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| The (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the and signed into law by President (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the (CRA) passed by the and signed into law by President (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the , which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| H.J.Res. 44 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the (CRA) passed by the and voted down by the . The bill sought to nullify a rule establishing criteria to determine whether firearms equipped with stabilizing braces that facilitate shoulder fire were subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the (CRA) passed by the and by President (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress| Key votes |
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| Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 The began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the (222-213), and the had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President (D) and Vice President (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. | | | Vote | Bill and description | Status | | Yea | | | |
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| The (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. to read more. |
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| The (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| The (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. to read more. |
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| The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (S. 937) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 20, 2021, that included provisions to designate an officer or employee of the (DOJ) to facilitate expedited review of hate crimes, required the DOJ to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies aimed to establish online hate crime reporting processes and to raise awareness about hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and established state grants to create hate crime reporting hotlines, among other related provisions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 6, 2022, that sought to address healthcare and retirement benefits for postal workers, allow USPS to provide certain nonpostal products and services, and expand service performance and budgetary reporting. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| The (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. to read more. |
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| The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2021, that provided for continuing fiscal year 2022 appropriations to federal agencies through December 3, 2021, in order to prevent a government shutdown that would have otherwise occurred if fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills had not been passed by October 1, 2021. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate. |
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| This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an saying that (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 (H.R. 350) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to expand the availability and reporting of information about domestic terrorism, enhance the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) ability to prosecute domestic terrorism, among other things. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. |
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| (S.Con.Res. 14) was a budget resolution passed by the 117th Congress outlining the fiscal year 2022 federal government budget, setting forth budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023-2031, and providing reconciliation instructions for legislation that increased the deficit. It contained a proposed framework for the . The resolution required 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. to read more. |
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| The was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. to read more. |
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| The was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to concur in the House's version of the bill. to read more. |
Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. | | | Vote | Bill and description | Status | | Yea | | | |
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| The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majroity vote in the Senate. |
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| The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote to overcome the veto. |
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| The Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S. 1) is a bill approved by the Senate that sought to address security in certain Middle Eastern countries by sending resources to Israel, extending defense cooperation in Jordan, establishing sanctions related to the conflict in Syria, and allowing states to divest from entities boycotting Israel. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on October 1st, 2020, continuing appropriations to federal agencies for Fiscal Year 2021 as well as extending certain expiring programs that address issues such as health care, surface transportation, agriculture, and veterans benefits. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1158) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for the 2020 Fiscal Year for federal agencies. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further Health Extenders Act of 2019 (H.R. 3055) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations to federal agencies through December 20, 2019 and extending certain programs and authorites that were set to expire. This bill prevented a government shutdown, and provided a pay raise for the military, repealed a revocation of state highway funding, and modified the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act (H.R. 1327) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 29, 2019, providing funds for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Key features of the bill included allowing claims to be filed until October 2090, removing the cap on noneconomic damages in certain circumstances, and periodically adjusting the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation. This bill required a simple majority vote from the Senate. |
