Then, voters would hold a special election to choose who would carry out the remainder of Fetterman’s term.
