Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, has been living in a retirement facility, a source told Fox News on Sunday. The source also denied a local news report that said she was in a memory care facility.

Granger, who is retiring at the end of this congressional term, has largely remained absent from the Capitol in recent months, having last cast votes on July 24. She was not present for over 54% of votes this year.

The Dallas Express investigated the 81-year-old congresswoman’s absence, publishing a report on Friday that quoted a constituent of her district who said that Granger was residing in a memory care facility in Texas. The report was later picked up by other news outlets.

Fox News spoke with a source from Granger’s office who denied that Granger was in a memory care unit. The source told Fox News that Granger is in a retirement facility where memory care is provided, though not in the memory care unit itself.

Granger released a statement to Fox News, saying that she has faced ‘health challenges’ and is ‘deeply grateful for the outpouring of care and concern’ over the weekend.

‘As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,’ Granger said in the statement. ‘However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.’

Granger, who did not seek re-election for the coming term, has served in the House since 1997. She previously served as the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Texas.

While Granger appears to not have cast a vote since July, she did return to the Capitol in November for the unveiling of her portrait as Appropriations Committee Chairwoman, and a reception that followed. House Speaker Johnson, R-La., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., both spoke at the event.

One senior Republican source told Fox News that Granger did not step down earlier due to the paper-thin GOP House majority.

‘Frankly, we needed the numbers,’ the source told Fox News.

The slim majority presents a challenge for the speaker of the 119th Congress, in which vote attendance could be the difference between success or defeat for Republicans.

Fox News reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.

Granger’s long absence was blasted by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., in a post on X.

‘Kay Granger’s long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas,’ he wrote. ‘We have a sclerotic gerontocracy. We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve.’

Khanna was one of the few lawmakers who previously criticized what he referred to as the ‘gerontocracy.’ In May 2023, he called on Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who was then aged 89, to step down as her own health issues kept her away from the Capitol. Feinstein died months later in September 2023.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says he hopes President-elect Trump is successful, and spoke out against those who feel otherwise. 

Fetterman appeared Sunday on ABC’S ‘This Week.’ His more than 10-minute sit-down segment was pre-recorded with co-anchor Jonathan Karl. 

‘I’m not rooting against him,’ the Democratic senator said. ‘If you’re rooting against the president, you are rooting against the nation. And and I’m not ever going to be where I want a president to fail. So, country first. I know that’s become maybe like a cliche, but it happens to be true.’

The senator told Karl he never believed Trump’s movement was about fascism, while noting that it was Vice President Kamala Harris’ ‘prerogative’ to call Trump a fascist during her campaign.

‘Fascism, that’s not a word that regular people use, you know?’ Fetterman said. ‘I think people are going to decide who is the candidate that’s going to protect and project, you know, my version of the American way of life, and that’s what happened.’

Fetterman has been meeting with Trump’s Cabinet nominees, noting that his decision about whether to vote to confirm the candidates will stem from an open mind and informed perspective.

‘I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees. That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon,’ Fetterman declared in a post on X.

‘My votes will come from an open mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job,’ he continued.

More than a month ago, Fetterman said Democrats cannot afford to ‘freak out’ over everything Trump says or does. He echoed that sentiment on Sunday, again mentioning that Trump has not even taken office yet. 

Fox News’ Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report. 

President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, including two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would ‘develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System.

‘Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration,’ Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
 
‘Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!’

Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. 

‘During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country,’ the Republican leader explained. 

‘Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ.’

In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a ‘fifth generation Railroader.’

‘David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation,’ Trump said. ‘Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!’

Later on Saturday, Trump announced that he was nominating Tilman J. Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy.

‘Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our Country’s premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans,’ Trump’s post described. ‘Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children’s charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community.’

President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, naming two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would ‘develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System.

‘Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration,’ Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
 
‘Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!’

Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. 

‘During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country,’ the Republican leader explained. 

‘Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ.’
 
In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a ‘fifth generation Railroader.’

‘David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation,’ Trump said. ‘Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!’

As the dust settles on Congress frantically passing a stopgap bill at the eleventh hour to avoid a government shutdown, lawmakers are having their say on a chaotic week on Capitol Hill.

President Biden signed the 118-page bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March, the White House announced. The bill provides over $100 billion in disaster aid for those affected by storms Helene and Milton in the U.S. Southeast earlier this year. It also includes a $10 billion provision for economic assistance to farmers. 

