Transcripts For CSPAN2 U.S. 20240703

The president pro tempore the majority leader is recognized. Mr. Schumer i ask that the senate observe a moment of silence in honor of senator Dianne Feinstein. Mr. Schumer madam president. The president pro tempore the majority leader. Mr. Schumer earlier this morning, we lost a giant in the senate. Senator Dianne Feinstein was one of the most amazing people who ever graced the senate, who ever graced the country. She had so many amazing, wonderful qualities wrapped up in one incredible human being. She was smart, she was strong, she was brave, she was xash compassionate. But maybe the trait that stood out most of us was her amazing integrity. Her integrity was a diamond. Her integrity shown like a beacon across the senate and across the country for tall to see and hopefully emulate. Dianne feinstein would typically say when you asked her how was she voting on something, let me study this issue before taking a position. Let me go home and read on it. And when she came back, if she believed the cause of the vote was right and vital to many issues she cared about, she not only voting for it, there was no stopping her from getting it done. She would take on any force, any special interest, any opponent with relentless integrity and would wear those opponents down until she succeeded. Again, her integrity just thown through them shown through them and she won and she won and she won and each time made the country a better place. I saw this up close when she passed the assault weapons ban, a passion of hers after what happened in california. The nra was a relentless and often meanspirited and chauvnistic faux. They didnt scare her. They didnt stop her, and they failed against her. Like most of her opponents, they failed against her. Her perseverance, her strength and most of all her integrity shown through. I was privileged to carry the bill in the house after she had passed it in the senate. She guided me every step of the way, and her strength and her integrity strengthened all of us who were fighting that uphill fight. And as we went through that bill it became clear to me Dianne Feinstein is not like the others. Shes in a class of her own. Of course it wasnt just the assault weapons banshee fought for ban she fought for. She protected Oversight Authority during the investigation into u. S. Torture, fighting for climate justice, fighting for Marriage Equality, fighting for reproductive justice. The list goes on and on. As chair of the Intelligence Committee, dianne fought for what was right, even if it was hard and difficult and took months and years to dig in and find out what actually went wrong. She never stopped. She took on the cia and asserted congresss Oversight Authority during the investigation into the United States use of torture. And through all of her accomplishments, this one and others, she always displayed the quintessential grace, no one rattled her. I remember a few years back when a particularly nasty senator tried to put senator feinstein down in a condescending, many would say chauvnistic way. She reacted not defensively but with integrity, and within three minutes she put this colleague in his place, and by the end of it, everyone in the room on both sides of the aisle were smiling. That was dianne to a t, powerful, prepared, unflappable. She had to be. Whenever she did something, she was often the first to do it. She was elected as the first woman president of the San Francisco board of supervisors, the first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco, the first woman to serve as u. S. Senator of california, the first woman to serve the intelligence commit Intelligence Committee. And the list goes on and on and on. Our nation will be forever thankful to Dianne Feinstein for the accomplishments she fought for. I too am personally indebted to dianne, not just as a colleague, which of course i am in so many ways as a colleague, but as a friend and a father of two daughters. Diannes work extended far beyond the United States senate floor as she gave a voice, a platform being a leader to women throughout the country for decades. She didnt just push down doors closed for women, she held them open for generations of women who followed her sheement gave a voice, a platform, a model for women across the country who aspire to roles in leadership, in Public Service who want to leave their own mark on the world, who want to make this country a better place for others. Today there are 25 women serving in this chamber and every one of them would admit they stand on diannes shoulders. So diannes impact extended far beyond the senate floor and far beyond politics itself. So today we grieve. We look at that desk and we know what we have lost. But we also give thanks thanks to someone to brave, to graceful of presence served in that someone like that served in this chamber for so many years. In closing, let me just say this. The sign of after leader is someone of a leader is someone who dedicates the whole of their spirit for a cause greater than themselves, the sign of a hero is someone who fights for others, who endures for others, no matter the cost, no matter the odds, and a sign of a friend is someone who stands by your side to fight the good fight on the good days and on the bad. Dianne feinstein was all of this and more, friend, a hero for so many, a leader who changed the nation sorry a leader who changed the nature of the senate and who changed the fabric of the nation, america. America for the better. As the nation mourns this tremendous loss, we know how many lives she impacted and how many class ceilings she shatter along the way shattered along the way. America is a better place because of senator Dianne Feinstein. Today i join with my colleagues in mourningnt. The presiding officer the republican leader. Mcconnell you know how we all mr. Mcconnell you know how we refer toll our friend from whatever state it is, often that is not true. But elaine and i were friends with dick and dianne. When they were in town together, we would frequently have dinner together. Elaine and i got married shortly after the 1992 election, and i remember that dianne gave us a small depiction of the capitol. I looked at it this morning because its still on the wall and remembered our Dear Colleague as a truly remarkable individual, as the majority leader has pointed out, she was an incredibly effective person at every line at every level, and she was was all of those at all of those levels on the way to the senate. Those of us who were fortunate to call dianne our colleague can say we served alongside the longestserving female senator in american history. Dianne was a trailblazer in her beloved home state of california and our own tire nation entire nation are better off. In the past three decades, the senior senator from california was also the steady hand leading sensitive and conventional work as head of the Intelligence Committee and Judiciary Committee. Her name became synonymous