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| The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry.The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (H.R. 5430) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on October 21, 2020, establishing a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada meant to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by establishing provisions such as labor and environment monitoring and enforcement, de minimis levels for U.S. exports, and cooperation among treaty members to prevent duty evasion. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (S. 151) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 30, 2019, setting forth rules to reduce criminal robot calls. Some key featues of the bill included requiring voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies, creating rules to protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number, and protecting individuals from one-ring scams. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 (H.R. 3401) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on July 1, 2019, providing emergency approprations for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to people attempting to enter the United States at the southern border. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. |
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| The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (H.R. 2157) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on June 6, 2019, providing approprations to certain federal departments in order to address expenses incured by recent natural disasters. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
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| H.J.Res.46 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019.) was a resolution passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump (R). This resolution sought to terminate the national emergency related to the U.S.-Mexico border, declared by President Trump on February 15, 2019. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. |
Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018Voted Yea on: First Step Act of 2018 (S 756) Voted Yea on: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (HR 2) Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259) Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2) Voted Nay on: Immigration reform proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Trump administration (S Amdt 1959 to HR 2579) Voted Yea on: Immigration reform proposal from the Common Sense Coalition (S Amdt 1958 to HR 2579) Voted Nay on: Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act amendment (S Amdt 1948 to S Amdt 1959) Voted Yea on: Coons-McCain immigration plan (S Amdt 1955 to S Amdt 1958) Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S 2311) Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it—"Skinny bill" (S Amdt 667 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628 the American Health Care Act of 2017) Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271) (S Amdt 271 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628) Voted Nay on: Motion to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, including Cruz and Portman amendments (S Amdt 270 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628) Voted Nay on: Motion to begin debate on the American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628) Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(4)—confirmation vote) Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(3)) Voted Yea on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(2)) Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55) Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)  Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895) Voted Nay on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625) Voted Nay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892) Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695) Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195) Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370) Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1) Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes." (HJ Res 123) Voted Nay on: A concurrent resolution establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71) Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601) Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244) Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress." (SJ Res 54) Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810) Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364) Voted Yea on: Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 (S 722) 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. [93] [94] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Feinstein's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. [95] Economic and fiscalTrade act of 2015.  2016 Budget proposal Defense spending authorization2015 budget, foreign affairs, iran nuclear deal, usa freedom act of 2015, cyber security, immigration, 113th congress. The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. [129] The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Feinstein's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. [130] National securityJohn brennan cia nomination, 2014 budget, government shutdown. Feinstein "will donate her salary during the shutdown to the Consortium of Catholic Academies." [139] No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013Mexico-u.s. border, social issues, violence against women (2013), previous congressional sessions, fiscal cliff. Dianne Feinstein did not file to run for re-election. General electionGeneral election for u.s. senate california. Incumbent Dianne Feinstein defeated Kevin de León in the general election for U.S. Senate California on November 6, 2018. | | | | | ✔ | | (D) | | 6,019,422 | | | (D) | | 5,093,942 |
| are . The results have been certified. | Total votes: 11,113,364 | | survey. | | If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, | Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? |
Nonpartisan primary electionNonpartisan primary for u.s. senate california. The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. Senate California on June 5, 2018. | | | | | ✔ | | (D) | | 2,947,035 | | ✔ | | (D) | | 805,446 | | | (R) | | 556,252 | | | (R) | | 350,815 | | | (R) | | 323,533 | | | (R) | | 267,494 | | | (R) | | 205,183 | | | (D) | | 147,061 | | | (R) | | 135,278 | | | (D) | | 126,947 | | | (R) | | 93,806 | | | (R) | | 89,867 | | | (R) | | 87,646 | | | (R) | | 67,140 | | | (L) | | 59,999 | | | (D) | | 56,172 | | | (D) | | 42,671 | | | (R) | | 39,209 | | | (D) | | 30,305 | | | (D) | | 30,101 | | | (D) | | 27,468 | | | (Independent) | | 24,614 | | | (Independent) | | 23,506 | | | (Peace and Freedom Party) | | 22,825 | | | (Independent) | | 20,393 | | | (D) | | 18,234 | | | (Independent) | | 18,171 | | | (Independent) | | 15,125 | | | (Independent) | | 13,536 | | | (Independent) | | 12,557 | | | (Independent) | | 8,482 | | | (Independent) | | 2,986 |
| are . The results have been certified. | Total votes: 6,669,857 | | survey. | | If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, | Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates- Leigh Scott (R)
- John Estrada (R)
- Steve Stokes (D)
- Michael Eisen (Independent)
- Topher Brennan (D)
- Timothy Charles Kalemkarian (R)
- Jerry Leon Carroll (Independent)
- Charles Junior Hodge (Independent)
