Rep Tom Kean Jr. was suffering from depression.

He said as much in a speech Tuesday morning on the House floor.

"It is physical. It is emotional," he said.

Watch (the FULL!) speech HERE.

When the CD-7 congressman took the mic at 11:12 a.m, he acknowledged not liking to speak about himself.

"This is not an easy speech," he said.

But he acknowledged the obvious - that he owes an explanation "to the people of the Seventh District."

Kean said he visited the hospital several months ago for what was presumed to be routine testing.

It wasn't.

"I was given the diagnosis of depression," he said. Kean said that to many, depression is feeling sad.

But it's worse than that, he said, mentioning the physical and mental toll.

He said it's difficult to understand "how powerful" the illness is. Kean said he was told to spend time in the hospital, something he did not want to do.

Kean said back on April 27 that he would return to Congress in a matter of weeks. He said that he believed that at the time. But it was not the case.

More broadly, he said:

"Asking for help is not a weakness, it's a strength."

Estimates are that up to 50 million Americans suffer from depression.

Kean said he is now healthy and that he looks forward to resuming his work in Congress with renewed vigor and energy.

So, how will the congressman's diagnosis be received?

He said in his speech that depression is "not a partisan issue," and that is certainly true.

At the same time, there is little sensitivity in politics these days.