On Sept. 29, 2023, the United States Senator in California, Dianne Feinstein, passed away at the age of 90 in her home located in Washington D.C. Due to her worsening condition of encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, over the past few months, Feinstein has been struggling to recover since her hospitalization in February.
Acknowledging Dianne Feinstein’s large impact in office, Major Leader Chuck Schumer voiced, “we lost a giant in the Senate.”
Dianne Feinstein was an American politician representing the Democratic party and elected as the first female Senator in California in 1992 until her death this year in 2023. From 1978-1988, Feinstein also served as the mayor of San Francisco two years after graduating from Stanford. As of now, Feinstein is the longest-serving female U.S. Senator in history.
Throughout Feinstein’s career, she devoted her efforts to gun safety, seen through her encouragement in passing the federal Assault Weapon Ban in 1994, even getting republicans to support her cause. After the ban was removed in 2004, Feinstein continued to work towards gun control, disregarding other Democrats who refused to mention gun control in fear they would lose votes. Recently, Governor Newsom signed gun safety measures into law that ensures individuals will not be carrying guns in public and places near children, providing stronger protections for the community with the works of Feinstein.
On top of her work towards gun control, Feinstein is also known for her contribution to the AIDS epidemic and LBGTQ+ movement. At the time of the AID epidemic in the 1980s, Feinstein not only funded HIV treatment with a group of senators, but also personally signed a legislation that prohibited discrimination towards people associated with HIV.
According to AP News, Feinstein voted against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that addressed same sex marriage and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that required members a part of the LGBTQ+ community to remain in the closet while at military service.
Yet another one of her accomplishments include her focus on the environment, exemplified by the Bipartisan Bill on global warming in 2001. The bill protected forests by excessively reducing the number of hazardous fuels and improved the economic standards set for cars, trucks and SUVs by helping to eliminate harmful greenhouse gasses.
In recognition of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a private memorial service was held outside of the San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 5, where countless people in San Francisco appeared to pay their respects to Feinstein and toast to mark the end of Feinstein’s long-serving political career. At the private memorial, outdoor screens displayed photos of Feinstein throughout her life while a short list of significant figures in Feinstein’s life speak about her and her notable impact. As a mayor, senator, mother, grandmother and leader, Dianne Feinstein and her remarkable efforts for the nation will forever be remembered by all in history.
President Joe Biden speaks about the late senator, “God bless a great American hero. She was something else, and she was a dear friend.”
