Pelosi Statement on the Passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein of California:

“Paul, my daughter Nancy Corinne and I were heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend Dianne Feinstein.  For decades, Senator Feinstein was a pillar of public service in California: from San Francisco’s City Hall to the United States Capitol.  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.

“Dianne was a pioneering woman leader, who served as San Francisco’s first female Mayor with unmatched courage, poise and grace.  Standing strong amid horror and heartbreak – from the brutal murders of Harvey Milk and George Moscone to the deadly HIV/AIDs epidemic – she offered our City a beacon of strength and hope.

“In the United States Senate, she was a champion for the Golden State: bringing home billions of federal dollars while defending our state’s natural wonders.  Blazing trails as the first woman to lead the powerful Intelligence Committee, she bolstered America’s moral standing and national security with her fierce opposition to the use of torture.  On the Judiciary Committee, she authored and passed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which helped stem the tide of mass shootings for the ten years it was law and continued urging its renewal as an essential template for ending gun violence.  A fierce champion for gender justice, her tireless advocacy was consequential in securing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. 

“Personally, it was a great honor to serve alongside Dianne for decades – from the hilly streets of San Francisco to the hallowed halls of Congress.  We were not only colleagues, but neighbors and friends.  My daughter, Nancy Corinne, has long been an admirer and devoted friend of Senator Feinstein, and we were all close friends with her and her late husband, Richard.

“Dianne’s extraordinary career will continue to inspire countless young women and girls to pursue public service for generations to come.  May it be a comfort to her daughter Katherine and her husband Rick, her granddaughter Eileen, and the entire Feinstein family that all Americans join them in mourning at this sad time.”