with advocacy for women and with issues from Water Infrastructure to counter drug efforts. The first woman to lead her hometown board of supervisors, then as mayor, made a difference long before he had came to the senate. As much as this institution and the American People will remember diannes devoted Public Service, elaine and i will also remember and cherish a friendship of 30 years we were fortunate to share with diane and dick. So today, i know the entire Senate Family is gathering around senator feinsteins loyal staff, our thoughts and prayers are with diannes daughter, katherine, her granddaughter, eileen, the entire feinstein family, and with all who mourn our Dear Colleague and mr. Schumer i yield to the senator the Senate Pro Tem president , before that, id like to acknowledge diannes daughter katherine with Speaker Pelosi in the gallery. Mrs. Murray mr. President. The presiding officer the president pro tem. Mrs. Murray mr. President , yesterday, the senior senator from california came onto the floor through those doors to do her job. She voted. She voted to make sure that our country would continue to move forward and not shut down. That was dianne. She did her job every day. She cared about her country. She cared about her state. She scared about doing a job no matter how tough it is, for the future of america, and she did it with dignity and respect every single minute. Today, you will hear accolades from across the country, lists of legislative accomplishments from her early days all the way through her career. What i just want to say today, it is a true loss to america. It is a loss to her family. My heart is with you. It is a loss to her colleagues from california, who have served with her and know her as i do, as a tower of strength. To our colleagues on the floor, who have worked with her on a laundry list of legislation that you will hear about, and is way too long to list today. But to her constituents, you need to know, we depended on her, just as you did. And she was here every day to fight for you. No natter what. She fought for women. She fought for those who are victims of gun violence. She fought for Foreign Policy that was remote to most people, but she knew every detail, and when dianne spoke, the rest of us stopped and we listened. Mr. President , she was a friend. I was sworn into office just a few weeks after she was, and she was always there for us, in matters big and small, in matters of our country, in matters of policy, and always as a friend. To those of you who dont know, she was the most generous senator i have ever known. I remember one time, when i noticed that her purse was really nice, and i said, dianne, that purse, its beautiful. Two days later, i got one delivered to my door. That was dianne. She saw people. She knew people. She saw that she could be someone that we all needed, and she saw that she could be there when she was needed, and she was there. Mr. President , i will have more to say about my friend of more than 30 years over the next few days, and im sure you will hear so much today. But mr. President , im so sorry i didnt hug her when she went back out that door yesterday. Ms. Collins mr. President. The presiding officer the senior senator from maine. Ms. Collins i rise with Great Sadness today to honor my friend and our colleague, senator Dianne Feinstein. She was a pioneer and a strong and dignified leader. Dianne, who was the longestserving woman in the senate history, had a career marked by many firsts first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco, first woman senator to represent california, first woman to serve as the chair of the senate Intelligence Committee, and the first woman to serve on the Senate Judiciary committee. Dianne was such a strong presence in the senate. She was a determined and tenacious advocate. Many of us worked closely with her on the Intelligence Committee, where she was such an excellent chairman. She was always fair, respectful, informed, and strong. We worked together on the Appropriations Committee as well, where she chairs chaired the energy and water subcommittee. Many of us were her allies on the violence against women act, and the respect for marriage act. The senate and the country has lost a model senator. Elegant, graceful, kind, compassionate, strong, informed, intelligent. Mr. President , i have also lost a dear friend. I have put up this watercolor painting that dianne did and gave me so many years ago. It has hung in my office ever since, and it will have a place of honor there always. Every time i would pass by, i would look at it and think about how talented diane was in so many different areas. I treasure this painting. When i became engaged 11 years ago, it was dianne who sponsored a reception for me and my nowhusband, tom daverin, in her home in washington. My story is very similar to that of the republican leader. I was also reminded, when i heard senator murray talk about diannes generosity. At one point one year, she bought seer sucker suits for every woman who was serving in the senate, so that we could all participate in seersucker tuesday. That was diane. She paid attention to the smallest that was dianne. She paid attention to the smallest details, to the largest issues that affected not only our country and the world. Most of all, dianne was such a role model for girls and women. She was a role model for us who came to the senate after she began her storied tenure here. I will miss dianne terribly. My heart goes out to her family, and may she rest in peace. The majority whip. Mr. Durbin mr. President , today we mourn the death of a trailblazer, my colleague and friend, senator Dianne Feinstein. I have been privileged to have known dianne throughout her entire career in this chamber, and my entire time as well. She was my friend and seatmate on the Senate Judiciary committee for over 20 years. When youre that close to someone politically, day in, day out, week in, week out, you pick up on the things that mean the most to her. Certainly, her family was the highest priority to her, over all things, but her Life Experience created what we know as the legacy of dianne. How many times she told the story of serving on the pardon and parole board for the state of california. Cases that she remembered in detail, that occurred decades ago, that stuck with her, inspired her when it came to her service on the Senate Judiciary committee. I think that situation also inspired her when it came to legislation where she was looking for fairness. We certainly all know her efforts in dealing with the violence against women act. That was an extraordinary effort by her on a bipartisan basis, with senator murkowski, senator collins, senator ernst, senator patty murray, and so many others. In addition to that, she recounted many, many times that terrible, unimaginable tragedy when the mayor of San Francisco was killed, along with harvey milk, a commissioner. She was there at the bloody scene afterwards. She recounted that