Durbin Honors the Late Senator Dianne Feinstein in a Speech on the Senate Floor
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor regarding the passing of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
Key Durbin quotes:
“Today we mourn the death of a trailblazer, my colleague and friend, Senator Dianne Feinstein. I have been privileged to have known Dianne throughout her entire career in this chamber, and my entire time as well. She was my friend and seatmate on the Senate Judiciary Committee for over 20 years. When you're that close to someone politically, day in, day out, week in, week out, you pick up on the things that mean the most to her. Certainly, her family was the highest priority to her, over all things, but her life experience created what we know as the legacy of Dianne.”
“How many times she told the story of serving on the pardon and parole board for the State of California—cases that she remembered in detail that occurred decades ago that stuck with her, [and] inspired her when it came to her service on the Senate Judiciary Committee. I think that situation also inspired her when it came to legislation where she was looking for fairness.”
“We certainly all know her efforts in dealing with the Violence Against Women Act—that was an extraordinary effort by her on a bipartisan basis with Senator Murkowski, Senator Collins, Senator Ernst, Senator Patty Murray, and so many others. In addition to that, she recounted many, many times that terrible, unimaginable tragedy when the Mayor of San Francisco was killed, along with Harvey Milk, a commissioner. She was there at the bloody scene afterwards. She recounted that so many times in the midst of her debates over an assault weapons ban.”
“Think about that assault weapons ban. It is almost the Holy Grail in politics. So many people have said that's the one thing we absolutely have to do, it has to be done. She did it. She, along with Senator Schumer, who was then a House Member, put together the bill that established an assault weapons ban and reduced the number of deaths in America by gunfire. They did it. And she was the leader, inspired by that terrible tragedy with Mayor Moscone.”
“I can also remember there was a time years ago when we engaged in a debate in this chamber on stem cell science and biology. It was a complicated debate. Many of us liberal arts lawyers were lost as they went into the detail. Dianne not only led that debate, she mastered the subject. Time and again, in the Caucus, when we would discuss it, she would be the one to stand up and straighten everyone out on the basics. She was a gifted person.”
“Members of the Senate in [their] committee hearings are given a notepad in front of them. The Senate Judiciary Committee is no exception. And [you’re given] a pencil nearby, to take notes in the course of our business. Sitting next to Dianne all those years, I can't tell you how many flowers I saw her draw on those notepads. I asked her for one, one time. She signed it, and I've kept it. But it's an indication of the sweetness and the elegance in her life, that on one hand she could be arguing the most serious life-and-death issues in the committee, and on the other hand show that kind of dignity and determination to bring the human side to the debate. She was one of the best, and I was honored to call her a friend.”
“There were many times she made the roll call in the Senate Judiciary Committee in the last year or two when I know it was an extraordinary sacrifice, [but] she was going to show up—she was going to show up because that was her responsibility. I respected her so much for that, and in a committee divided 11-10, I needed her, and she knew it, and she was there. She answered the call. She served California with such distinction. She often talked about her beloved Golden State. But we all know that she was also a treasure to the nation. Dianne Feinstein inspired many, particularly many women, to public service. She served California well. She served our nation. It was my honor to serve with her.”
Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available here for TV Stations.
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