Kay Granger now lives in assisted living facility, according to her son's statement to Dallas publication
The Texas lawmaker had significantly missed many sessions in Congress over the past few months.
TroibNews 
Brandon Granger, the son of Rep. Kay Granger, confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that his mother is dealing with "dementia issues" that have kept her away from Congress in recent months. He mentioned, “It’s been a hard year,” adding that she is currently living at Traditions Senior Living in Fort Worth, Texas.
At 81 years old, Kay Granger had served as chair of the House Appropriations Committee until stepping down in April, making her absence particularly significant during recent negotiations aimed at preventing a government shutdown.
Her situation garnered attention following a report in The Dallas Express, which stated that Granger had been living in "a local memory care and assisted living home for some time after having been found wandering lost and confused in her former Cultural District/West 7th neighborhood." The article highlighted that she had not voted on the House floor since July.
While a statement from Granger's office clarified that she "is not in memory care," it did not refute other claims made in The Dallas Express article. Brandon Granger remarked, “There’s nothing wrong with someone wanting to live in a community with other folks their age."
In a statement, Kay Granger expressed her gratitude for the concern shown toward her, saying, "I am deeply grateful for the outpouring of care and concern over the past several days. As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year. However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years."
First elected in 1996, Granger announced in 2023 that she would not seek re-election. Fellow Republican Craig Goldman from Fort Worth won her open seat in November.
The news regarding her condition led to some remarks about the age of American leadership. Rep. Thomas Massie commented on X, "I’m more concerned about the congressmen who have dementia and are still voting." Others pointed out broader issues within Congress.
Rep. Ro Khanna also took to X to stress the need for change: "Kay Granger's long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas. We have a sclerotic gerontocracy. We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve."
Kay Granger is one of 23 members of Congress aged 80 or older, a group led by 91-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
At 81 years old, Kay Granger had served as chair of the House Appropriations Committee until stepping down in April, making her absence particularly significant during recent negotiations aimed at preventing a government shutdown.
Her situation garnered attention following a report in The Dallas Express, which stated that Granger had been living in "a local memory care and assisted living home for some time after having been found wandering lost and confused in her former Cultural District/West 7th neighborhood." The article highlighted that she had not voted on the House floor since July.
While a statement from Granger's office clarified that she "is not in memory care," it did not refute other claims made in The Dallas Express article. Brandon Granger remarked, “There’s nothing wrong with someone wanting to live in a community with other folks their age."
In a statement, Kay Granger expressed her gratitude for the concern shown toward her, saying, "I am deeply grateful for the outpouring of care and concern over the past several days. As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year. However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years."
First elected in 1996, Granger announced in 2023 that she would not seek re-election. Fellow Republican Craig Goldman from Fort Worth won her open seat in November.
The news regarding her condition led to some remarks about the age of American leadership. Rep. Thomas Massie commented on X, "I’m more concerned about the congressmen who have dementia and are still voting." Others pointed out broader issues within Congress.
Rep. Ro Khanna also took to X to stress the need for change: "Kay Granger's long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas. We have a sclerotic gerontocracy. We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve."
Kay Granger is one of 23 members of Congress aged 80 or older, a group led by 91-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
