Senator Mitch McConnell has been absent from the Senate for an extended period, and Republicans including Tommy Tuberville are publicly demanding answers about his health and when he'll return to vote on Trump's legislative agenda before the August recess. The prolonged absence — with no official explanation — has exposed gaps in how Congress handles member incapacity and who represents constituents when a sitting senator cannot participate. Republicans need McConnell's votes to pass legislation before the recess, making his absence a tactical problem for the Trump agenda on top of broader constitutional questions about representation.