Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) is using a text-to-voice application to communicate on the House floor due to a degenerative brain condition she was recently diagnosed with. Wexton has been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, impacting her ability to speak, hear, and move. Despite these challenges, she used the assistive app to address Congress about legislation she introduced to rename a post office in her district after former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
In her speech, Wexton briefly mentioned her condition before focusing on the post office renaming proposal. She announced last year that she would not seek reelection after serving Virginia’s 10th Congressional District since 2019. This decision was influenced by her health prognosis, prompting her to prioritize spending time with her family and loved ones.
Wexton is the first member of Congress to use this type of assistive technology, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also utilizing similar technology for auditory processing issues following a stroke in 2022.