- John Melendez (D)
- Caren Lancona (R)
- Stephen Schrader (R)
- Donald Adams (Independent)
- Richard Mead (Independent)
- Clifton Roberts (Independent)
- Michael Ziesing (G)
- Jazmina Saavedra (R)
Feinstein and Elizabeth Emken (R) advanced past the blanket primary on June 5, 2012, defeating 22 other candidates. Feinstein then defeated Emken in the general election, receiving 62.5% of the vote. [144] [145] [146] The defeated primary candidates were Colleen Shea Fernald (D), David Alex Levitt (D), Nak Shah (D), Diane Stewart (D), Mike Strimling (D), John Boruff (R), Oscar Alejandro Braun (R), Greg Conlon (R), Rogelio Gloria (R), Dan Hughes (R), Dennis Jackson (R), Dirk Konopik (R), Donald Krampe (R), Robert Lauten (R), Al Ramirez (R), Nachum Shifren (R), Orly Taitz (R), Rick Williams (R), Gail Lightfoot (L), Kabiruddin Karim Ali (Peace and Freedom), Marsha Feinland (Peace and Freedom), and Don Grundmann (Independent). [147] [148] [144] | Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | | | Democratic | | 62.5% | 7,864,624 | | | Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 37.5% | 4,713,887 | | | | | "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | Full history| | |
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| On November 7, 2006, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the . She defeated Richard Mountjoy (R), Todd Chretien (G), Michael Metti (L), Marsha Feinland (P&F) and Don Grundmann (American Independent) in the general election. | | | Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | | | Democratic | | 59.4% | 5,076,289 | | | Republican | Richard Mountjoy | 35% | 2,990,822 | | | Green | Todd Chretien | 1.7% | 147,074 | | | Libertarian | Michael Metti | 1.6% | 133,851 | | | Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 1.4% | 117,764 | | | American Independent | Don Grundmann | 0.9% | 75,350 | | | N/A | Write-in | 0% | 326 | | | | On November 7, 2000, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the United States Senate . She defeated Tom Campbell (R), Medea Susan Benjamin (G), Gail Katherine Lightfoot (L), Diane Beall Templin (American Independent), Jose Luis Camahort (Reform) and Brian Rees (Natural Law) in the general election. [150] | | | Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | | | Democratic | | 55.8% | 5,932,522 | | | Republican | Tom Campbell | 36.6% | 3,886,853 | | | Green | Medea Susan Benjamin | 3.1% | 326,828 | | | Libertarian | Gail Katherine Lightfoot | 1.8% | 187,718 | | | American Independent | Diane Beall Templin | 1.3% | 134,598 | | | Reform | Jose Luis Camahort | 0.9% | 96,552 | | | Natural Law | Brian Rees | 0.6% | 58,537 | | | | On November 8, 1994, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the United States Senate . She defeated Michael Huffington (R), Elizabeth Cervantes Barron (P&F), Richard Benjamin Boddie (L), Paul Meeuwenberg (American Independent) and Barbara Blong (G) in the general election. [151] | | | Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | | | Democratic | | 46.7% | 3,979,152 | | | Republican | Michael Huffington | 44.8% | 3,817,025 | | | Peace and Freedom | Elizabeth Cervantes Barron | 3% | 255,301 | | | Libertarian | Richard Benjamin Boddie | 2.1% | 179,100 | | | American Independent | Paul Meeuwenberg | 1.7% | 142,771 | | | Green | Barbara Blong | 1.7% | 140,567 | | | N/A | Write-in | 0% | 173 | | | | Campaign themesBallotpedia survey responses. See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection  Dianne Feinstein completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Feinstein's responses. What would be your top three priorities, if elected? 1. Universal health care 2. Ending gun violence 3. Comprehensive immigration reform What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? I look forward to working every day to solve problems for Californians. If reelected I will continue to fight to protect immigrants, end the targeted attacks on California by Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress, and stand up for our progressive values including job creation, civil rights, voting rights, women's reproductive freedom, respect for immigrants and comprehensive immigration reform, education, health care, and environmental protections. Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other senators? As leaders in Washington, we must set a positive example for how we can overcome political division and work respectfully with a common purpose to improve the lives of all Americans. I'm not a name caller. Throughout my career, I've always been willing to work with my colleagues in both parties to enact pragmatic solutions to the problems facing our state and our nation. If re-elected to the Senate, I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of the American people. Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it. Campaign websiteFeinstein's campaign website stated the following: | “ | From California’s snow-capped mountains to its pristine coastline, from majestic forests to the painted landscapes of its deserts, California is home to some of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Senator Feinstein has dedicated her career to preserving our natural spaces, combatting climate change, and fighting for environmental justice. Senator Feinstein led a successful bipartisan effort to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. Her bipartisan legislation, signed into law in 2007, the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act, raised fuel economy standards for America’s vehicles by at least 10 miles per gallon over 10 years, the largest increase in fuel efficiency in more than two decades, cutting greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks in half. A champion of preserving open space, she authored the historic California Desert Protection Act, which preserved more than seven million acres of California desert - the largest designation in the history of the continental United States. At her urging, President Obama used his authority under the Antiquities Act in 2016 to designate three new national monuments in the California desert, which protected almost 2 million additional acres. She also helped secure over $250 million in federal funds to purchase and preserve the nearly 8,000 acre Headwaters Forest in order to save the last unprotected, intact, ancient redwood forest ecosystem on earth. She also authored successful legislation that saved nearly 300,000 acres of wilderness across Northern California, added 25,500 acres of land to the Redwood National Park in Del Norte County, and preserved over 21 miles of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County. Senator Feinstein has also been a leader in preserving our waterways. By the 1990s, the San Francisco Bay had lost an estimated 85 percent of its historic wetlands to development, destruction, or alteration. She took action and personally negotiated the purchase of more than 16,000 acres of endangered wetlands from