Dianne Feinstein

May 22, 2008 -- “Simply put, I cannot vote for another $165 billion to give President Bush a blank check and fund the continuation of the war in Iraq, without condition, for over another year.

This is a difficult decision and not one I take lightly. But I believe that the time has come for Congress to exercise the power of the purse and bring this war to a conclusion.

US Army soldier, Kirkuk, Iraq: Photo by soldiersmediacenter (CC)

I am a strong supporter of our troops in the field. They have done a tremendous job under difficult circumstances. They weren’t greeted as liberators as Vice President Cheney said they would be.    » read more »

May 21, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today announced that the Committee approved S. 2555, “The Reducing Global Warming Pollution from Vehicles Act of 2008,” a bill that instructs the President to sign the California waiver so that California and other states can proceed with laws to improve air quality problems from cars.

On December 19, 2007, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson denied California’s request for the waiver – the first time in history that EPA had ever denied outright a request from California for a waiver to do more to cut air pollution.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- “My heart dropped when I heard the news about Senator Kennedy.

On behalf of all Californians, I send him and the entire Kennedy family my sincere wishes for a speedy recovery. They are in our thoughts and prayers.

There is reason for optimism. He has great physicians, a loving and beautiful wife in Vicki, and the indomitable Kennedy spirit.

I look forward to the day when Senator Kennedy is back on the Senate floor, giving one of his famous stem-winder speeches. I hope that day will be soon.”

Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein

Senate votes to block measure to drill in ANWR and off California’s Coast; Halt shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

May 13, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) voted on two key energy votes in the Senate today. The measures were introduced as amendments to the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act, which was approved by the Senate today.

* Senator Feinstein voted against opening up ANWR and drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California. The amendment, which was offered by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), failed by a vote of 42-56.    » read more »

Bill would limit speculation in oil trading and close loophole for trades on foreign exchanges using U.S. terminals

May 8, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced the Oil Trading Transparency Act to ensure that energy commodities traded on foreign exchanges using trading terminals located within the United States are subject to the same speculative trading limits and reporting requirements as energy commodities traded on U.S. exchanges.    » read more »

May 8, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) today urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to ensure adequate market protections for the trading of U.S. energy future contracts on international markets.

Oil refinery at sunset: Photo by LinBow (CC)

Senators Feinstein and Snowe have been the lead sponsors of legislation to help prevent manipulation, excessive speculation and fraud in electronic energy markets. Since 2000, the trading of electronic commodities, like oil or natural gas, has been exempt from federal regulation under the so-called “Enron Loophole.”    » read more »

Legislation would end 19 years of litigation over the San Joaquin River

May 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today approved legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-Calif.) that would implement a settlement to restore the San Joaquin River and reintroduce the California Central Valley Spring Run Chinook Salmon to the river.

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Photo by brothergrimm (CC)

Companion legislation was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee last fall.    » read more »

April 25, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is urging the chief executives of six major banks to take more robust action to help American homeowners avoid foreclosure.

In a letter to the bank executives, Senator Feinstein noted the broad economic damage caused when Americans lose their homes.

Bank of America security guards: Photo by Steve Rhodes (CC)    » read more »

Senator Feinstein will continue to oppose any preemption efforts

April 23, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today stated that the Administration’s effort to preempt the right of California, and any other state, to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from tailpipes is “contrary to Congressional intent” and to the Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA.

Los Angeles smog: Photo by Ben Amstutz (CC)    » read more »

Calls Announcement an “Historic Shift”

April 22, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today praised the Administration’s proposed rule-making to increase interim fuel economy standards to 31.6 miles per gallon by 2015.

Car traffic in Los Angeles: Photo by Simon Bisson (CC)    » read more »

Protecting Benefits of Americans Who Leave the Armed Forces As “Sole Survivors” After Losing All Their Siblings to War; Honors the Hubbard brothers of California-

April 16, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Representative Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Representative Jim Costa (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to ensure that “sole survivors” who leave military service receive full separation benefits.

Human cost of war: Photo by Erik Abderhalden (CC)    » read more »

April 15, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today held a hearing on the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget request for the Department of the Interior. Senator Feinstein is the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

During the hearing, Chairman Feinstein touched on the following topics: the elimination of rural fire grants, abandoned mine clean up on federal lands, oil and natural gas royalties, the restoration of the San Joaquin/Sacramento Delta, managerial problems with the U.S. Park Police, and the collapse of the Klamath and Sacramento salmon runs.

Following is the prepared text of Chairman Feinstein’s opening remarks:    » read more »

Legislation would mandate that the Coast Guard intervene during adverse conditions; Require double hulls for all large cargo ships

April 10, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to prevent oil spills like the November 2007 Cosco Busan incident, when a 900-foot cargo ship crashed into Bay Bridge and spilled more than 53,000 tons of toxic bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay.

A sea bird killed by the Cosco Busan oil spill: Photo by Dave Patten (CC)    » read more »

Call for Talks between China and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

April 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today led a bipartisan group of Senators that introduced a resolution condemning the violence in Tibet. The resolution also calls on China to open substantive dialogue with His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama: Photo by Ferne Millen (CC)    » read more »

Measure introduced on one-year anniversary of Supreme Court ruling in landmark Massachusetts v. EPA decision

April 2, 2008 -- Washington, DC – In the face of EPA’s failure to comply with the Supreme Court’s mandate in Massachusetts v. EPA issued one year ago today, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced legislation to set a deadline for EPA to complete an endangerment finding on the public health threat from greenhouse gas emissions. The bill would require action within 60 days of enactment.

Gridlock at New York's Times Square: Photo by Jeff Daly (CC)    » read more »