Fetterman is far from alone

Nov 09, 2023

By KATHERINE TULLY-MCMANUS

02/17/2023 07:40 AM EST

Presented by American Health Care Association

With an assist from Daniella Diaz

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is seeking help for clinical depression. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

GETTING HELP — John Fetterman isn't the first senator to face mental health challenges and seek treatment. But Thursday's candid disclosure that he entered inpatient care marked a more vulnerable and urgent path than we’ve seen from other lawmakers, who have often made more curated revelations in service of legislative goals.

The Pennsylvania Democrat checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Wednesday night to receive inpatient care for clinical depression, his chief of staff said in a statement Thursday.

Colleagues from both parties poured their well wishes and support into tweets.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who's been outspoken in the past about her own mental health struggles, praised Fetterman in a tweet for seeking help: "In the short time I’ve worked with John Fetterman, I’ve been struck by his resilience and heart. John is doing exactly what he should do, which is seek help. Seeking help when you need it is a sign of strength, not weakness, something that John is demonstrating for all of us."

Smith's deeply personal floor speech in 2019 about her experience with depression came, like many mental health disclosures from lawmakers, in service of a larger legislative goal to advocate for expanded mental health care services. Reps. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) have also spoken openly about their experiences with PTSD, treatment they’ve sought and policy ideas for helping fellow veterans.

He's not alone: There is still a long, long way to go before mental health is taken as seriously as physical health, but in recent years, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have made major strides to be more transparent about their own struggles and diagnoses. Roughly a fifth of American adults use medication and millions go to talk therapy for their mental health and the people governing are taking steps to normalize seeking care, according to CDC data.

Rep. Richie Torres (D-N.Y.) was open about mental health even before he was first elected to Congress, talking about being diagnosed with depression in his early twenties and taking antidepressants. On Thursday he tweeted his admiration for Fetterman and shared that "back in 2010, I was hospitalized for depression. I would not be alive, let alone in Congress, were it not for mental health care."

While advocating for closing gaps in health insurance coverage between physical and mental illness, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in 2018 revealed his own experience of being diagnosed with pharmacologically induced mania after taking steroids for a rare illness. He said he then suffered from clinical depression for months after the treatment was over.

On Thursday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined the chorus wishing Fetterman well: "Heidi & I are lifting John up in prayer. Mental illness is real & serious, and I hope that he gets the care he needs. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you’re on, please respect his family's request for privacy," tweeted Cruz, whose family has experienced its own mental health challenges.

Stigma, still: But mental health treatment and diagnoses among political leaders and candidates are still weaponized in campaign oppo research and hushed conversations about competency. While 2015 may feel like a political eon long ago, that's when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) told POLITICO Magazine that mental illness specifically "can be exploited by people and will be." Gingrich described it as "just the nature of a very rough-and-tumble-type business."

Fetterman's Chief of Staff, Adam Jentleson said Thursday that the depression "only became severe in recent weeks," but that after examination by the team at Walter Reed, doctors said Fetterman "is getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself."

This marks the second time in the last two weeks Fetterman has been in the hospital. He spent several nights in the hospital for what was described as "lightheadedness." Testing during that episode showed no evidence of any new stroke or seizure, his office said later.

Soon after the statement from his office, Fetterman's wife tweeted in support of her 53-year-old husband: "After what he's been through in the past year, there's probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs."

Reminder to our beloved Huddle readers that if you’re struggling, that help is out there. Dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline & Crisis Text Line with 24/7 support. Veterans, you too. The Veterans Crisis Line is available at 988 (then Press 1) or text 838255.

A message from American Health Care Association:

It's time to prioritize seniors’ access to care. The long term care community is facing a historic labor crisis, forcing nursing homes across the country to limit new admissions, or worse - close entirely. A federal staffing mandate would only further reduce seniors’ access to care and lead to more nursing home closures. We need resources to recruit, not unfunded mandates. Learn more about better solutions.

TGIF! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, Feb. 17. We’ll be off on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday but Huddle will return to your inbox on Tuesday.

HUDDLE’S WEEKLY MOST CLICKED: Capitol building's top manager prompts fury with admission he avoided Hill on Jan. 6, from your Huddle host and Jordain. ICYMI the follow-up… Biden dismisses scandal-plagued Capitol manager

BORDER WATCH — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will be at the southern border later today, marking his first visit since ascending to the party's No. 1 position in the House. His visit comes one day after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) visit and will take place in the border city of Laredo, Texas, represented by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). The two will also attend "a listening session with local leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing border communities," according to Cuellar's office.