industrial developers along the San Francisco Bay and Napa River—the largest restoration of wetlands in California history. And she also authored the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which launched a nearly $2 billion public-private partnership to restore Lake Tahoe and has protected over 17,000 acres of wildlife habit and restored more than 1,700 acres of Stream Environment Zones. Dianne Feinstein became Mayor of San Francisco as the product of assassination, when San Francisco supervisor Dan White murdered Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall in 1978. When she found Milk’s body she could smell the gunpowder. She tried to find his pulse and instead put her finger in a bullet hole. So she knows from first-hand experience about the violence that only guns can inflict on our fellow Californians. An issue of personal importance to her, Senator Feinstein authored the landmark assault weapons ban, which banned military-style firearms from 1994 to 2004. Over that decade, the number of gun massacres fell by 37 percent and the number of people dying from gun massacres fell by 43 percent. Now, since the assault weapons ban expired and after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 that killed 20 first graders and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut, more than 400 people have been shot in more than 200 school shootings. Tragedies in Parkland, Las Vegas, Newtown, Aurora, San Bernardino, and so many more have shocked the nation and demonstrated the need to act. Senator Feinstein has introduced a new Assault Weapons Ban to halt the sale, manufacture, transfer and importation of the most commonly-owned military-style assault weapons and ban large-capacity magazines that are specifically designed to inflict maximum casualties. She will also continue to author and support additional legislation to enact sensible gun laws, including: closing the gun-show loophole, holding arms manufacturers accountable, raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, and preventing those on the terrorist watch list from buying a gun. Senator Feinstein strongly supports universal health care for all Americans, and with her colleagues in the Senate, stopped Republicans attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In 2009, when the Senate was considering the Affordable Care Act, she sponsored legislation to create a public option to compete with private health insurance, which she continues to support. She also supports lowering the age for Medicare eligibility to 55, mandating that Medicare negotiates for drug prices (which it currently does not), allowing HHS to reject unreasonable premium increases and requiring 85 percent of all premium dollars to go to patients, instead of 80 percent. Senator Feinstein has committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and has earned a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood for standing up for women’s reproductive health choices. As co-chair of the Senate Cancer Coalition, Senator Feinstein has also been a leader in increasing funding for disease research. She helped stop Donald Trump's plan to cut funding from the National Institutes of Health and introduced bipartisan legislation to improve breast cancer detection. She also sponsored the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act, which led to an improved emphasis and strategy for research of top deadly cancers. We are a state and a nation of immigrants, and Senator Feinstein strongly opposes Donald Trump’s attacks on our immigrant communities and believes we must have comprehensive immigration reform. She supports the DREAM Act and DACA, which is why she opposed the recent omnibus spending package that did not include protections for Dreamers. She also strongly opposes President Trump’s unjust and unconstitutional travel ban and has authored legislation to rescind the President's executive orders that created those bans. Senator Feinstein was proud to work closely with Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers to author the Agricultural Worker Program Act to put farmworkers on a path to earned legal status and citizenship. Senator Feinstein believes we must come together to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship for immigrants, backlog reduction, assistance for immigrant members of the armed services and their families, visa reform, and humanitarian relief for families. Senator Feinstein is committed to creating an economy that works for all Americans, not just those at the very top. She is a staunch supporter of a living wage and is a cosponsor of the RAISE the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. She opposed Donald Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that will add more than $1 trillion to our debt and force cuts in Medicare and Social Security. This legislation further harms Californians by eliminating the deduction for state and local taxes claimed by more than six million California households. Instead, Senator Feinstein has championed expanding economic access for working and middle class Californians. That’s why she supported the Working Families Tax Relief Act to expand access to and the value of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. She joined Senator Elizabeth Warren to coauthor legislation that would allow individuals with existing student loan debt to refinance at much lower interest rates. And she authored the Small Business Lending and Inequality Reduction Act, which would increase resources available for small businesses in traditionally underserved communities. Senator Feinstein is also a proud cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, which would at long last institute paid family leave, including maternity leave. She is also a cosponsor of the Healthy Families Act which would allow employees to take paid sick days. Finally, Senator Feinstein knows that creating an economy for all also means reducing the influence of special interests in Washington. She is a staunch opponent of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision which has opened the flood gates to unregulated dark money in our politics. She is a proud cosponsor of the DISCLOSE Act, which would help end secret campaign spending by strengthening disclosure and disclaimer requirements. And she also coauthored a proposed constitutional amendment that would overturn Citizens United once and for all. From her two decades as a supervisor and then mayor of San Francisco, when the city was at the forefront of bringing LGBTQ people out of the shadows, to her work in Washington, Senator Dianne Feinstein has always been a champion for the LGBTQ community. She was one of just 14 senators to vote against the original discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and she proudly authored legislation to repeal DOMA and led the filing of amicus briefs in Supreme Court cases that eventually overturned DOMA and established marriage equality