Leaders in the House and the Senate paused from the race to avert a government shutdown to remember Feinstein, the California Democrat who was longest-serving woman to ever sit in the U.S. Senate.
Even as lawmakers worked to address a rapidly approaching government shutdown, many in Congress paused in mourning Friday. Remembrances flooded from both sides of the aisle in reaction to the death of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
On the floors of the Senate and the House, proceedings paused as leaders took turns paying tribute to Feinstein, whose death was announced Friday morning. She was 90.
As a vase of white roses rested at Feinstein’s seat, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ticked off a list of Feinstein’s legislative accomplishments: the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, her advocacy on marriage equality and climate justice.
“When you asked her how is she voting on something, [she would say] ‘Let me study this issue before taking a position,'” Schumer said. “And when she came back — if she believes the cause of the vote was right and vital to many issues she cared about — she not only voted for it, there was no stopping her in getting it done.”
In the House, House Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., interrupted a meeting on stopgap funding bill to announce the reports of her death.