President Biden has not yet publicly commented on the passage of the legislation, nor has President-elect Trump, although sources tell Fox that the incoming president is not that happy about the bill, because it does not suspend the debt ceiling. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for his handling of the negotiations, said after the House vote that the result was ‘a good outcome for the country.’ He said he had spoken with Trump and that the president-elect ‘was certainly happy about this outcome, as well.’

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., considered the legislation a win for his party. 

‘The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting working-class Americans all across the nation,’ Jeffries said, referring to Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., praised Democrats, including Jeffries and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., for ‘their unity and courage withstanding the Trump-Musk irresponsibility.’

‘Democrats will always fight to protect the needs of America’s working families, veterans, seniors, farmers and first responders against the GOP’s agenda for billionaires and special interests.’

A bulging 1,547-page continuing resolution was thrown into disarray earlier in the week following objections by Elon Musk and President-elect Trump. A slimmed-down version was then rejected by House members on Thursday before the House approved Speaker Mike Johnson’s new bill overwhelmingly on Friday by 366 votes to 34.

The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation early Saturday.

‘There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,’ Schumer wrote on X. ‘We will keep the government open with a bipartisan bill that funds the government, helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, helps our farmers and avoids harmful cuts.’

Meanwhile, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said the revised funding package keeps government funded at current levels, delivers aid to Americans suffering from natural disasters and protects agricultural supply chains. 

‘Not only is this straightforward bill much more palatable to me, but it respects the taxpayers we represent, unlike the previous backroom boondoggle I opposed that was over 1,500 pages long and gave unnecessary and costly giveaways to the Democrats,’ Malliotakis wrote on X. 

‘Passing this legislation today gives us what we need until President Trump is sworn in and settled so our Republican trifecta can deliver the results the American people voted for.’

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., questioned why President Biden appeared to play a limited role in negotiations.

‘People fail to recognize that even though the focus has been on President Trump, Joe Biden is actually still the president, which is really mind-boggling, because nobody’s heard from him in weeks,’ Lawler told Fox & Friends Weekend on Saturday, adding that the debt ceiling has been used as a ‘political piñata for decades.’ 

‘The party in the minority uses it as leverage in a negotiation, and I think what President Trump is trying to avoid is giving Democrats a loaded gun to hold to his head here.’

Elsewhere, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., applauded the Senate for approving the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, which he had introduced and helped pass in the House.

The bill would give the District of Columbia control of the 174-acre RFK campus and revive potential plans for a new Washington Commanders stadium.

The surprising move came after a provision in the initial continuing resolution (CR) — to transfer control of the RFK campus from the federal government to the District — was eliminated from Thursday’s slimmed down version of the bill.

‘The Senate’s passage of the D.C. RFK Stadium Campus Revitalization Act is a historic moment for our nation’s capital. If Congress failed to act today, this decaying land in Washington would continue to cost taxpayers a fortune to maintain,’ Comer said.

‘Revitalizing this RFK Memorial Stadium site has been a top economic priority for the city, and I am proud to have partnered with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to get this bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk. This bipartisan success is a testament to the House Oversight Committee’s unwavering effort to protect taxpayers and our full commitment to ensuring a capital that is prosperous for residents and visitors for generations to come,’ he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President-elect Trump announced Saturday he has tapped the creator of ‘The Apprentice’ to serve a diplomatic role in the United Kingdom.

In a Truth Social post, Trump named Mark Burnett, a British-American TV producer who was born in London, as the next U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom.

‘It is my great honor to appoint Mark Burnett as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom,’ the president-elect said. ‘With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.’

In addition to creating Trump’s former show ‘The Apprentice,’ Burnett also created ‘Shark Tank’ and led production of other programs such as ‘Survivor’ and ‘The Martha Stewart Show.’ In his Truth Social post, Trump said the producer had created some of the ‘biggest shows in Television History’ and touted his achievements.

‘He is the former Chairman of MGM, and has won 13 Emmy Awards!’ the Republican wrote. ‘Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges. Congratulations Mark!’

No one is currently serving as a U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom. Special envoy roles are typically temporary in nature and meant to fulfill a specific mission, though Trump did not specify the purpose of the role in his announcement.

Earlier in December, Trump tapped Warren A. Stephens to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James, also known as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.

‘Over the last 38 years, while serving as the president, chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc., Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist,’ Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

‘Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full-time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies.’

Burnett did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.