nationwide. She proudly voted to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and supports legislation that would expand the definition of hate crimes to include sexual orientation, gender, and disability. She’s also cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban employers from discriminating against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. And she was a strong opponent of Proposition 8 in 2008. Today, she’s standing up against Donald Trump’s attacks on LGBTQ equality and has introduced legislation nullify his “Free Speech and Religious Liberty” executive order to prevent discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, women and religious minorities. | ” | | | Campaign advertisementsThe following is an example of an ad from Feinstein's 2018 election campaign. | "Accomplished" - Feinstein campaign ad, released October 23, 2018 | Notable endorsementsThis section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope . Notable candidate endorsements by Dianne Feinstein | Endorsee | Election | Stage | Outcome |
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| (D, Working Families Party) | | | Lost General Notable ballot measure endorsements by Dianne Feinstein | Measure | Position | Outcome |
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| | Support | Approved | | Support | Approved | | Support | Defeated | Ballot measure activityThe following table details Feinstein's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia: | Ballot measure support and opposition for Dianne Feinstein | | Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status | | | 2022 | Supported | a Approved | Campaign finance summaryDianne Feinstein campaign contribution history | Year | Office | Status | Contributions | Expenditures |
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| 2018 | U.S. Senate California | Won general | $23,724,115 | $24,497,309 | | 2012 | U.S. Senate (California) | Won | $9,797,542 | N/A** | | 2006 | U.S. Senate (California) | Won | $12,200,678 | N/A** | | 2000 | U.S. Senate (California) | Won | $12,526,490 | N/A** | | Grand total | $58,248,825 | $24,497,309 | | Sources: , | | | | | Ideology and leadershipBased on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack , Feinstein was a rank-and-file Democrat as of July 2014. This was the same rating Feinstein received in June 2013. [155] Lifetime voting recordAccording to the website GovTrack, Feinstein missed 174 of 7,645 roll call votes from February 1993 to September 2015. This amounts to 2.3 percent, which is worse than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015. [156]  National Journal vote ratingsEach year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress. Feinstein ranked 22nd in the liberal rankings among U.S. senators in 2013. [157] Feinstein ranked 26th in the liberal rankings among U.S. senators in 2012. [158] Feinstein ranked 15th in the liberal rankings among U.S. senators in 2011. [159] Like-minded colleaguesThe website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party. [160] | Feinstein most often votes with: | Feinstein least often votes with: | Voting with partyThe website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. Feinstein voted with the Democratic Party 96.3 percent of the time, which ranked 18th among the 53 Senate Democratic members as of July 2014. [161] Feinstein voted with the Democratic Party 95.8 percent of the time, which ranked 13th among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of June 2013. [162] Congressional staff salariesThe website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Feinstein paid her congressional staff a total of $4,125,359 in 2011. She ranked 2nd on the list of the highest paid Democratic senatorial staff salaries and ranked 2nd overall of the highest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, California ranked 1st in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011. [163] Noteworthy eventsFeinstein requests to temporarily step down from judiciary committee (2023). Feinstein announced she would request to temporarily step down from the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on April 12, 2023. Feinstein said, "When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period. Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis. ...I understand that my absence could delay the important work of the Judiciary Committee, so I’ve asked Leader Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until I’m able to resume my committee work." [164] Rep. Ro Khanna (D) tweeted on April 12 that Feinstein could no longer fulfill her duties and needed to resign. [165] Feinstein returned to Washington, D.C., and participated in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on May 11, 2023. [166] Alleged insider trading leading up to the U.S. Coronavirus Pandemic (2020)On March 19, 2020, the New York Times alleged Feinstein, along with some other senators, traded stocks after receiving a Senate Intelligence Committee briefing related to the effect the coronavirus outbreak will have on the American economy. [167] The Department of Justice conducted an investigation into Feinstein's stock sales that closed on May 26, 2020. [168] Feinstein sold between $1,500,000 and $6,000,000 in stocks days after the briefing. [169] On March 20, 2020, a spokesperson for Feinstein responded noting most of the stock sales were made by Feinstein’s husband and, “she has no involvement in any of her husband’s financial decisions.” [170] On May 14, 2020, a spokesperson for Feinstein, Tom Mentzer, said that Feinstein answered questions from federal law enforcement agents and provided documents to the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the investigation into her and other senators' stock sales. Mentzer said that Feinstein "was happy to voluntarily answer those questions to set the record straight” and that she “provided additional documents to show she had no involvement in her husband’s transactions.” [171] [172] On May 26, aides from Feinstein's office confirmed that the Department of Justice notified them of the conclusion of the investigation into the trades. [168] Personal Gain Index The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants. It consists of two different metrics: - Changes in Net Worth
- The Donation Concentration Metric
