SECRETARY CALL THE ROLL. ALAN
ALVARADO GIL. ARCHULETTA. ASHBY.
ATKINS. BECKER. BLAKE SPEAR.
BRADFORD. CABALLERO. ORTEZ E.
DOLLY! DODD. HUESO. HAGMAN.
GLASER. GONZALES. BRO. SHADOW.
JONES. LAYERED LIMÓN MCGUIRE
MANY OF OUR MEN. NEWMAN. WHEN
NILO. WHAT'S YOUR BUG? BY THE
PORTANTINO ROTH. RUBIO. SO YOUR
TOE SKINNER. SMALLER CUEVAS.
STERN. NUMBER AHA! WIENER.
WELCOME. MEMBERS. QUORUM IS
PRESENT. WITH THE MEMBERS AND
THE GUESTS BEYOND THE RAIL AND
IN THE GALLERY. PLEASE RISE. WE
WILL BE LED IN PRAYER THIS
AFTERNOON BY OUR CHAPLAIN,
SISTER MICHELE GORMAN, AFTER
WHICH PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO OUR
FLAG. SO LET US BRING OURSELVES
INTO GOD'S PRESENCE AGAIN AND
INTO THE PRESENCE OF EACH OTHER.
GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL CREATOR.
AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR. WE
RECALL THE WORDS OF HOWARD
THURMAN. WHEN THE SONG OF THE
ANGELS IS STILLED WHEN THE STAR
IN THE SKY IS GONE. WHEN THE
KINGS AND PRINCES ARE HOME. WHEN
THE SHEPHERDS ARE BACK WITH
THEIR FLOCKS. THEN THE WORK OF
CHRISTMAS BEGINS. TO FIND THE
LOST TO HEAL THE BROKEN TO FEED
THE HUNGRY. TO RELEASE THE
PRISONER. TO REBUILD THE
NATION'S. TO BRING PEACE AMONG
THE PEOPLE. TO MAKE MUSIC IN THE
HEART. LOVING GOD. WE ASK YOUR
PRESENCE WITH US. AS WE PONDER
THE DEEPEST NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND DEDICATE ALL THAT WE HAVE TO
THE WORK OF JUSTICE AND PEACE.
AMEN. MEMBERS PLEASE JOIN ME IN
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO OUR
FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG.
MEMBERS UNDER UM FIRST LET ME I
WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
WELCOME BACK. UNDER PRIVILEGES
OF THE FLOOR. IT IS WITH GREAT
PLEASURE THAT WE WELCOME LEADERS
FROM THE DESIGN BUILD OF AMERICA
WESTERN PACIFIC REGION WHO ARE
VISITING IN THE GALLERY TODAY.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND UP,
PLEASE JOIN ME AND PROVIDING A
WARM SENATE WELCOME. MESSAGES
FROM THE GOVERNOR WILL BE DEEMED
READ. MESSAGES FROM THE ASSEMBLY
WILL BE DEEMED READ. REPORTS OF
COMMITTEE WILL BE DEEMED READ
AND AMENDMENTS ADOPTED. UNDER
MOTIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND
NOTICES. SEEING NONE.
INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING
OF BILLS. MR. SECRETARY, PLEASE
READ CENTER BILLS 8 92 93 94, 95
, 96 AND 897. MEMBERS ARE GONNA
RETURN TO MOTIONS AND
RESOLUTIONS. AND THIS IS THE
TIME TO ADDRESS THE ADJOURN IN
MEMORY MOTIONS FROM SENATORS.
SENATOR WIENER. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. MADAM PRESIDENT COLLEAGUES
WITH GREAT SADNESS. I RISE TO
ASK THAT WE ADJOURN A MEMORY OF
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN, A
VISIONARY LEADER WHOSE IMPACT ON
OUR NATION AND OUR STATE IS
PROFOUND AND ENDURING. SENATOR
FEINSTEIN'S LEGACY STANDS TALL
ABOVE ALL OF US. SHE WAS JUST A
TRUE TRAILBLAZER SERVING AT SAN
FRANCISCO'S FIRST FEMALE MAYOR.
