WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell is expected to return to the U.S. Capitol this week after spending much of the summer hospitalized and in rehabilitation, according to Republican lawmakers familiar with private discussions. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has not voted in person since his office announced his hospitalization on June 14. Fellow Republicans expect him back in time for a Senate Agriculture Committee vote Wednesday on a Republican-backed farm bill, a measure that stalled during his absence. Three people with direct knowledge of the plans said McConnell’s staff told senior Republicans that he would return for the committee vote. The people spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss private conversations. Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, a Republican from Arkansas, has said he intends to hold another vote on the legislation this week. McConnell’s vote is considered important to advancing the bill out of committee, though his office has not publicly confirmed that he will attend. A spokesperson for McConnell pointed to an August statement saying the senator had returned home after weeks in the hospital and rehabilitation and would continue physical therapy during the Senate’s five-week summer recess. The spokesperson did not immediately provide further details about his schedule. McConnell disclosed in July that he had first been hospitalized after a fall and later developed pneumonia. At the time, he said he intended to complete the remainder of his Senate term but did not provide a timetable for returning. The prolonged lack of public information about his condition prompted speculation online and calls for greater transparency, including from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat. McConnell’s possible return would give Republicans a clearer picture of his capacity to participate in votes and committee work as Congress resumes its fall agenda. McConnell stepped down as Senate Republican leader in January 2025 after a record tenure in the post but remains a senior member of the Republican caucus. His attendance could affect not only the farm bill but also the Senate’s broader legislative schedule as lawmakers confront a crowded fall session.