According to the Albuquerque Journal’s Michael Coleman, former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici is undergoing “major shoulder surgery” in Baltimore, Maryland today.

The 77-year-old New Mexico GOP icon retired from the Senate last year after he was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease.

Domenici served in the Senate for 36 years and was one of its most influential members.

From Coleman:

Domenici’s former chief-of-staff, Steve Bell, emailed to tell me Domenici will be in the hospital for a couple days before returning home to Capitol Hill in Washington, where he will begin rehabilitation of his shoulder.

Domenici and Bell now work at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

As someone who has undergone some shoulder surgery already, I have to wish Domenici a speedy and uneventful recovery.