Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California had to be instructed on how to vote on a bill during a committee hearing on Thursday.
The members of the Senate Appropriations Committee were discussing the 2024 Defense Appropriations Act when the 90-year-old senator was called upon to cast her vote.
After a few moments of silence, Feinstein started by saying “um,” causing the senator sitting next to her, Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, to lean over and tell Feinstein to “say aye.”
“Pardon me?” Feinstein said, with Murray again prompting her to say aye.
Asked to vote on the defense appropriations bill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) begins giving a speech: “I would like to support a ‘yes’ vote on this. It provides …”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): “Just say aye.” pic.twitter.com/Gw2eZ9rEMv
— The Recount (@therecount) July 27, 2023
Instead of giving a one-word response, Feinstein began, “Yeah, uh, I would like to support a ‘yes’ vote on this. It provides $823 billion — that’s an increase of $26 billion — for the Department of Defense and it funds priorities submitted–”
At that point, a staffer came over and whispered to Feinstein. Murray once more told Feinstein, “Just say aye.”
“Oh, OK. Just–” Feinstein turned to Murray, who gave Feinstein a thumbs-up for approval.
That was when Feinstein finally said aye, prompting a few laughs.
The senator was hospitalized earlier this year with shingles and returned to work in May after a nearly three-month hiatus.
As she was welcomed back to D.C. by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, she was helped into a wheelchair and was heard asking, “Where am I going?”
Feinstein also commented, “I’ve got something in my eye.”
In a statement regarding her return to the Senate, Feinstein said, “Even though I’ve made significant progress and was able to return to Washington, I’m still experiencing some side effects from the shingles virus.
“My doctors have advised me to work a lighter schedule as I return to the Senate. I’m hopeful those issues will subside as I continue to recover.”
Feinstein is the oldest member of Congress and has served for over 30 years.
She is set to retire at the end of her current term, which ends in 2024.
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