Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been hospitalized since June 14, spoke to Senate Republican leaders on Monday and Tuesday amid growing speculation about whether he will return to the Senate before the end of the year.

McConnell had a “lengthy and substantive conversation” with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Monday, undercutting the rumors that McConnell’s health condition may be substantially worse than his staff has acknowledged.

“Leader Thune spoke with Sen. McConnell yesterday by phone. They had a lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security,” a Thune spokesperson said.

Then McConnell, who is 84, spoke on Tuesday with Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso (Wyo.).

“Senator Barrasso and Senator McConnell had a lengthy conversation early this afternoon. Their phone call lasted roughly 20 minutes. They caught up about the latest news impacting Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits,” said Kate Noyes, a spokesperson for Barrasso.

The aide said McConnell and Barrasso also discussed the Senate’s upcoming July work period and the need to pass the National Defense Authorization Act and confirm Jay Clayton to serve as director of national intelligence.

“Sen. McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate,” the aide said.

A spokesperson for McConnell reiterated a statement from last week that McConnell “continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”

Speculation about the seriousness of McConnell’s health condition gained new intensity last week when emergency dispatch audio surfaced indicating that on the day he was admitted to the hospital, paramedics encountered an unconscious person at McConnell’s Capitol Hill address and administered CPR in response to a possible cardiac arrest.

McConnell then missed the next two weeks of Senate votes as he has remained in the hospital recovering from an undisclosed health issue.

Thune told reporters June 15 that he spoke to McConnell and he “sounded good.”

The Senate GOP leader expressed his hope that McConnell would make a speedy return to the upper chamber.

McConnell would play a key role in drafting an emergency supplemental defense spending package requested by the Trump administration to help replenish munitions and weapons used during the conflict with Iran.

He is the chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over funding the Pentagon.

McConnell’s vote is also critical to passing spending bills out of the Appropriations Committee if they don’t have Democratic support.

The panel has 15 Republicans and 14 Democrats, which means Democrats can block bills if a Republican is missing from a legislative markup.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) postponed a markup of several bills before the July 4 recess because of McConnell’s absence.