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 ):

An elderly Texas member of Congress who has been seemingly missing from the Capitol for six months is now living in a retirement community that specializes in memory care — and even her family acknowledges she has exhibited possible signs of dementia.

Rep. Kay Granger has not cast a vote in Congress since July and stepped down from the powerful House Appropriations Committee in March.

A tip from a source revealed that Granger had been living in the memory care wing of a senior living facility, which was later confirmed by staff at the Tradition Senior Living facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Retiring U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, a Fort Worth Republican, is experiencing “health challenges,” the longtime congresswoman said in a Sunday, Dec. 22 statement.

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.

Her announcement followed a report by a conservative publication that said she had missed votes since late July.

Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) says she’s had “unforeseen health challenges,” with her office denying that she’s in memory care.