Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) was briefly hospitalized on Tuesday afternoon after a minor fall, her office confirmed in a statement to National Review.
“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home,” a spokesperson said. “All of her scans were clear and she returned home.”
The fall comes after months of health struggles for the 90-year-old senator.
Feinstein was absent from the Senate for months this spring as she suffered from shingles, Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis.
A New York Times report in May said Feinstein has become dependent on staff and assistants to perform everyday aspects of her job. One unnamed source told the paper the aides had to explain to Feinstein “the basics of how the Senate functions.”
The paper reported more recently that Feinstein’s daughter has power of attorney over her mother’s legal affairs.
Since returning the Senate, Feinstein has at times appeared confused, including when she told a reporter she was never absent at all.
Last last month, she began delivering a speech in support of a defense appropriations bill during a Senate Appropriations Committee markup. An aide then whispered into her ear and Committee chair Patty Murray (D., Wash.) told Feinstein: “Just say aye.”
“Aye,” Feinstein said.
Representative Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) has been urging Feinstein to step down for months, saying she can “no longer fulfill her duties.”
Khanna suggested in April that California governor Gavin Newsom should appoint a “caretaker” replacement for Feinstein.
The senator said earlier this year that she would not seek reelection in 2024 after serving more than 30 years in the Senate, setting off a race for her seat.
“Governor Newsom can appoint a caretaker, he doesn’t have to appoint someone in the current race,” Khanna said. “I would support the governor doing that. This has nothing to do with the current race, because a caretaker would solve that.”
“This has to do with someone who’s just not showing up,” Khanna said. “I said out loud what people have been saying in private.”