so many times in the midst of her debates over an assault weapons ban. Think about that assault weapons ban. It is almost the holy grail in politics. So many people have said thats the one thing we absolutely have to do, it has to be done. She did it. She, along with senator schumer, who was then a house member, put together the bill that established an assault weapons ban and reduced the number of deaths in america by gunfire. They did it. And she was the leader, inspired by that terrible tragedy with mayor moscone. I can also remember there was a time years ago when we engaged in the dont in this chamber on stem cell science and biology. It was a complicated debate. Many of us liberal arts lawyers were lost as they went into the detail. Dianne not only led that debate, she mastered the subject. Time and again, in the caucus, when we would discuss it, she would be the one to stand up and straighten everyone out on the bairvetion. She was a gifted person on the basics. She was a gifted person in that regard. There is one thing senator collins noted that i noted many times members of the senate in Committee Hearings are given a notepad in fronts of them. The Senate Judiciary committee is no exception. And a pencil nearby, to make notes in the course of our business. Sitting next to dianne all those years, i cant tell you how many flowers i saw her draw on those notepads. I asked her for one, one time. She signed it, and ive kept it. But its an indication of the sweetness and the elegance in her life, that on one hand she could be arguing the most serious lifeanddeath issues in the committee, and on the other hand show that kind of dignity and determination to bring the human side to the debate. She was one of the best, and i was honored to call her a friend. There were many times she made the roll call in the Senate Judiciary committee in the last year or two when i know it was an extraordinary sacrifice. Chef was going to show up she was going to show up because that was her responsibility. I respected her so much for that, and in a committee divided 1110, i needed her, and she knew it, and she was there. She answered the call. She served california with such distinction. She often talked about her beloved golden state. But we all know that she was also a treasure to the nation. Dianne feinstein inspired many, is particularly many women, to Public Service. She served california well. She served our nation. It was my honor to s. Ms. Murkowski mr. President. The presiding officer the senior senator from alaska. Ms. Murkowski mr. President , there will be many opportunities in the next few days and weeks following to reflect on the life and the contributions of senator Dianne Feinstein, and as has been noted, the significant legislation that she advanced over three decades here, what that meant to her state, to her constituents, really to her country, but also to us. As i think about the work that we all take on here, we know that we are capable of much, but we are made even more capable by extraordinary staff. One of the things that i have noted over the years is the extremely loyal staff that senator feinstein had built around her. I know that they are grieving today, as is dianes family, so many friends. But i think we acknowledge them at this same time of this very significant loss, of not only a colleague but of a friend. And i think its important that people understand that here in the United States senate, a place that can be so divisive at times, that true friendships actually exist. Whether it is the republican leader and his wife over the years dining together, or as senator collins has stated just the very generous nature of senator feinstein sharing her works, sharing her art, sharing a purse. I still have that seer sucker suit. When we engage in dawning the seer sucker suit, mine is 20 years old, i think yours is toorks the reality is a direct reminder of the spontaneous generosity of a woman. Dianne feinstein was generous, she was gracious, she was thoughtful, she was kind. There were many times when we were looking into a weekend when we were going to be here, and she being from california, me being from alaska, recognizing that probably neither one of us was going to be making it to that other coast, and she would say lisa, lets go to dinner. And sometimes we would just spontaneously make that happen. Other times we would just make the plans. But that was that outreach to do so. And what she did as one of the one of the female leaders in our womens senators group, she made sure that the dinners that we have engaged in over the years, that those continued. And she came up and said, isnt it about time we have another dinner. And we would organize it. And it was again yet a reminder of what it means to come together as colleagues, yes, but really the more that we can do to build those relationships that make a hard job just a little bit easier. And dianne was able to focus on that in a giving and, again, a very generous, generous way. I think it pained us all, it certainly pained me in just these past months to see what i believed to be grossly unfair attacks on a woman who was in failing health. And i think for some who would focus on that, they would fail to appreciate what this extraordinary woman, what this extraordinary leader had contributed not only to the senate but again to her state and to her country. And so as we speak of the beauty of Dianne Feinstein and all that she gave to this country, i hope we reflect on the words that senator murray shared with us, that her commitment to this job, her commitment to the people was so much that she would put her physical health, somehow she was how she was feeling some days we just dont feel like coming in, you know. Senator feinstein was here. Senator feinstein was with an institution that she cared about, she cared deeply about it. She wanted to make sure that we were the best of the best, and we reflected that. I think shed actually be really pleased with the resolution about dress. I dont need to go into that on the floor. But senator feinstein was a woman who was put together, put together in her presence but in her bearing. And i think she wanted to see the senate in a dignified and a respectful manner at all time. As i walked in this morning, i thought she probably wouldnt approve of my shoes, and im sorry, dianne. But i share this because i think it demonstrates again where the commitment of this woman was. It was to the people that she served, but it was also to an institution that she loved and she dignified with everything that she did right until the end. We have lost an extraordinary woman and we have lost a friend. But they never leave. Theyll always be with us as will from california. Mr. Padilla before i begin, i also want to acknowledge others that are here in chambers to be part of this tribute, part of this moment, first of many in the coming days, weeks no doubt. Senator schumer acknowledged, Speaker Pelosi excuse me, speaker emeritus pelosi, katherine