SENATOR OK AFTER HE HAD ‘MINOR STROKE’

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, DMd., announced late Sunday that he was recovering from “a minor stroke,” the second Democratic lawmaker to fall ill from the ailment this year.

Van Hollen, 63, said in a statement posted on Twitter that he had been admitted to George Washington University Hospital, which is in the District of Columbia, “after experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain” while delivering a speech. An angiogram showed that he had had a “minor stroke in the form of a small venous tear” at the back of his head.

But he said that there would be “no long-term effects or damage.”

Van Hollen said that he would cut back on his schedule and remain under observation for the next few days out of an abundance of caution. He planned to return to the Senate later this week, the statement said.

The news highlighted the delicate balance of power in a chamber where Democrats hold a 50-50 majority and the loss of even a single vote could have momentous impact, and impede President Joe Biden’s agenda.

In February, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., also announced that he had had a stroke, checking himself into the hospital after experiencing dizziness and fatigue.

Carlos Sanchez, his chief of staff, said in a statement that Luján, 49, had “suffered a stroke in the cerebellum, affecting his balance.”