Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) has experienced a “very rapid” decline since moving into a nursing home, her son said. This comes after it was revealed over the weekend that the congressman had been absent from his duties at the Capitol for nearly six months.
Brandon Granger told the New York Post that his mother had shown signs of dementia over the past three months after making the decision to move her to a retirement community.
The 81-year-old lawmaker, who does not seek re-election and will retire at the end of the current parliamentary term, has largely been absent from the Capitol in recent months, last voting on July 24. This year, the vote share exceeded 54%.
Granger’s absence was first reported Friday by the Dallas Express, which cited a constituent in the race who said Granger was residing in a memory care facility in Texas.
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Retiring Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) attended the unveiling of the portrait in Washington, D.C., in November as chair of the Appropriations Committee. (Kay Granger’s office)
Officials from Mr. Granger’s office told Fox News on Sunday that they denied the lawmaker was in the facility’s memory care unit. Officials said Granger lived in a retirement facility that provided memory care, but not in the memory care unit itself.
Brandon Granger has slammed reports that his mother is in a memory room after being found wandering around as a “herd of cows”.
“There’s a memory care facility there, but she’s in an independent living facility,” Brandon Granger told the Post. “It’s a nice condo. I helped her move in.”
Granger speaks at a press conference with other Republicans at the Capitol on July 21, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Brandon Granger added that his mother’s decline was “very rapid and very difficult,” but did not say whether her mother received treatment at a memory facility, the newspaper reported.
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Ms Granger issued a statement on Sunday saying she was facing a “health issue” and that she “deeply appreciates the outpouring of care and concern” over the weekend. .
“As many of my family, friends, and colleagues know, I have been navigating unexpected health challenges over the past year,” Granger said in a statement. “However, since early September, my health issues have progressed, making frequent trips to Washington difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my wonderful staff has remained steadfast and They continued to provide excellent constituent service, as they have done for 27 years.”
Rep. Steve Womack (R-Arkansas) during the House Appropriations Committee’s markup of the “FY 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill and Appropriations Interim Suballocations” in Rayburn. ) Congressman Granger (center) speaking with Completed on June 14, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Mr. Granger does not appear to have voted since July, but returned to the Capitol in November for the unveiling of his portrait as appropriations chairman and a reception afterwards. House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) and House Minority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) both attended the event.
Ms. Granger has served in the House of Representatives since 1997 and previously served as the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Texas.
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Republican Congressman-elect Craig Goldman will replace Granger in January.
FOX News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