in the gallery here. We do have a good amount of the california congressional delegation here as well paying their respects. The dean, representative lofgren and so many friends from the north, the south, to the east and the west, the golden state. Up in the gallery is also team feinstein. So many of the Staff Members that made sure the office was always performing at peak capacity, just the way dianne insisted. I know that personally and ill tell you why in a minute. But i think i speak on behalf of all of us when i say that it is with profound sadness that we bid farewell to my dear friend, colleague, and outright champion for the state of california, senator Dianne Feinstein. As youve been hearing today, she was a towering figure. But let me be clear, she was a towering figure not just in modern california history but in the history of our state and our nation. Yes, she broke bare years throughout her barriers throughout her career. You heard about that from leader schumer, how many firsts. Her leadership, though, as the city of San Franciscos first female mayor in the aftermath of the tragic assassination of mayor George Mascone and supervisor harvey milk showcased her unique ability to lead with grace and strength in the face of adversity. And it wouldnt be her last time. Following her election to the senate more than three decades ago, diannes commitment to bipartisan collaboration made her a deeply respected figure on both sides of the aisle. And so my heart is full to hear the words of senator collins and senator murkowski and others. She understood the importance of working together to find Common Ground and to get things done for california, for the country, and most importantly for the American People. Her ability to bridge divides and find that consensus, helply on the thorniest of issues especially on the thorniest of issues was a testament to her dedication to the principles of our democracy and the many attributes youre hearing about her today, thats the one i admired most and i have worked my damnest to try to emulate throughout my career and especially here in the senate. Now, long before being able to serve together here in the senate, dianne gave me one of my first jobs in politics in her los angeles office. At a time early in my career when i was looking to make a difference for my community and for our state. Its in part thanks to her groundbreaking career that a latino son of immigrants could one day not just work for her but work alongside her to keep up the fight for the american dream. As we mourn senator feinsteins passing, we must also celebrate her incredible legacy, her contributions to our nation from gun safety and Environmental Conservation to National Security and Health Care Reform and so much more just as a reminder, not just the power of her example but the power of Public Service. For selfso much of our for california so much of our public lands have been preserved thanks to her singular drive and leadership. From the red woods of the headwaters and San Francisco bay to lake tahoe to the Southern California desert, we can go on and on but it is clearly, clearly a tremendous impact shes had. She leaves behind a legacy of service, of leadership, and a deep love of our country and our democratic ideals. Senators have mentioned her grace, how she worked, how she carried herself, an example for us to follow, although id be remiss if i didnt say there was an exception to that. And that is if you were one of her Staff Members that came into a meeting with her unprepared. You did not want to not have the answer to her question. She was classy, absolutely. We wont get into the debate about the dress code. And as senator murray said, she was absolutely generous. Now, i did not receive a seersucker suit. I was not here at the time. But for the decades of a relationship that we had, every time i came to washington i made a point to reach out, a call, a lot of times a quick meeting in her office and i always came away with something. More often than not it was a book. She had quite a collection in her library. Once upon a time it was a senate tie. There was always something and i, too, senator collins, have a watercolor. Its hanging at home in los angeles. My wifes favorite. I dont have it here to display. But what i do have, though, is a photo that she sent from back in the day, that she sent just a year ago, periodically going through her files, her archives, a picture from the San Francisco aids walk in 1987 but personalized. No auto pen here. Personal note from senator feinstein. The last story ill share which i do think is unique, another example of her generosity is the day i was sworn into the senate in 2021, under the most trying of circumstances. Covid, prevaccine, two weeks after january 6. 40,000 National National guard d men, a fenced off capitol complex. She honored me by escorting me down the center aisle, stood behind me as i was sworn in. A big day for me. Tough day not having angela and my boys by my side. As soon as the session was over, she grabbed me bid hand and said come with me. Marched right past porters to her hideaway. Immediately wanted to continue the dialogue of how can i help you, how can i help you. Mustered up a little bit of courage and said dianne, i love you, but i want to call my wife. Ive just been sworn into the senate. So i called my wife, angela answers. We immediately start facetiming each other. Were by the window so i can make sure the signal doesnt drop. And my boys are there. And dianne says, give me the phone. Ive just been sworn into the United States senate, and im watching, senators feinstein facetimed my kids. So proud of your dad, when are you coming to washington . I will buy you lunch. That was Dianne Feinstein. May she rest in peace and may her legacy continue to inspire us all. Thank a senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from washington. Ms. Cantwell mr. President , i follow my colleague from california, and i believe he said it correctly, the legacy of Dianne Feinstein. Our colleagues are in shock today even though we knew dianne was ill, even though we knew she was 90 years old, even though we knew she was the longestserving woman senator. The fortitude she showed and demonstrated was constant. Sitting here just a few months ago, ago in allnight votearama sessions, when the youngest of us would want to go to our hideaways, sipping coffee at 2 00 a. M. , dianne was voting. At 90, she had the fortitude to vote just yesterday. I dont know if it was the steel cemented into her at the moment of the mayors assassination, or the tragedy and cost of serving and knowing you still had to move forward no matter how disastrous the situation was, dianne moved forward. I am so blessed to have served with her, but i want people to know the nation has lost a legislative giant. Women have lost a hero, and the senate has lost a true colleague. Now, those of us who are out here today know when we say the word true colleague, we mean like