U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Panama City, has not cast a vote in the House of Representatives since mid-June.
Dunn, along with U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, represents the Florida Panhandle. Dunn’s district stretches across the eastern half of the Panhandle from Bay County through Tallahassee, while Patronis represents the western Panhandle, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.
The New Republic reports, between June 11 and June 30 when Congress broke for the 4th of July holiday, Dunn missed 11 consecutive roll-call votes on issues ranging from small-business policy and consumer protection to defense legislation and congressional oversight.
A prolonged absence would leave North Florida without an active voice in Congress as Republicans navigate a narrow House majority.
Dunn had announced in January that he would not seek reelection this year. President Donald Trump then told a White House gathering that Dunn had “terminal” heart issues and had undergone emergency surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which included receiving additional stents.
Trump added “he would be dead by June” without proper care. House speaker Mike Johnson then said “Okay, that wasn’t public.”
Dunn’s 11 missed votes in 19 days draws attention to a broader attendance record that ranks among the worst in the House. The nonpartisan website GovTrack.us reports Dunn has missed 246 of 4,992 votes since taking office in 2017, a 4.9% absentee rate that is more than double the 2.1% median for current members of Congress. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., who was absent for months, leads the pack in missed votes.
What votes has Rep. Neal Dunn missed?
On June 3, Dunn was absent when the House approved a War Powers Resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran by a seven vote margin.
And he also missed a June 30 session when the House voted unanimously to direct its Ethics Committee to release records related to congressional sexual harassment settlements.
A Dunn spokesperson said the Congressman is in daily contact with House leadership regarding his availability for votes and is focused on being present for critical votes.
“He remains active in committee work,” Eleanor Railsback said.
“Just last week, the House voted to pass the bipartisan KIDS Act, legislation that contained language from Congressman Dunn. He recently voted for major legislation to crack down on fraud, strengthen national security (H.R. 9238, S. 2), and invest in rural communities, all in the last month,” Railsback said.
Dunn’s health draws extra scrutiny because Republicans hold one of the smallest House majorities in nearly a century. When a half dozen members separate the two parties, every member can matter when a vote is held on contested legislation.
His willingness to remain available for critical votes underscores his reputation as one of Trump’s most loyal supporters as Republican leaders try to push through an elections reform bill championed by the president.
The SAVE America Act, legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and photo identification when casting a ballot.
The House is also discussing a Make Elections Great Again, or MEGA, Act, which combines citizenship-verification requirements with changes to mail voting.
Whether Dunn will return to Washington during the final months of his term remains unclear.
He is the second congressman sidelined by health concerns this year. Republican Representative Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey returned to Congress in late June after an unexplained nearly four-month absence. Upon his return he revealed he was hospitalized and treated for depression.
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on X: @CallTallahassee.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida Rep. Neal Dunn still absent from Congress amid health issues
Reporting by James Call, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By James Call, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
