Sen Dianne FeinsteinVerified account

There are not 60 Senate votes for the $5 billion of wall funding approved by the House. The House should take up the Senate bill, which was passed unanimously.

I thank Secretary Mattis for his lifetime of service to our country, both as a military officer and as the secretary of defense.

Secretary Mattis is a respected leader with a clear-eyed understanding of international affairs. His counsel and steady hand will be sorely missed at a time when the president’s decision making is becoming increasingly erratic.

I’m alarmed by Secretary Mattis’ sudden resignation. His letter makes clear the president’s rash decision to withdraw troops from Syria and reduce our forces in Afghanistan endangers our allies and threatens our own national security.

The Senate unanimously passed legislation to keep the government open. Republican leadership in the House should put the Senate-passed bill on the floor for a vote.

A letter from the Justice Department makes clear that ethics officials told Matthew Whitaker that his comments disparaging Special Counsel Mueller's investigation DO create the appearance of a conflict of interest and he should recuse himself.

Matthew Whitaker’s reported refusal to follow the recommendation of ethics officials further indicates that he views his role as serving President Trump, not the American people.

In November, I urged Chairman Grassley to hold an oversight hearing so that we could assess whether Matthew Whitaker’s appointment puts the Mueller investigation at risk. Today’s disturbing reports that he disregarded ethics officials creates even more reason for him to appear.

We need answers as to why William Barr proactively drafted a memo against Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. There’s no reason for a lawyer in private practice to do this unless he was attempting to curry favor with President Trump.

The #FirstStepAct also addresses racial disparities in our criminal justice system by allowing ALL prisoners sentenced under the old, discriminatory crack cocaine laws to reduce their sentence. Previously this applied only to those sentenced after the 2010 law was enacted.

I sat on 5,000 felony cases as a member of the California Women’s Board of Terms and Parole, and I saw firsthand the importance of judicial discretion. The #FirstStepAct makes vital changes that give judges more flexibility to sentence below mandatory minimums.

The Senate passed comprehensive criminal justice reform after years of effort. I proudly supported this bill, which reduces harsh mandatory minimums and helps prisoners prepare to return to their communities. #FirstStepAct