1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

Support paid medical leave. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was hospitalized on June 14 after suffering a fall that left him unconscious. He remained hospitalized until mid-July, when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center (https://substack.com/redirect/0fdd6688-5765-4330-bedb-d56aa3c6f85c?j=eyJ1IjoiMWc3dGR4In0.C6wb2IkANvkIT9lIPEBzJ_FnCkqs1J0FS-w1JRXSqXE). On August 6, McConnell announced that he was discharged and was continuing his recovery at home (https://substack.com/redirect/12aeb04f-5df7-4f57-9216-532f79b0f5b1?j=eyJ1IjoiMWc3dGR4In0.C6wb2IkANvkIT9lIPEBzJ_FnCkqs1J0FS-w1JRXSqXE). But, two months later, McConnell has not returned to work in the Senate. Over that period of time, he has missed 59 floor votes (https://substack.com/redirect/28ac84e7-3196-4510-8d0f-a839fb6b7d7d?j=eyJ1IjoiMWc3dGR4In0.C6wb2IkANvkIT9lIPEBzJ_FnCkqs1J0FS-w1JRXSqXE). Nevertheless, McConnell has continued to receive his Senate salary of $174,000 per year (https://substack.com/redirect/28ac84e7-3196-4510-8d0f-a839fb6b7d7d?j=eyJ1IjoiMWc3dGR4In0.C6wb2IkANvkIT9lIPEBzJ_FnCkqs1J0FS-w1JRXSqXE). McConnell is fortunate to be employed in a job with excellent benefits. There is no federal law, however, that provides guaranteed paid sick leave. In 2025, about 27 million (https://substack.com/redirect/4bbfad78-8552-418a-b4e1-225f06ac3535?j=eyJ1IjoiMWc3dGR4In0.C6wb2IkANvkIT9lIPEBzJ_FnCkqs1J0FS-w1JRXSqXE) private sector workers had no paid sick leave. One reason: Mitch McConnell. Since he entered the Senate in 1985, McConnell has voted against creating or expanding medical leave — paid and unpaid — at least 23 times.