Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., should resign if he cannot provide a clear update on his health.

She said that lawmakers have a responsibility to assure the public they are capable of carrying out their duties.

Speaking Wednesday to reporters, Ocasio-Cortez said McConnell's recent explanation about his condition was inadequate and left too many questions unanswered.

"If he can't give us an update, he should resign, absolutely," she said. 

"It's been very clear to people across Kentucky that his 'update' was not sufficient," added Ocasio-Cortez.

The New York Democrat said elected officials owe voters transparency about their ability to serve, particularly at a time when closely divided votes in Congress can determine the outcome of major legislation.

"I don't know if he has a conversation with a journalist. I don't know if he has a conversation with the governor. I don't know what his staff is doing," said Ocasio-Cortez. "But we have a responsibility to the American people."

Ocasio-Cortez emphasized that lawmakers must be able to perform their duties both now and in the future, especially given the narrow margins that often decide legislation in the Senate.

"We're seeing increasingly these votes are being decided by a one- or two-vote margin," she said. "And if you're not capable of not only doing the job presently, we need to know if you're capable of doing the job for the foreseeable future."

Ocasio-Cortez's remarks added to the growing scrutiny surrounding the health and fitness of aging members of Congress — an issue that has drawn bipartisan attention in recent years, as several lawmakers have experienced public medical episodes or prolonged absences.

McConnell, a Kentucky Republican and former Senate majority leader, has faced repeated questions about his health after several highly publicized incidents in recent years.

According to a statement released by his office on July 12, the senator said his extended absence from Congress was because of a fall and a "mild case of pneumonia."

"My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke," the statement read.

"I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital," it added.

Those episodes prompted renewed debate over the age of congressional leaders and whether lawmakers should disclose more information about their medical conditions.

Ocasio-Cortez did not call for broader age limits for members of Congress during her remarks. She instead focused on the need for public accountability and transparency regarding a lawmaker's ability to fulfill the responsibilities of elected office.

She said the issue extends beyond any one senator and concerns the public's confidence that those elected to represent them can continue serving effectively.

"The American people deserve to know," Ocasio-Cortez said, "if you're capable of doing the job for the foreseeable future."