Son of Congresswoman Who Was Discovered in Independent Living Facility Speaks Out: ‘A Hard Year’

The son of retiring Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger confirmed on Sunday that she has been experiencing some “dementia issues” over the past several months as she repeatedly missed work in Congress.

The 81-year-old lawmaker has been residing in an assisted living facility, according to a report from The Dallas Express, and has not cast a vote on the House floor since July 24.

Brandon Granger, her son, said in comments to The Dallas Morning News that the lawmaker has indeed been living in Tradition Senior Living in Fort Worth, Texas, and experiencing “some dementia issues late in the year,” although he clarified that she has been living in the independent living area rather than the memory care community.

“There’s nothing wrong with someone wanting to live in a community with other folks their age,” he said.

“She’s in a building with a lot of other folks her age that are super active that she really loves,” the younger Granger continued. “She has exercise classes, she gets to be around people all the time, it’s wonderful for her for this point in life.”

“It’s been a hard year,” he added.

Granger has been a member of Congress since 1997.

She served as the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee from 2019 to 2023, as well as chairwoman of the group from the beginning of 2023 until her resignation from the committee in April.

A statement from her office released Sunday denied that she is in “memory care” and said that her “health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable.”

“As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,” Granger said, the Morning News reported.

She was, however, in Washington, D.C. in November to oversee the shuttering of her office and to host meetings.

Granger first announced her retirement at the end of last year and said she would not run for re-election in 2024. Texas Republican State Rep. Craig Goldman, who is 56 years old, secured her seat in November and will be sworn in to Congress next month.

Fellow Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales confirmed to “Face the Nation” on Sunday that he “wasn’t aware” that his elderly colleague was in the assisted living facility.

“I think there’s no doubt a lot of us knew that she was gaining an age, like a lot of members do. And sadly, you know, some of these members wait until it’s too long [and] things have gone too far,” he told CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan.

Gonzales added that he was “not too sure” how much House leadership knew about the situation.

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