true collegial colleague. Sometimes we say the word with a little more disdain, like our frustrating colleague, or as senator mcconnell said, our good friend when maybe in reality its hard to get those words out. But dianne was the epitome of what the senate is losing. Lets just face it. Dianne, one of our one of her most famous phrases was, i have to go home and read tonight. Ill bet her family or staff heard her say that. She meant it. She meant, i dont know enough about the subject to go spur off, i am going to study and analyze and find out what it actually is all about. How many times did dianne stand up in caucus and say, ive been reading a lot about this subject, but i think we need to know a lot more . And she would communicate what she knew and as many of my colleagues know, she was always asking questions. And, for me, as a young member coming here more than 20 years ago, i was amazed and astounded at what i might call the polite pushiness of Dianne Feinstein. I dont know how she did it, but serving on the Judiciary Committee with her, and dick will observe, when diannes time ran out and somebody tried to cut in and debate her, dianne had this way of saying, mr. Chairman, this is a really important point and i just need to make this point, and the chairman would let dianne go on for another five minutes. And i thought, how does she pull this off . Ill tell you how she pulled it off, because people knew she was serious about legislating. She was serious about working across the aisle and probably in my early days here forged the greatest impression of what working across the aisle was really all about. There were times probably when i didnt even agree with her, but she had the cache of a senator who could put a deal together with both sides. I saw her great work on the california desert protection act, landmark legislation in protecting california. I saw it on the 2007 energy bill where we raised cafe standards for the first time in 25 years, dianne had a provision called ten and ten, she ee vaj liesed evangelized why we needed Higher Energy standards, and she said we could improve it it in ten years, she never let anybody off the hook in those negotiations, she made sure we got that done. I saw her work tireless, as my colleague senator murkowski she worked with jon kyl on water legislation until the cows came home. Because arizona and california had real water issues and dianne was forever adamant about trying to address this issue for the western part of the United States. So, for me, i want to thank her family for your sacrifices, for sharing dianne with us, letting us have her for as long as she was willing to serve, and for making it the dedication of her life. And, yes, that personal side of her was also so sweet. You know, most of us doodle but dianne doodled in masterpieces and she was always inviting people to dinner, always doing those kind Little Things for us, which means you made the senate a more human place. Thats what she did, made it a more human place by giving time and attention to some of the needs of her colleagues. What sweet blessings, what sweet stories. I want to honor dianne by remembering her great legacy and thanking thanking all of those mo were part all of those who were part of her life. For women we didnt really know how to get all of this done here, how hard you push, how loud you can be, how much you can just get in here and grind away sometimes. And dianne showed us that, yes, we could be trailblazers and do it and that the results really, really, really, really matter for people. So i hope that people will remember that legacy of her and and the kindness that went along with it and realize that this institution really does need to return to the ways of Dianne Feinstein. And if youre from california, you should be damned proud that your senator is going to go in the history books as a forerunner for so many other women and for policies and behavior that we em emmy fying. I yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from minnesota. Ms. Klobuchar mr. President , i see dianne and so many people who knew her long before this, 1992, the year of the woman, my First National convention, young lawyer, and there she was on the stage with senator boxer, that groundbreaking year. And when i think of dianne, as ive heard from my colleagues, i think about the dignity she brought to this place, about how she would dig into every single issue, the independent thought, the trailblazing. She came into politics as a mayor in the most tragic of circumstances. She was a city council member. S this an assassination and there she is thrust on the nation stage. As senator padilla talked about, she always put california first. I remember at one point when we were debating, speaking out on a national election, and someone said something about having another another candidate being a mayor of a tough down and dianne said, you dont know what a tough town is until youre the mayor of San Francisco. The way she would dig into the issues is probably my most memorable moment. She invited me to stay over at her house after an event and i got up early in the morning and she summoned me into her room, she was sitting straight up with big fuzzy slippers on a saturday morning reading a 200page bill, the patent reform act, and started quizzing me on the details of that bill. That was dianne. She did her homework. She came into politics at a time when there werent many women leaders, and the way that she achieved her goals and passed bills and did what she want was not because she was they were just going to accept her as she was in that moment in time, it was the hard work, it was the leaderships. And when i heard about the seersucker suit, i had the same experience. Im brandnew in the sent, dont have much resources and dianne calls to get my measurements and got me one of those suits as well. When i talk to young women about them getting involved in politics these days, a lot of them shy away from it and we still arent where were supposed to be with the numbers, and one of the reasons they give is the attacks, they cant handle the negativity. But when i think of dianne, she kept her head high. I think of her posture. She kept her head high. She walked through every storm, but she had a mission and her mission would be whatever her responsibility was of the day, whether it was the patent reform act, whether it was getting her groundbreaking reform done on torture, whether it was the work she did in leading the historic legislation on the assault weapons ban. She kept her high up high and she led. That was her instinct no matter what happened in this place, no matter what clothes changed, no matter who changed, she always led, and we w the senator from rhode island. Mr. Whitehouse mr. President , i served bhied senator feinstein beside senator feinstein on the Intelligence Committee and im honored to join my colleagues in participating in this remembrance to her. Its been said i think over and over again of her