PGI: Change in net worthWith Feinstein’s death, what happens with her seat on Judiciary committee, other panels? Sen. Dianne Feinstein was the most senior Democrat on two of the Senate’s most powerful committees, and her death could set off a cascade of changes that affect California’s power in Washington. Soon after news broke Friday that Feinstein, 90, had died overnight, Republican leaders indicated that they would not attempt to block Democrats from filling her committee assignments, including on the powerful Judiciary and Appropriations committees. Following through would be a departure from their refusal in the spring to appoint a temporary replacement to the Judiciary committee while Feinstein was out for months to recover from a shingles infection . Feinstein’s absence meant Democrats didn’t have enough votes to get judicial nominees out of committee without Republican support.  The Los Angeles Times’ Benjamin Oreskes breaks down how Gov. Gavin Newsom may decide on who will fill the late senators vacant seat and the legacy she leaves behind. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D. ) told Politico that he expects the Senate to follow precedent and allow committee vacancies to be filled without a fight. Republicans previously said in the spring that there was no precedent for temporarily replacing a sitting senator on a committee. Senior GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said that Republicans weren’t going to “help what we consider to be controversial or unqualified nominees to get confirmed.” Feinstein also served on the Senate Intelligence and Rules committees. Normally senators are assigned to committees by unanimous consent, but that motion can be filibustered. If a senator objects, Democrats would need 60 votes to appoint someone to fill Feinstein’s committee assignments. With an evenly divided Senate, they would need help from 10 senators to fill out the committees. But even without delays from Republicans, Feinstein’s successor isn’t guaranteed her seats on the powerful Judiciary and Appropriations committees. And Senate Democrats may not want to wait long to fill them, either. “It’s a complicated weekend for [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer, not only to keep government open but to figure out how he maps out this replacement so that it advantages the Democratic Party,” said associate professor of public policy at Brown University Wendy Schiller, an expert on the Senate. Until another senator is named to the Judiciary committee, the panel is evenly split with 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats. California was in the unusual position of having two senators on the Judiciary committee. Sen. Alex Padilla, also a Democrat, is not expected to give up his seat, so it is unlikely that Feinstein’s successor will end up there as well, particularly if other, more senior senators are interested in the spot. “There’s always a little musical chairs when there’s a vacancy,” said Washington University political science professor Steven Smith. “Feinstein has been in place for a long time.” Smith said a lot could hinge on how quickly California Gov. Gavin Newsom moves to fill Feinstein’s seat . If he waits several weeks as he did with Padilla’s appointment after then-Sen. Kamala Harris was tapped as Joe Biden’s vice president, Schumer could name a Judiciary committee replacement quickly in an effort to keep Biden’s judicial nominees moving. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) was put forward as a temporary replacement for Feinstein on the committee last spring. He has since announced plans to retire at the end of this Congress and has been named Senate Foreign Relations chair. Moving a senator to a new committee will be just the start of the shuffle, Schiller said. “Smart senators who shape successful careers think very seriously about their committee assignments. It is the bulk of how they form their reputation, particularly in their first six years,” she said. “It is a complex chess game.” As for Feinstein’s position on the Senate Appropriations committee, such a seat rarely would go to a freshman senator, particularly one not planning to run for a full term, as would likely be the case with whomever Newsom appoints as Feinstein’s successor. It might be a logical move for Padilla, though, Schiller said, who ran for and won a full term after initially being appointed to his Senate seat. Home to more than 10% of the U.S. population, California usually sees one of its senators receive a seat on the Appropriations committee, which decides how the government appropriates money, or on the Armed Services committee. Padilla could opt to let go of his seat on the Environment and Public Works committee in exchange for more power on Appropriations, Schiller said. A spokesperson for Padilla told The Times that any committee changes aren’t under discussion so soon after Feinstein’s death. More to Read Your guide to the California U.S. Senate election: The race to succeed Sen. Dianne FeinsteinFeb. 1, 2024  Meet the candidates for California’s next U.S. SenatorJan. 14, 2024  California is losing clout in the U.S. CapitolDec. 14, 2023 Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.  Sarah D. Wire is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times who covered government accountability, the Justice Department and national security with a focus on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and domestic extremism. She previously covered Congress for The Times. She contributed to the team that won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the San Bernardino shooting and received the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Washington Correspondence in 2020. More From the Los Angeles Times World & Nation Georgia judge rules county election officials must certify vote results Opinion: For voters, what Harris or Trump say may matter less than how they say itOct. 15, 2024  Granderson: Trump ‘loves’ Black men? He has a history of calling for their executions For Kamala Harris’ L.A. neighbors, her house is a delight and an annoyanceMost read in politics.  Trump is escalating his anti-democratic rhetoric. It’s time to listen A ‘Locally hated/Dyslexic Hairstylist’ battles the Christian right in a Texas townOct. 13, 2024  2024 California propositions voter guide: minimum wage, crime, marriage, healthcare, rent and moreSept. 27, 2024  In campaign’s final weeks, Trump airs anti-transgender ads during football gamesGOP senators say they won't stop Democrats from replacing Feinstein on Judiciary Committee WASHINGTON — Top Republican senators said Friday they won’t try to prevent Democrats from replacing the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on the Judiciary Committee after the vacancy left Democrats without a majority on the key panel. