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Swing-seat Republican sidelined by ‘serious’ illness misses 88 votes as majority hangs by thread
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An absent House lawmaker is expected to miss several more weeks of work after vanishing from Capitol Hill and the campaign trail due to an undisclosed illness.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., has not voted in more than two months as House Republicans’ slim majority races to approve must-pass legislation ahead of the midterm elections.
His father, former Gov. Tom Kean Sr., R-N.J., says his son may not return to Washington until June or later as he recovers from a «serious» illness.
«You can’t say definitely, but their best guess is now he’ll be out in two or three weeks,» Kean Sr., told NJ.com in an interview last week, referring his son’s doctors. «Any time you’ve been through a serious illness, you can’t be 100% the day you get back. You’re gonna be able to do things, but gradually ramping up.»
Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-N.J., who is recovering from an undisclosed illness, last voted on March 5. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
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«When he can start to go to Congress again, that’s something the doctor wants to reserve judgment on,» he added.
Kean Jr., 57, last voted on March 5 and has missed all 88 roll call votes in the lower chamber since then, according to GovTrack, a website that monitors congressional absences.
Representatives for the New Jersey Republican have contended for weeks that he will restart his congressional duties «soon,» but that timeline has remained vague.
A spokesperson for Kean Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment about when the two-term lawmaker plans to return to Washington.
Kean Sr. did not elaborate about where his son is receiving treatment for the undisclosed diagnosis, but confirmed he is under the care of multiple doctors.
He also declined to disclose the nature of his son’s illness, telling CNN, «That’s up to him.» The former two-term governor added that doctors expect Kean Jr. to make a full recovery.
Since March, Kean Jr.’s office has characterized the congressman’s diagnosis as a «personal health matter» and declined to share specifics.
A top aide for Kean Jr. told The New York Times last week, «There’s no cameras where Tom is.»
The public last heard from Kean Jr. in late April when he released a public statement, saying, «I will be back to the job I love very soon.»
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Kean Sr. also said that he expects his son to run for re-election despite his disappearance from the campaign trail.
«I think that’s the way he’s going, yeah,» he told the outlet.
Kean Jr.’s ongoing health issues come as national Democrats are aggressively targeting the swing seat Kean Jr. has represented since 2023. Four relatively well-funded challengers, including emergency room physician Tina Shah, are vying for the Democratic nomination ahead of a June 2 primary.
Kean Jr. is running unopposed for the GOP nomination.
Republicans in Washington have grown increasingly concerned about Kean Jr.’s prolonged absence, which has an outsize impact on GOP lawmakers’ fragile majority.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks at a press conference with House Republican leaders at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2026. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu)
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The House is expected to vote on legislation this week funding President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda, where House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will likely need near-full attendance from Republicans amid widespread opposition from Democrats.
Johnson told reporters last week that he is praying for Kean Jr’s swift recovery but is in the dark about the nature of the New Jersey Republican’s ailment.
«He said he was out on a medical issue, and he’ll be back as soon as possible,» the speaker said. «That’s the full extent of what I know about it. It’s a personal thing, and obviously I told him that we’re praying for him, and I need him to get back as soon as he can.»
politics, mike johnson, donald trump, new jersey, republicans, house of representatives politics
INTERNACIONAL
South Korea’s proposed platform law could cost US states $525B over the next decade, model estimates
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A new model shows devastating economic losses for U.S. companies if South Korea adopts controversial legislation that would regulate transactions with some American firms, and lawmakers warn that the country’s leadership is now «closely aligned with China.»
The Online Platform Fairness Act, which is spearheaded by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), has gained steam in the Asian nation and is backed by far-left South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
A Competere Foundation model estimates a $525 billion loss in economic activity in U.S. states over the next decade, including a $123 billion loss for California, a $48.7 billion loss for Texas, a $33.9 billion loss for New York and a $27.4 billion loss for Washington.
«South Korea is an American ally and an economic success story, which is why its recent and continuing actions restricting American companies — like its 20-year ban on Google Maps — are so troubling,» Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital. «I remain concerned that its current trade commission resembles the worst of Lina Khan’s FTC, not the free market tradition that has helped to bring Seoul and Washington together.»
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea Kyung arrive at Seoul airport to depart for China on Jan. 4, 2026. (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo)
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Issa told Fox News Digital in April that South Korean leadership and the nature of the Democratic majority in the country is «closely aligned with China.»
Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative from the People Power Party, was elected president of South Korea in 2022 but was impeached in December 2024. His decision to impose martial law was a key factor in his ouster.
Lee narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election but won the presidency in 2025. The Democratic Party in South Korea already holds a substantial majority in the National Assembly. The country is now operating at a full Democratic majority.
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Trump is expected to press Xi on China’s economic and strategic support for both Iran and Russia, including oil revenue, dual-use components and potential weapons transfers, according to senior administration officials. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The Democratic Party is the main liberal force party in the country and favors progressive domestic policies as opposed to the conservative beliefs that have previously reduced political engagement with North Korea and promoted relations with the U.S.
The proposed bill, which remains pending in South Korea’s assembly, would broaden the power of the KFTC, the same agency members of Congress are criticizing for unfairly treating U.S. companies.