Judiciary Dems get in the game: Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are also promising their own trip to the border next month to "hear from the community and government officials on the ground," ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Primila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said in a statement Thursday.

MAKEWAY FOR MUNICH — The annual Munich Security Conference kicks off today and is expected to draw a record number of U.S. lawmakers, who will attend as part of four separate cohorts. Senate leaders Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are leading partisan delegations. There's a bipartisan group, which our colleagues at Morning Defense report are calling themselves "McCain," along with a separate group of House lawmakers.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) has plans to meet with one of his party's most famous disciplinarians, Rep. Tom DeLay, a former GOP whip nicknamed "The Hammer." (Chip Somodevilla) | Getty Images

EMMER SPEAKS — Sarah Ferris and Olivia Beavers are out with a look into House Majority Whip Tom Emmer's (R-Minn.) leadership as he wrangles his conference for votes — but note he's determined to avoid the kind of arm-twisting that previous party whips have deployed to keep their narrow majorities in line.

"When people say it's family, no way. We’d be the most dysfunctional family on the face of the planet," Emmer acknowledged in an interview, referring to a House Republican conference whose disparate political bases span from suburban Long Island to Texas border towns. "It's not about people liking each other, going out and socializing together, loving one another. They don't. And you should not force that."

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

ZOMBIE LOSERS? — They’re back. What is a party to do when some of the most divisive losers from the 2022 cycle want to consider new campaigns in 2024? Just like they do on so many other issues, Republicans in the House and Senate agree that bad candidates cost them seats last cycle but don't agree on what to do about it.

Blake Masters and Kari Lake are looking at runs in Arizona. J.R. Majewski is scoping out Ohio and Joe Kent is considering another bid in Washington.

"You can't stop people who want to run, it's a free country," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a former chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm. "Part of it is recruiting good candidates, too, and not just leaving yourself with the luck of the draw."

Marianne and Ally dig into why all losers aren't created equal and the hot-button issue of leadership meddling in primaries.

HUNGRY FOR CUTS, OR WHAT? — "Lawmakers from both parties and in both chambers say they are mounting a new push this year to revise laws that are keeping perhaps tens of thousands of hungry military families from receiving federal assistance," writes John M. Donnelly from CQ Roll Call. It's a Farm Bill year, which gives lawmakers a new venue to fight the problem of food insecurity for military families. New legislation was introduced Thursday by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) with the goal of getting it wrapped into the massive agriculture legislation.

But in the House, Republicans are talking about Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, food stamps, as a target of cuts under the new GOP majority. Tony Romm from The Washington Post looks at how the discussions are playing out in the context of the budget process.

A message from American Health Care Association:

QUICK LINKS

Businessman, economist, cop, international sex crimes expert? The stories of Congressman Andy Ogles, from NewsChannel 5 Nashville's Phil Williams

Romney, outspoken about his own party, weighs reelection run, from Michelle L. Price and Mary Clare Jalonick at The AP

Federal Officials Send Help After Ohio Derailment, but Residents’ Frustrations Persist, from Sophie Wodzak, Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman at The New York Times

Fox Stars Privately Expressed Disbelief About Election Fraud Claims. ‘Crazy Stuff.’ from Jeremy W. Peters and Katie Robertson at the New York Times

Ukraine is burning through ammunition faster than the US and NATO can produce it. Inside the Pentagon's plan to close the gap from Haley Britzky and Oren Liebermann at CNN

The Brutally Honest, Somewhat Self-Loathing Guide to Etiquette in D.C., from POLITICO Magazine

TRANSITIONS

Former Georgia state Rep. Bee Nguyen will be state director for Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Nathan Barker is now legislative director for Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.). He most recently was legislative director for former Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.).

GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 10 am for a pro forma session.

The Senate is out until February 27.

AROUND THE HILL

A quiet Friday.

THURSDAY’S WINNER: John Adams wrote that "There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the expense of the people themselves."

TODAY’S QUESTION: What was a rank-and-file Senator's salary between 1969 and 1975?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [email protected]

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Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus

A message from American Health Care Association:

America's seniors need our help. The long term care community is facing a historic labor crisis that is forcing nursing homes across the country to limit new admissions, and for hundreds, close their doors. Facilities are doing everything they can to hire more caregivers, but with limited government funding, they can't recruit the staff they need.

A federal staffing mandate without resources would only make the crisis worse, forcing more nursing homes to close and limiting access to care for seniors. We need Washington to invest in long term care and our workforce to ensure seniors have the caregivers they need. Learn more.