U.S. Representative Kay Granger missed significantly more votes in 2024 than in her entire first decade in Congress? According to The Dallas Morning News, she was absent for 279 out of 517 votes in 2024, compared to 278 absences between 1997 and 2006.
In March 2024, Kay Granger stepped down as chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and handed the baton to Rep. Thomas Cole (R-OK).” Additionally, she was absent during the vote on funding the government during the most recent shutdown over spending in the past week (NY Post).
This alarming absenteeism raised concerns, especially as reports suggest many of her colleagues were unaware of her extended absence. It was also uncovered that in July of 2024, Granger moved into a mental care facility shortly after being found wandering lost and confused in her neighborhood.
Claims circulated about her dementia sparked public backlash and renewed scrutiny of elderly politicians being allowed to serve in spite of advanced age and medical issues.
Granger expressed that “During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.” Though this statement is intended to be reassuring, it confirms that her staff have been covering for her absence, likely in ways that overstep their official duties and tread onto hers, given the situation. The fact of the matter is that if a member of Congress grows increasingly unaware of pressing health concerns, it should be addressed through a special election, not through delegation of tasks through their staff.
The one benefit of the situation is that it drew attention to the need for term limits. In a post on X, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) expressed that “Kay Granger’s long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority and relationships more than merit and ideas.” He added “We need term limits… We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve.”
The Denver Gazette adds that in another post on X, Rep.-elect Jeff Crank (R-CO) urged Khanna to follow through on his words and join efforts to impose term limits. “And yet @RoKhanna I don’t see you as a cosponsor of the term limits Congressional resolution, a signer of the term limits pledge, or pushing the Dem caucus to join Republican caucus and put term limits on committee chairmen,” Crank said in a post responding to the California Democrat. “I will cosponsor the @USTermLimits bill! Join me.”
Representative Granger’s prolonged absence underscores a fundamental flaw in our current system: the lack of term limits for members of Congress- which allows individuals to remain in office indefinitely. Over time, career politicians disenfranchise constituents and undermines the democratic process when they skip votes that are attributed to age, health issues, and other factors. Granger’s case is not an isolated incident; similar situations already have and are bound to arise as long as this system remains in place. We need term limits to ensure accountability and prevent a repeat of this situation.
Granger’s last recorded vote was on July 24, 2024 She did not seek reelection in 2024. The 800,000 residents of Texas-12 are now represented by Graig Goldman.