Photo of Chuck Schumer's notes show he's 'hopeful' Dianne Feinstein returns to the Senate next week
- Both Sens. Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein are "hopeful" she'll return to the Senate next week, per a photograph of Schumer's notes.
- Feinstein hasn't voted in the Senate since mid-February, around the time of her shingles diagnosis.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's notes from a press conference on Tuesday showed that he recently spoke with Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the two are "hopeful" she'll return to the Senate next week, according to a photograph by Politico photographer Francis Chung.
Feinstein, who's 89 years old, has not cast a vote in the Senate since mid-February, around the time she was diagnosed with shingles. With Feinstein away from Washington, DC, Democrats in the Senate have struggled to confirm judges on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she holds a deciding vote.
Following calls from California Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota to resign in mid-April, Feinstein asked Schumer to temporarily have someone replace her on the committee, a request which was swiftly blocked by Senate Republicans.
With Feinstein absent from the Senate, Senate Republicans — along with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin — voted 50-49 to roll back a Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency rule regarding pollution from trucks.
"Because Senator Feinstein was absent, the Senate overturned a Biden rule that would cut pollution from heavy duty trucks and causes harm to people's lungs," Khanna tweeted. "We are putting decorum over democracy and our values. It's time for Senator Feinstein to step down gracefully."
A group of women Democratic senators previously told Insider that the resignation calls were sexist and "unprecedented."
"We have male members that have various challenges, and I'm not hearing anybody suggesting that they retire," Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said to Insider. "I do think she has been treated unfairly. And so she'll make the decision, and I will support that decision."
In February, Feinstein announced she would not seek another term in office and will retire after her current term ends in January 2024.
"Each of us was sent here to solve problems. That's what I've done for the last 30 years, and that's what I plan to do for the next two years," she said in a release. "My thanks to the people of California for allowing me to serve them."
Several prominent California Democrats have already declared to run for her seat, including Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.
If Feinstein steps down from her position before the end of her term, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has the authority to appoint a successor to hold the position until the end of the term.