Shanker Singham, international trade and competition economist and CEO of the Competere Foundation, said, «Korea is already an increasingly unfriendly place for U.S. companies to do business,» adding the «looming regulations will make that environment even worse.»
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Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in Seoul on April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
Former Utah Republican Rep. Chris Stewart also warned of South Korea’s posture to increase regulatory burdens for U.S. companies, telling Fox News Digital it could be devastating for more than just tech companies.
«South Korea’s campaign against American companies isn’t just a trade issue. It’s a strategic mistake that benefits China,» Stewart said. «Every time Korean regulators make it harder for U.S. innovators like Coupang, Google or Meta to compete, they create more room for Chinese companies to gain market share and influence in one of the world’s most important digital economies.»
Stewart noted that the cost would affect more than just Silicon Valley, tying the economic losses to a Chinese win, since Beijing would likely take up lost market share in South Korea if American companies were to reduce investment.
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In early June, foreign policy experts Nicholas Eberstadt and Lawrence Peck published an editorial in the Wall Street Journal titled, «South Korea Takes a Hard Left Turn Against America,» which alleged that South Korean officials «stormed» U.S. air force bases as part of a domestic investigation.
Logos of internet company Coupang and security company SentinelOne are displayed on their shared headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2018. (Smith Collection/Gado/Sipa USA)
The investigation focused on Coupang, a U.S. tech company similar to Amazon. In early June, South Korea fined Coupang roughly $410 million for a data breach, the largest fine the country has ever issued for a similar charge.
South Korea’s science ministry said a Chinese national and former Coupang employee stole data and customer information from the American company, including information about South Korean citizens.
WILL SOUTH KOREA EXPEL THE US?
«The investigation into the case of Coupang is proportionate to the nature of the data breach and consistent with those applied to Korean companies in comparable cases,» South Korean embassy spokesperson Minseong Seo told Semafor.
In April, 50 members of the House of Representatives expressed their concern in a letter to Republic of Korea (ROK) Ambassador to the United States Kyung-wha Kang over what they deemed to be «discriminatory» business practices.
Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, on April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
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The letter referenced a previous report from Competere that also addressed economic losses in the U.S. as a result of tighter regulations from South Korea.
«Many American tech companies have faced a range of regulatory actions that seek to punish them while shielding Korean domestic competition,» the letter reads. «Recent research by think tank Competere shows such regulatory actions by the ROK government will cost $1 trillion in combined economic damage to the U.S. and Korean economies over the next 10 years, with the U.S. economy losing $525 billion and American households losing nearly $4,000 each.»
congress, competition, south korea, trade, regulation
INTERNACIONAL
American rescue teams pull infant alive from rubble in Venezuela days after devastating twin earthquakes
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American search-and-rescue teams pulled an infant alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela days after the country’s devastating earthquakes, the U.S. Department of State said Saturday.
The State Department shared video on social media showing U.S. personnel pulling the infant from the rubble as rescue crews continued searching for survivors more than 72 hours after two powerful earthquakes struck the South American country.
The rescue came as emergency crews raced against time to locate survivors before the critical rescue window closes.
«Against impossible odds, hope endures,» the State Department posted on X.
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American search-and-rescue teams rescued an infant trapped beneath the rubble following this week’s deadly earthquakes in Venezuela, according to the State Department. (Department of State)
«American search and rescue teams rescued an infant from beneath the rubble following the earthquake in Venezuela,» the post continued. «Every life saved is a victory.»
The White House also shared the video, calling it «America at its best.»
«Thank you to the American search and rescue teams providing assistance in Venezuela,» the White House wrote.
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Rescue workers search through the rubble three days after earthquakes struck Catia la Mar, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Round-the-clock rescue efforts have continued since magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coast Wednesday.
As of Saturday evening, officials said the death toll from the twin earthquakes had reached 1,430.
Earlier Saturday, officials reported that 243 people had been rescued.
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Rescue personnel with a rescue dog assist in rescue efforts after earthquakes hit the country, in La Guaira, Venezuela, Saturday. (REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
According to The Associated Press, more than 68,000 people remain missing across the country.
Aid groups consider the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster to be the most critical window for finding survivors, though access to food and water can extend that period.
Venezuelan officials said 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue personnel had arrived Saturday to assist with search-and-rescue efforts.
US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA’S IMPACT
Members of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s international urban search and rescue team (USA-2) prepare to leave for Venezuela, in Pacoima, Calif., on Thursday. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from Virginia, California and Florida were dispatched to Venezuela on Friday to help search collapsed buildings.
According to the State Department, the three USAR teams include 312 personnel and 18 canine teams, including firefighters, physicians, structural engineers and canine search specialists. The teams also deployed more than 200,000 pounds of specialized rescue equipment.
The Los Angeles County team includes 73 members equipped with concrete-breaking equipment and specialized listening devices used to detect survivors trapped beneath debris.
COLORADO AVALANCHE VICTIM RESCUED IN DRAMATIC VIDEO
Responders search for victims in a demolished building in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and a 7.5 aftershock struck the region. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Rescuers have fanned out across La Guaira, where the worst destruction occurred, and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and victims from the rubble.
The United States has pledged $150 million in emergency assistance and support for international relief organizations responding to the disaster.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for additional information on the rescue.
Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone, and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
aftermath disasters, aftermath, disaster response disasters, missing persons, virginia, earthquakes, world
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