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Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday asked to be temporarily replaced on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee while she recovers from shingles.
Feinstein, 89, released a statement following stepped-up pressure from fellow Democrats for her to resign from the Senate. Her absence for over a month has delayed confirmation of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees, critics say.
"I understand that my absence could delay the important work of the Judiciary Committee, so I've asked Leader Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until I'm able to resume my committee work," Feinstein said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rep. Ro Khanna, (D-Santa Clara) called on Feinstein to step down.
"We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty," Khanna said in a post on Twitter. "While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people."
Feinstein's statement on Wednesday, however, gave no hint about resigning.
When she was first diagnosed, Feinstein said she had expected to return by the end of March, but complications have delayed that, the senator said.
"I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it's safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco."
In February, Feinstein announced she will not run for re-election next year. She was first elected to the Senate in 1992 and was most recently re-elected in 2018.