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, told NBC News that “there’s no doubt in my mind” Democrats will be able to fill her spot on the panel once there is a successor appointed to her Senate seat . Feinstein’s death means the key panel that processes President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees is now split evenly, 10 to 10, between Democrats and Republicans. A tie vote means a nominee fails to advance out of committee, meaning Democrats would need at least some GOP support to send any potential judges to the full Senate. If that vacancy lingers, it could slow down a top Biden priority . But California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is slated to choose a successor to replace Feinstein, after which Democrats will shuffle committee assignments to fill the vacancy on Judiciary and other panels. “It’s a prerogative of the Democratic leader to put who he wants on the Judiciary Committee. So I don’t think that’s an issue,” Cornyn said, arguing that it was different when Republicans blocked a temporary swap on the panel earlier this year while Feinstein was absent due to medical leave. That GOP objection sparked unsubstantiated claims by progressives on social media, as well as by Sen. Debbie Stabenow , D-Mich., and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , that Republicans would try to permanently block a replacement if Feinstein were to retire or vacate the seat. Those claims resurfaced on Friday, but they remain groundless. “The problem was he was willing to try to do that while Sen. Feinstein was still a member of that committee, even though she wasn’t present,” Cornyn said, referring to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “So that’s the unorthodox procedure.” Cornyn said that it’s different now that the seat is vacant. The Senate regularly shuffles committee assignments when one senator is replaced with another mid-session, without controversy. It requires a vote of the chamber, or unanimous consent, to do. “My assumption is that we’ll observe whatever the precedent is in this situation,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said. “I mean, it’s an unfortunate situation, but it’s happened before and I assume that the same rules would apply.” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he isn’t a member of the Judiciary Committee but he expects Democrats to replace Feinstein. “The world has changed, we’ve become far more divided as a nation and the bases of each party have are far more demanding. And so I can’t predict with certainty, but I think she would be replaced," he said. A Democratic leadership aide said changes to Senate committee assignments in the wake of Feinstein’s death “will be decided after a new California senator has been seated.” Her absence on the Judiciary panel has more impact than on other committees, as nominees require 51 votes to be confirmed, while most legislation requires 60 to break a filibuster. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., had to repeatedly delay votes on Biden-picked judges earlier this year due to Feinstein’s months-long absence. He said Friday he’s hopeful her seat can be filled without any issues, noting that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell “had some kind words to say about her .” “I hope that we can fill her vacancy in her memory in an orderly and cooperative way,” Durbin said. “I’m hopeful that in her memory we can do this in a thoughtful way.”  Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.  Frank Thorp V is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the Senate.  A look back at the life and career of Bay Area icon Dianne FeinsteinBy nbc bay area staff • published september 29, 2023 • updated on september 29, 2023 at 11:19 pm. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazing California politician with strong Bay Area ties, has died, her office confirmed Friday. She was 90. Feinstein, who was born and raised in San Francisco, will be remembered as a political powerhouse. She was also the longest-serving U.S. senator from California. Watch NBC Bay Area News 📺 Streaming free 24/7 "Dianne Feinstein was many things — a powerful, trailblazing U.S. Senator; an early voice for gun control; a leader in times of tragedy and chaos," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Friday. "But to me, she was a dear friend, a lifelong mentor, and a role model not only for me, but to my wife and daughters for what a powerful, effective leader looks like. "There is simply nobody who possessed the strength, gravitas, and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein," Newsom added. "Jennifer and I are deeply saddened by her passing, and we will mourn with her family in this difficult time." Feinstein attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco and attended college at Stanford University. The first steps in Feinstein’s long and distinguished political career can tell you a lot about what drove her to pursue a life of public service. After being elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1969, Feinstein quickly became a force and a trailblazer. She was the first woman to serve as the board’s president.  Dianne Feinstein, California's longest-serving senator, dies at 90 ‘Never backed away from a fight': Here's how Dianne Feinstein is being rememberedGet a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter. Following the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and fellow Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978, Feinstein was thrust into the role of acting mayor. Her first act was announcing the tragic news to the public. Feinstein was officially elected as the mayor of San Francisco a year later. After serving two full terms as mayor, Feinstein ran for California governor in 1990 but came up short. In 1992, she set her sights on Washington and never looked back after becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. senate from the state of California. "For decades, Senator Feinstein was a pillar of public service in California: from San Francisco’s City Hall to the United States Capitol," Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Friday. "Her indomitable, indefatigable leadership made a magnificent difference for our national security and personal safety, the health of our people and our planet, and the strength of our Democracy." There, she earned respect on both sides of the aisle, while becoming the first woman to achieve a variety of accomplishments, including chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties," President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday. "She’s made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations." Feinstein was married three times. Her most recent marriage was with investment banker Richard Blum from 1980 until his death in 2022. Feinstein is survived by her daughter Katherine and her granddaughter Eileen.  - Newsletters
