Dianne Feinstein

Vera Chen
3/18/15
Block D

Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein, born Dianne Emiel Goldman, is the senior
United States Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has
served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco
from 1978 to 1988.
As California's senior Senator, Dianne Feinstein has built a reputation as an
independent voice, working with both Democrats and Republicans to find
common-sense solutions to the problems facing California and the Nation.
Since her election to the Senate in 1992, Senator Feinstein has worked in a
bipartisan way to build a significant record of legislative accomplishments
helping to strengthen the nation's security both here and abroad, combat crime and
violence, battle cancer, and protect natural resources in California and across the
country.
In the 111th Congress, Senator Feinstein assumed the Chairmanship of the Senate
Select Committee on Intelligence, where she oversees the nations 16 intelligence
agencies the first female Senator to hold that position.
Senator Feinstein is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate
Appropriations Committee, where she chairs the Subcommittee on Energy and
Water. Senator Feinstein also serves on the Senate Rules and Administration
Committee, which she chaired during the 110th Congress. In that capacity, Senator
Feinstein was the first woman to chair the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies, and presided over the Inauguration of President Barack
Obama on January 20, 2009.
In addition to her official committee assignments, Senator Feinstein is a member of
several organizations and associations. Among Senator Feinsteins many
affiliations, she serves as Chair of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics
Control, Co-Chair of the Senate Cancer Coalition and Co-Chair of the Senate
Womens Caucus on Burma. She is also a member of the Anti-Meth Caucus, the
Congressional Dairy Caucus and the Congressional Former Mayors Caucus. She
has served as a member of the Aspen Strategy Group since 1997.
During the 110th Congress, Senator Feinstein became the first woman to chair the
Senate Rules and Administration Committee. In that capacity, Senator Feinstein
served as the Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural
Services overseeing the official swearing in ceremony for our nations 44th

President, Barack Obama. Most recently, Senator Feinstein became the first female
Senator to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence.
Feinsteins top priority during her nine years as mayor was public safety. She
fought crime by increasing the strength of San Franciscos police department and
by cutting down the response time for major emergencies from eight minutes to
two. Fiscal responsibility and boosting the local economy were two other
important concerns to her. She made sure that the citys budget was balanced in
every year that she held office, and she developed relationships with major trading
cities in Asia, Europe, and Africa. During her tenure, the famous San Francisco
cable car system was rebuilt, city streets were repaved, and the sewer system was
upgraded
Senator Feinstein's career has been one of firsts. She was the first woman President
of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first woman Mayor of San
Francisco, the first woman elected Senator of California, and the first woman
member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Education remains the primary tool to get a good-paying job and support a family.
Senator Feinstein believes Washington must do more to improve the quality of K12 education and increase the affordability of higher education.
Senator Feinstein supports proposals to allow student loan borrowers to refinance
both their federal and private student loans at lower interest rates, in the same way
homeowners can refinance the mortgages. These changes would save borrowers
hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. She also backed the creation of the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has developed new tools to help
students learn about options for paying for college and repaying student loans.
In addition, Feinstein takes an active interest in health and medical issues. Her
amendment prohibiting health insurance discrimination on the basis of genetic
information is now law as part of the Kassebaum-Kennedy health bill. She also
worked to pass and increase the funding for the Ryan White AIDS Care Act. As
cochair of the Senate Cancer Coalition, she presided over hearings that helped to
win much-needed funds for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute and for
a study by the National Institutes of Health on the high incidence of breast cancer
rates in the San Francisco area.

Feinstein has worked to protect children and other vulnerable populations from
exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals and products. She has been a leader in
pushing for the removal of the endocrine-disrupting chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA)
from consumer products, which helped result in the Food and Drug Administration
banning the use of this additive in baby bottles, sippy cups and infant formula
containers.
Feinstein is concerned about the negative effects of rising health insurance
premiums and excessive insurance company profits on California families. She
supported provisions in the Affordable Care Act to slow the growth of premiums
and has introduced legislation to give regulators more power to stop unjustified
premium increases.
In recognition of her public service, she has been awarded honorary degrees by the
University of San Francisco, Mills College, the University of Santa Clara, and
Golden Gate University, and various awards, including the American Medical
Associations award for outstanding contributions to the betterment of public
health. In 1984, French president Franois Mitterrand bestowed upon her the
Lgion dHonneur, one of Frances highest honors.

Bibliography
http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/feinstein-dianne
http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/home