Congress needs clear, enforceable fitness standards for its members. When Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to the Capitol after a three-month absence, he appeared dazed during a committee vote and couldn't answer a simple question from reporters. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. missed 140 votes with no explanation. Former Rep. Kay Granger was living in a memory care facility while her constituents had no idea she'd stopped voting. This isn't a partisan problem — it's a systemic one.
The minimum bar shouldn't be high: show up, communicate with constituents, and demonstrate basic comprehension of the legislation you're voting on. A constitutional amendment may be required to set formal limits, but Congress can act now by establishing transparency requirements — mandatory disclosure when a member misses an extended stretch of votes, and regular public attestations of fitness to serve. Voters deserve to know whether the person casting votes on their behalf is actually capable of doing so.
First sent on September 22 by Progressive Action
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