Doctors say about Mitch McConnell's health brain scans found no stroke and he Returns to Senate

The Capitol’s attending physician, Brian Monahan, said in a new letter that there is no evidence Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell has a seizure disorder – or that he experienced a stroke or a movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease – after the 81-year-old Kentuckian was evaluated by a group of neurologists following two recent health scares in front of TV cameras.

The new letter, released by McConnell’s office Tuesday, comes after he froze in front of cameras for the second time in as many months, raising questions about whether the GOP leader could continue to hold his powerful position atop the Senate GOP Conference. After he froze last week in Covington, Kentucky, McConnell was evaluated by four neurologists, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Monahan said in the Tuesday letter that he consulted with McConnell’s neurologists and conducted several evaluations, including brain MRI imaging and a test that measures electrical imaging in the brain.

Senators returned to Washington on Tuesday for a month packed with political problems, including a push by Republican extremists in the House to impeach Joe Biden, shut down the government or both.

On Tuesday afternoon, McConnell delivered remarks on the Senate floor.

Alluding to his freeze in Kentucky as a moment in the Senate summer recess that “received its fair share of attention in the press”, he pivoted to discussing constituency business and work to come.

“The Senate returns with our work cut out for us and a deadline fast approaching,” he said, referring to the 30 September deadline for continuing government funding.

Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, told CNN: “I’ve had the chance to interact with Senator McConnell and find him to be very much still in charge of that [Republican] caucus … I think it’s a decision that his caucus is going to have to make as to whether he continues. It certainly appears that he can continue to be able to do that job.”

McConnell froze up while speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Covington, Kentucky. He stood at a lectern for about 30 seconds without speaking after being asked a question.

He experienced a similar episode while speaking to reporters July 26 in the Capitol during a press conference by Senate Republicans.

Monahan in his letter wrote that he examined McConnell after the second "brief episode."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told reporters, “The health scares he’s had were frightening, but age comes for us all, and Mitch is stubborn as a mule and he’s tough. He’s been in my prayers in recent weeks and I have every hope he will recover (to) full strength."

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 Sarah H

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