hell elegancs senator collins said, of how put together she was, and how gracious she was and her preparedness was another standout virtue in this body. I have heard her say, i am going home to read tonight, and serving with her on those committees, i saw over and over again the amount of work that she put herself and her staff through to make sure that she was well prepared. I never saw a member of this body better prepared than senator feinstein. But the characteristic that i most associate with her is bravery, whether it was the bravery of throwing herself into california politics as a young woman at a time when not many young women would doing that or the way she bravely handled the murders at city hall and her response to that or whether she was willing to come here when women were few and break glass krealg after glass Glass Ceiling after Glass Ceiling. The place where i saw her bravery most was on the torture report in the Judiciary Committee. I was her robin to her batman in that effort. And i still remember her right about where senator murray now is delivering her legendary speech that blew the cover off the cia torture report. To get there, she had to get through massive counterattacks from the cia on her and on our Intelligence Committee staff. She had to oppose the bush administration, that was pushing back against her from the very highest levels. And when the administration changed, she had to show the same bravery and the same resistance against pretty much equal pressure from the obama administration, to shut up and go away. Well, shut up and go away were not things that senator feinstein was willing to hear, and the moment that she spent on the senate floor delivering that report was one of the moments that im proudest of in the time that ive been here in the senate. Let me close by talking about her last weeks here, because i think you have to see those last weeks here in the context of her preparation, her determined effort to be as perfect as she could be, and her bravery. Because it was not easy for her. To come and do the work that she did in those last weeks. But she knew that we needed her. She knew that, despite how difficult it was, despite the difficulty she would have in meeting her own standards of perfection, it would have been easy just to go, but she knew that we needed her, we would have lost our majority in the Judiciary Committee without her, and i view her last months and weeks in this body as the last episode of her long career of ms. Moran mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from hawaii. Ms. Hirono over the next days, weeks, indeed months, were going to hear a lot about our dear friend Dianne Feinstein. Im so vlad that some of her friends im so glad that some of her friends from california, and former speaker nancy pelosi, her family, are here, to just be with us in this first moments of our learning of her passing. And we all have stories to tell about dianne. When i join, for example, the interle committee as she Intel Committee that she was clairg, she said this is not a committee you can parachute in, really learning about our intelligence community. I took that to heart and spent many hours on that committee, even though we could never talk about it. Then one of the earlier hearings in the Judiciary Committee, and i really marvel at this, it was a hearing that had to do with guns, and i always associate, of course, dianne with her courageous fight to ban assault weapons. One of the newer weapons of the Judiciary Committee, as i was, chose that hearing to lecture Dianne Feinstein about her advocacy on guns. I thought this was so untoward, against someone who had spent so much of her time fighting for gun safety. But she just said i have not spent all these years on this committee to be lectured by you. Which i thought was really quite tactful, but later she said to me, she took me aside, she said do you think i was too mean . Do you think i should apologize . All i could think of was, are you kidding . That was Dianne Feinstein. She was old school. She was very kind. I am wearing a scarf she gave to me. Youve heard some of my other colleagues talk about if we admired something of hers, she would give it to us. Well, this scarf she was wearing at that moment. I said oh, thats such a lovely scarf. She just took it off and gave it to me. I wear this scarf often. In fact, we have to be careful about admiring anything dianne had, because she would likely take it off and give it to us. This is one of the things that i will always remember about Dianne Feinstein, her courage, her integrity, her commitment to Public Service, literally until the very, very mrs. Gillibrand mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from new york is recognized. Mrs. Gillibrand i want to thank senator patty murray for bringing us all together today. Its a privilege to be on the floor of the u. S. Senate. To serve in the senate. And it was a privilege to serve with someone as extraordinary as senator Dianne Feinstein. People know me as a senator who cares deeply about womens rights, about lgbt equality, about children, family safety, and everything ive ever cared about dianne was fighting for long before i was ever in Public Service. When we talk about Public Servants who leave legacies, and when we talk about the giants on whose shoulders we stand, for me thats dianne. She was unlike any senator i met when i first got here in 2009. She had a really incredible combination of elegance, brilliance, stature, certainty, toughness, and kindness. When i first got to the u. S. Senate, i didnt know anything. I was appointed. I hadnt just run a long election, where i was telling the constituents of new york why i wanted to serve and what my vision for the state was. I was really, really new. I had been a house member for two years. Dianne asked me to lunch. She said, how can i help you, kyrsten . What how can i help you, kirsten . What would be most helpful for me to do for you . I said will you tell me what its like to be a senator for a state of 60 Million People . I have a state of 20 Million People. So its a lot. But id love to hear how have you navigated the enormous job that you have. She just went through it. She took me step by step, everything she did to manage her office. She would get a memo every week from her staff about where her legislation sat, what was happening, what were her bipartisan cosponsors. She had a memo about how many calls her office had received, what the calls were about, what people wanted to talk to her about, what their concerns were, and that was extremely meaningful to me. She said i have a copy of this memo, and i will fif it to you. Its i give give it to you. Its very confidential, from me to my staff, but perhaps you can use it to mod what will you need from your to model what you need from your staff every week to know if your office is working well, to make sure all the things you need your staffer to be doing are happening. It was just a small thing, but