Longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas is having "unforeseen health challenges” that have worsened in the final months of her more than two decades in Congress, a statement from her office said Monday.

Two weeks before the 119th U.S. Congress began, a story began to circulate online that U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, a Republican from Texas who had missed votes since July 2024, had been "found" in a dementia care facility. For example, the conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted the rumor on Dec. 21, 2024 ( archived ):

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, the retiring Fort Worth Republican who has been frequently absent from Congress for months, said in a statement Sunday she has been facing “health challenges.”