Sen. Fetterman, Recovering After Stroke, Labors to Adjust to Life in the Senate Through Tech

At Senator John Fetterman’s (D-PA) desk in the Senate chamber, there is a newly installed monitor that rises or lowers, depending on whether he sits or stands, and provides closed captioning so he can follow the proceedings. At the center dais, a custom desk stand has been built to accommodate the same technology for when he takes his shifts presiding over the Senate. The sergeant-at-arms has arranged for live audio-to-text transcription for the committees on which Sen. Fetterman serves, and plans to expand the service to all Senate hearings. Fetterman's adjustment to serving in the Senate has been made vastly more difficult by the strains of his recovery from a stroke, which left him with a physical impairment and serious mental health challenges that have rendered the transition extraordinarily challenging — even with the accommodations that have been made to help him adapt. As Sen. Fetterman adjusts to his new life, the Senate and his colleagues are also adjusting to his needs.