Mitch McConnell jokes about getting a concussion at lavish dinner

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate floor for nearly six weeks Monday after tripping at a Washington fundraiser and suffering a concussion and broken rib.

“It’s good to be back,” McConnell said jokingly, “Suffice it to say this isn’t the first time stubbornness has served me well.”

Between a few fits of coughing, the Kentuckian gave a slow but eloquent speech that indicated he had no intention of relinquishing the role of leading Republicans in the upper chamber.

“We are truly fortunate and blessed to serve in this remarkable institution, representing our home states and serving our country. And needless to say, I’m very happy to be back. There are important issues for Congress to address,” he said.

McConnell fell on March 8 at a Senate Leadership Fund dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC.

He criticized President Joe Biden for not doing enough to negotiate a debt ceiling increase and thanked his colleagues for their well wishes.

“President Biden should not put his fingers in his ears and refuse to listen, talk or negotiate,” he said. “The White House needs to stop wasting time and start negotiating with the Speaker of the House.”

Meanwhile, across the aisle, Senator John Fetterman returned to Capitol Hill after spending nearly two months at Walter Reed Hospital and being treated for depression.

He suffered a stroke on the campaign trail last May and has been struggling with auditory processing disorder ever since, meaning it’s hard for him to speak fluently and process quickly when people talk to him.

Both men will go straight to work after the senators are in recess for two weeks — the chamber has scheduled a vote for Monday night.

“It’s good to be back,” McConnell said jokingly, “Suffice it to say this isn’t the first time stubbornness has served me well”

McConnell fell on March 8 at a dinner for the Senate Leadership Fund at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein — at age 89, the oldest member of the Senate — has not given a timetable for her return to Washington as she recovers from shingles. Her absence has stalled confirmation of Biden’s judiciary nominees.

McConnell returns to Congress during a chaotic period in which both sides must reach an agreement to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling by an undetermined summer deadline and also decide whether to continue funding the war in Ukraine.

McConnell’s fall in March was his second in recent years — four years ago he fell at his home in Kentucky, sustaining a fractured shoulder that required surgery. He had polio as a child and has said it has made it difficult for him to climb stairs, even in adulthood.