In light of her extended absence from Washington, D.C. due to illness, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) asked to be temporarily replaced on the Judiciary Committee this Wednesday.
The 89-year-old’s request came after Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Dean Phillips (D-MN) took to Twitter to call for her to step down due to being unfit to serve, per ABC 7.
In a post on April 12, Khanna wrote, “It’s time for [Feinstein] to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. … Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”
Some others, like Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), disagree.
“She deserves the respect to get well and be back on duty. It’s interesting to me. I don’t know what political agendas are at work that are going after Sen. Feinstein in that way,” Pelosi said, per ABC 7.
Feinstein contracted shingles and was hospitalized for treatment in San Francisco in early March.
She has not returned to the Senate since, missing 60 out of 82 votes this year, per ABC 7. Her absence has led to the postponement of confirmation votes for 14 of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees.
In a statement released on April 12, the long-serving Democratic senator cited complications in her recovery.
“I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it’s safe for me to travel,” Feinstein’s statement read. “In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco.”
The Judiciary Committee currently has a number of significant issues on its agenda, including the abortion pill mifepristone, gun laws, and immigration.
Feinstein, who has been serving in the Senate for 30 years, is currently the oldest sitting member of Congress and announced that she would retire when her term ends in nearly two years, per ABC 7.
Who will take her place has been widely speculated on, especially since it is a high-profile seat in the country’s most populous state, as The Dallas Express reported.
Representatives Katie Porter (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Barbara Lee (D-CA) have announced their candidacies.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has agreed to temporarily replace Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee per her request, per NBC News.
But this may prove difficult since the move will have to receive unanimous approval from the GOP.
Meanwhile, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has also been absent from Senate due to a fall, is returning next Monday, April 17, per a tweet he made on Thursday.