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Dianne Feinstein’s Death Instantly Creates Two Big Problems to SolveCalifornia Sen. Dianne Feinstein has died at age 90, her office announced on Friday. A political legend whose health had deteriorated sharply of late, Feinstein had voted on the Senate floor as recently as late Thursday morning. While there will be a lengthy period of well-deserved tributes to her in the coming days and weeks, her passing raises a couple of imminent questions for California politics, and the Senate, going forward. The first question is who California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint to replace Feinstein in the Senate. In 2021, after Newsom appointed now–Sen. Alex Padilla to replace newly minted Vice President Kamala Harris, he pledged to appoint a Black woman to serve the remainder of Feinstein’s term should she leave the body. The most obvious choice would have been California Rep. Barbara Lee, a veteran Bay Area congresswoman and an icon on the left. Lee, however, announced a candidacy for a full term to Feinstein’s Senate seat in the 2024 election, so selecting Lee now would be seen as giving her a leg up in that race against her fellow Democratic representatives, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter. In an interview in early September, Newsom said he wouldn’t do that. “It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off,” Newsom said on Meet the Press . “That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.” He maintained his pledge to select a Black woman, however, in the event of a vacancy. The second question is what will happen with Feinstein’s crucial tie-breaking seat on the Judiciary Committee. A number of prominent Democrats, including those on the Judiciary Committee, had argued this year against Feinstein resigning on the grounds that Republicans would filibuster her replacement on the committee, deadlocking its membership and limiting Democrats’ efforts to process judicial nominations. Republicans had already blocked a Democratic request earlier in the year, while Feinstein was on a lengthy hiatus from the Senate, to temporarily swap in another Democratic senator to her Judiciary seat. So Feinstein returned to Washington from her bout with shingles, sooner than may have been medically advisable, to serve as that tie-breaking vote in committee on Biden’s more partisan nominations. But to filibuster Feinstein’s replacement on the Judiciary Committee would be a horse of a different color than filibustering a temporary swap, and Senate Republican leaders were already throwing cold water on the idea by mid-Friday. Regardless of what one may think of Senate Republicans’ history of hardball tactics when it comes to judicial nominations, blocking a majority party from having a committee majority, just for kicks, would set an extraordinary new precedent that wouldn’t end well for anyone. Committee rosters are set by Senate resolution. Typically, they’re approved by unanimous consent at the beginning of a new Congress or whenever a vacancy arises. If a Republican (or Republicans) chose to block that move, and Senate Democrats could not muster 60 votes to overcome it, the Senate itself would become a whole new ballgame. If the minority party does not let the majority party assume a majority on a committee, that would be the sort of blow to representative democracy for which the appropriate response is to nuke the filibuster for committee assignments. Should Democrats not muster the votes to eliminate the filibuster for committee assignments, then the appropriate response would be to filibuster Republicans from assuming a majority on any committee the next time they take the Senate majority. It was not a path that any Senate Republicans indicated they’d go down in the event of Feinstein’s resignation or passing when asked about it earlier in the year. “Because they have a majority, they’re entitled to a one-seat vote majority on that committee,” no less than Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley told Insider in July, while Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said, “we wouldn’t do that.” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, told CNN in April that if Feinstein “does resign, I would be in the camp of following the precedent of the Senate, replacing the person, consistent with what we have done in the past.” Now, we know that Senate Republicans have a reputation for flexibility in their commitments when it comes to the federal bench. Many of these senators, most notably Graham himself, underwent a sharp conversion between 2016 and 2020 on the propriety of confirming Supreme Court nominees just before presidential elections. The risks associated with those decisions—first to deny Merrick Garland a confirmation process following Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016, and then to rush Amy Coney Barrett to the bench following Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death in 2020—were entirely political. A new precedent in which the majority can’t redistribute a deceased senator’s committee assignments, and thus can’t achieve a majority on committees, would risk more than just political backlash. Republicans have an excellent chance of retaking the Senate majority in the 2024 election. If they do, they would probably like the ability to seat majorities on their committees in January 2025. And by the way: Senate Republicans aren’t all sprightly, youthful, and vigorous themselves. Should a member of their conference exit the mortal realm, they wouldn’t want those committee seats interred with the deceased, either. Republicans could face some pressure from the right to pick this fight. But it wouldn’t be a garden-variety scrap to follow through on.  |
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
S.2794 — 118th Congress (2023-2024) Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act Sponsor: Feinstein, Dianne [Sen.-D-CA] (Introduced 09/13/2023) Cosponsors: (3) Committees: Senate - Judiciary Latest Action: 09/13/2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress. Below are all current senators and the committees on which they serve. Baldwin, Tammy (D-WI) Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Subcommittee on Defense.
In the fall of 2020, in her capacity as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein participated in the confirmation hearings for President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Committee assignments U.S. Senate 2023-2024. Feinstein was assigned to the following committees: [Source] Senate Committee on Appropriations; Energy and Water Development, Chairman; Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Soon after news broke Friday that Feinstein, 90, had died overnight, Republican leaders indicated that they would not attempt to block Democrats from filling her committee assignments,...
WASHINGTON — Top Republican senators said Friday they won’t try to prevent Democrats from replacing the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on the Judiciary Committee after the vacancy left...
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazing California politician with strong Bay Area ties, has died, her office confirmed Friday. She was 90. Feinstein, who was born and raised in San Francisco, will ...
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has died at age 90, her office announced on Friday. A political legend whose health had deteriorated sharply of late, Feinstein had voted on the Senate floor as...
Dianne Feinstein, the Senator from California - in Congress from 2023 through Present
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) this week asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to temporarily replace her on the Senate Judiciary Committee.