WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement today on the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.):
“Dianne Feinstein was a fiercely determined and very capable senator who left her mark on California, the Senate, and our nation. When I first came to the Senate in 2010 and joined her on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Diane was a gracious and welcoming colleague. I had long admired her record of service, and the significant impact she had on defending the Senate, legislating for gun safety, and advocating for women. Diane was crisp and well-prepared, always carrying herself with dignity and humor. I loved serving with her and will miss her deeply.
“I first met Dianne in the early 1990s, as a young man working in New York City, when I was asked to drive her from the airport to a political fundraiser. We talked for an hour about public service and local politics. At the time, she was a newly elected senator, but, as a former Mayor of San Francisco, she still had a mayor’s sensibility.
“What struck me then was how much she cared about the people of the city and how the city was being run. She was still very rooted in her local government experience, something we both brought with us to the Senate. Dianne understood that, at the end of the day, politics is about people, and the decisions politicians make affect people’s lives. She was a dear friend and great colleague and she will be deeply missed. Annie and I extend our deepest sympathies to her family.”