it was such a big things big thing to me at that time in in my senate career. Every step of the way, dianne has always reached out, she always said, just as you said, maggie, how are you doing . How are those boys of yours . Tell me how your struggle is. I neff had to raise children while being i never had to raise children while being a senator. Tell me how that is. She calls cared, she always bothered, she always stopped. I had many dinners with dianne. We had dinners with our spouses. Shed take me to her favorite restaurant in georgetown and introduce me to her other favorite women who are Public Servants. She always had something meaningful to talk about, a challenge, an issue, a crisis. One of the first dingers she dinners she wanted to talk about how the military was using Nuclear Weapons in a much more strategic way and changing the entire framework of what Nuclear Defense meant. She had that conversation with me and the chairwoman of the armed services, one of the key subcommittees in the house. She always asked what do you think, how are you going to challenge that problem . Our most recent meeting was a glass of wine in her hidaway hideaway a week ago. We talked about what issues can we work on together. We agreed two of the biggest issues facing her state and my state were homeless and Affordable Housing and we decided to start working on legislation together. She didnt stop working when she was here just because she had health issues. She never stopped being insightful in the Intelligence Committee, asking the right question at the right time. Diannes legacy is extraordinary extraordinary. Shes an icon for womens politics. First female mayor of San Francisco, first of the two women ever elected to the senate in california. There will be a lot of speeches about her and so im not going to talk about just her bio. But one of the areas where she really was a role model for me was in lgbtq rights. She became a champion in the 60s. Sadly she found harvey milks body after he was assassinated but she channeled that tragedy into her Public Service and made sure that while she was mayor of San Francisco, that she made a difference for that community in her city and in her state. During the aids epidemic, she helped create the global standard for aids health in San Francisco. When she ran for california governor and became the first woman in her state to win a major partys gubernatorial nomination, despite losing that race she went on to run for senate to win. And weve seen her champion all those issues for samesex marriage, reproductive rights. She helped pass the first assault weapons ban to keep our communities safe. These are all issues that i have always cared about and built on her record. If she didnt fight for those things, we wouldnt have been able to repeal dont ask dont tell. We wouldnt have been able to make sure transgender servicemembers can serve still in the u. S. Military. Without her hard work, we would not have been able to guarantee Marriage Equality at the u. S. Supreme court. This body is less because diannes not here. That grace, that courage, that keen intelligence. She will be missed by me, by all our colleagues. I brought the last gift dianne gave to me. A beautiful pencil drawing. Again, just part of her kindness. And im wearing Dianne Feinsteins famous ms. Hassan mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from New Hampshire is recognized. Ms. Hassan thank you, mr. President. And i want to offer my condolences to diannes family, to her colleagues from california, to the speaker emeritus, to my colleague, senator padilla, and to so many of our friends and colleagues who are watching today. I wanted to rise just because im one of the newer women in the United States senate, and i wanted to acknowledge the difference that Dianne Feinsteins example and work has made for me, for my constituents, for our daughters and our granddaughters. When i came to the senate, the bipartisan womens dinners were long established. I didnt have to think about how i would get to know my women colleagues and share experiences and learn the ropes from them because Dianne Feinstein and her other colleagues who were early pioneers in the senate had already done some of that work for tus. I didnt have to think about whether there was going to be a womens bathroom right off the floor, that i could use, just the way the men use their bathroom in quick moments, because Dianne Feinstein and others had paved the way. I didnt have to think about whether i would be accepted in the same way that Dianne Feinstein had to, because she had already done that really difficult work of being thatch better than everybody else, to make sure that she never let women down. And that she never let her constituents down. This morning, after senator murray called us and said were all going to be on the floor, i was rushing to get ready, and to senator murkowskis point, i put on different shoes than i was planning to. They were shoes that dianne had admired. She had the same pair. And she told me they were good ones to wear. I wore a scarf, not one diane gave me, but because i thought dianne would think it would add a Little Something to my presence today. In the last few months of her service, dianne graced us with her dignity and with her friendship. She had a way of sitting down next to me in caucus lunch and checking in. She knew i had some particular caregiving challenges at home, and she would always say to me, whos with ben right now . Ben is our son. How are things with the family . Im not sure people really understand that women still have Family Responsibilities that arent easily transferable. She wanted me always to know that we had made a lot of progress, but that there was still progress to make. And in her way of nudging us and being an example for us, she was reminding us that we still have work to do, and she was counting on us to do it. The last meeting that my senior senator and i had with dianne about an issue that was really important to our state and we needed our vote on, she had been home in california recuperating, and she had just made it back to the senate. We went to meet with her in her hideaway. I frankly didnt know what to expect. I didnt know how her health would be. She had a memo. It wasnt a short one, that laid out the entire issue that we were there to talk to her about. She went through that memo, several places she said, well, i read here this is the case, and i read there that that is the case. You are both telling me you think i should vote in a particular way. We went back and forth about a couple of issues. We reinforced our arguments, our believe in our belief in why she should vote to support our position. She asked us questions. She knew her stuff. She had read the memo. And she said, for a number of reasons, and she laid them out, that she would vote with us. She had muscle memory that pulled her up to her full heigh height. Shead the intellectual discipline and memory to understand how to cut to the chase and make sure she understood the essence of the issue we were dealing with. And she was reminding us of what youre supposed to do to serve your constituents, your state, and your country as a United States senator. May her memory, mr. President , be a bless this poster on the floor. