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We Need to Talk About Kay Granger

The disappearance of the 81-year-old congresswoman, who stopped casting votes in July and was recently revealed to be residing in an assisted living facility, has reignited a debate on Capitol Hill about how aging members can retire with dignity.

kay granger
Arguably, the grim news about Kay Granger’s health, and the outrage surrounding Washington’s very real problem with aging lawmakers, are not entirely proportionate to her unique situation. Photo: om Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
Abby Livingston
December 31, 2024

On the Saturday before Christmas, as Congress was racing to approve a new spending package to keep the government open, my phone started lighting up with messages about a different, more mysterious Washington scandal. Rep. Kay Granger, the long-serving Texas Republican and former chair of the House Appropriations Committee, hadn’t cast a vote since July. Her office never disclosed where she had disappeared to, or why she had missed so many votes.