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Cortez masto mr. President , like so many this morning, i rise to mourn the loss of a true champion in the United States senate. Dianne was one of the kindest, most thoughtful people that i have had the pleasure to know. When i first got to the senate and ive heard some of my colleagues this morning talk about as new senators, she was so gracious. As a new senator she would invite me to dinner with colleagues, and she was such a lady and so professional and so elegant. Every time you went to dinner with dianne, you could be guaranteed that she would have a little set of flowers for you in your place at the restaurant, and then she would have a little parting gift for you, whether it was like a little coin purse or something to show just truly who she was. And ive heard this morning if my colleagues from my colleagues similarly the stories of diannes kindness and her respect for others. She was a fighter her whole life leading on so many important issues. In the coming days and weeks and months and years as people around the world really honor diannes memory, many will speak to her leadership and rightfully so on womens rights and foreign affairs. But i want to take the time to highlight a place where dianne did so much. And most people dont know unless youre part of team tahoe. Dianne loved lake tahoe. Lake tahoe is the beautiful, pristine alpine lake that both nevada and california share. And in 1997 dianne and thensenator harry reid got together, passed legislation to protect this pristine lake. And since that time once a year dianne has been instrumental in bringing people around the lake together to address the needs for lake tahoe. That was all dianne. So when i first got to the senate in 1997, one of the first things we talked about she pulled me aside and said were going to have the tahoe summit this year. I hope youre there and i hope that will you be will there you will be there always to support tahoe. I said dianne, i group up around this lake. First time i was there i was 18 years old. My mother grew up around this lake. We love lake tahoe in nevada and i can diern fee i will always be there for it. If you sat and talked to dianne, the first think you will hear her talk about in lake tahoe are her memories. Her memories of riding her bike as a young girl around the lake. Her memory of times she was there with her family having the opportunity to enjoy this incredible lake tahoe. I couldnt pass this day without recognizing of course all of the incredible things dianne has done, but what most people dont know, unless youre part of nevada and california, is the hard work that she has done around this lake for the people who live there, for the people who cherish this lake, for the tourists that come there every single day. And its not just the work shes done here in the senate. And this is 2017. This is the first opportunity that i had as a young senator to join dianne. And as you can see, dianne was hosting it that summer, the lake tahoe summit. But dianne had this ability not only to have the summit once a year to talk about how we protect this lake but she brought together incredible, incredible stakeholders and experts around the lake, people who live there, people who worked in our states to address not just the quality of the lake and the pristineness to protect it. But Everything Else around it. From the transportation side to the wildfires that were happening to the environment. And she had a luncheon, a regular luncheon after the tahoe summit to talk about how we continue that Work Together. And because of diannes prestige, she had the ability to bring incredible speakers to the tahoe summit once a year. First president clinton. Then one time president obama. Just recently we had our former speaker, speaker emeritus nancy pelosi speaking. We had one of our incredible senators, chairwoman of energy and Natural Resources at the time, lisa murkowski. Because it was about how we Work Across Party Lines to really focus on protecting for everyone who wants to enjoy this, lake tahoe. She was a true champion. And she will be missed. And i on behalf of team tahoe which is what she coined it, dianne never took credit for anything she did around this lake. Even though people wanted to recognize her and show that support, she never took the credit. She said this is about a team. This is team tahoe. This is what we do together. This is how we Work Together and this is the legacy of her work in the United States senate. Carried forward right here. In lake tahoe. So to diane, to her family, to her incredible family, to everyone on team tahoe, we will miss Dianne Feinstein. She will always be a part of the work that we dot. Her legacy will live on, not just around tahoe but so many other areas as we have talked about today. But im going to miss her. Im going to miss the opportunity to sit with her at lunch and talk about what we still need to do to fight to protect this incredible, pristine lake. Thank you, the presiding officer without objection. Ms. Lummis thank you, madam president. Madam president , im honored to have had my first term in the United States senate coincide with Dianne Feinsteins time here in this senate. When i learned this morning that she had passed away, the longest serving woman in the United States senate, two words came to my mind. Patience and kindness. The bible says that love is patient and kind. Senator feinstein and i disagreed on policy much of the time but never regarding patience and kindness. Dianne feinstein was unfailingly kind. She was particularly kind to other women senators. She was the first to invite other women senators to dinner, to lead our gatherings, and to focus our attention on things that are good for all americans without regard to political ideology. As someone who arrived in the senate the same week as january 6, that day set the tone for many of my first months in the u. S. Senate. But that day never set the tone for my relationship with senator Dianne Feinstein. My conversations with her from beginning to end were unfailingly cordial and kind. Particularly poignant were my observations of the relationship it senator fine between senator feinstein and her colleague from california senator alex padilla. The conversation, i enjoyed with senator feinstein and senator padilla displayed his admiration and respect for his Senior Senate colleague based on a years long working relationship going back to his internship for her and his importance to her is on display on the beautiful artwork she created for him. That was a beautiful california duo. I know that senator padilla will do her honor in becoming californias senior senator. So i