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST FEMALE
SENATOR AND THE FIRST JEWISH
FEMALE SENATOR. SHE IS OUR
NATION'S LONGEST SERVING WOMAN
IN THE SENATE AND THE ENTIRE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
SHE WAS A TRUE INSPIRATION, A
HERO AND A ROLE MODEL TO SO MANY
PEOPLE, BUT PARTICULARLY TO
YOUNG WOMEN WHO COULD SEE AND
DIANNE FEINSTEIN SOMEONE WHO WAS
ABLE TO TRULY MOVED TO THE
PINNACLE, ONE OF THE MOST
POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL, UM
ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE ENTIRE
NATION IN MODERN AMERICAN
HISTORY. THEN FEINSTEIN WAS A
LEADER WHO MET THE MOMENT. IN
1978 VERY TRAUMATIC, UM, TIME
PERIOD IN SAN FRANCISCO WHEN OUR
MAYOR AND SUPERVISOR HARVEY MILK
MAYOR GEORGE MOSCONE E WERE
ASSASSINATED IN CITY HALL.
SENATOR FEINSTEIN. UH, BECAME
MAYOR AT THAT POINT. AND SHE
REALLY HELPED THE CITY THAT WAS
REELING. RESTORE A SENSE OF
SELF. IN A SENSE THAT THERE WAS
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. AH SO HER
SENATOR FEINSTEIN'S TENURE IN
ELECTED OFFICE WAS MARKED BY
MANY THINGS, BUT ONE THAT STANDS
OUT IS HER RELENTLESS ADVOCACY
FOR GUN SAFETY MEASURES. SHE LED
THE SUCCESSFUL ENACTMENT OF THE
FEDERAL ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN IN
1994. SHE NEVER STOPPED FIGHTING
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE SANDY HOOK,
MASS SHOOTING WHEN CHILDREN WERE
KILLED IN SCHOOL. SHE AGAIN
PUSHED TO REAUTHORIZE THAT
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN AND TO
ENSURE THAT SUCH HORRIFIC ACTS
OF VIOLENCE WOULD NEVER HAPPEN
AGAIN. SHE WAS A CHAMPION FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS SHE ADVOCATED FOR
FULL EQUALITY FOR WOMEN FOR
LGBTQ PEOPLE. I WILL ALSO JUST
SAY THAT WHEN SHE WAS MAYOR OF
SAN FRANCISCO. IN THE EARLY 19
EIGHTIES, WHEN HIV. BEYOND THE
CAUSE. A MASS DIE OFF OF
PRIMARILY NOT ONLY BUT PRIMARILY
GAY MEN. WE HAD A FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THAT COMPLETELY
IGNORED. HIV THAT IGNORED THE
FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WERE
DYING. AND THAT DID NOTHING.
HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HELP
SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES. DIANNE
FEINSTEIN. UNDER HER LEADERSHIP,
SAN FRANCISCO BECAME THE MODEL.
OF HOW TO FIGHT HIV. THERE WAS A
POINT IN TIME WHEN SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO WAS SPENDING MORE
TO ADDRESS HIV. THEN THE ENTIRE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS SPENDING
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF AMAZING
ADVOCACY IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT
IT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND
LEADERSHIP OF DIANNE FEINSTEIN
IN THE 19 EIGHTIES, SHE WAS
AHEAD OF HER TIME. RIGHT? DIANNE
FEINSTEIN IS A TRUE HERO. FOR SO
MANY OF US I HAD THE HONOR OF
KNOWING HER OF HAVING HER
SUPPORT SOMEONE. NO ONE KNEW WHO
I WAS. BUT SENATOR FEINSTEIN
TOOK A CHANCE ON ME AND
SUPPORTED ME. UH HUH. AND I WILL
NEVER FORGET THAT AND SO MANY IN
OUR COMMUNITY WILL NEVER FORGET
WHAT SHE CONTRIBUTED TO SAN
FRANCISCO TO CALIFORNIA AND TO
OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY. MAY SHE REST
IN PEACE, AND I ASKED THAT WE
ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF THIS
GREAT LEADER. SENATOR PRO TEM
ATKINS. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. AND I DON'T WANT TO
REPEAT WHAT WAS SAID BY MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
BUT THERE IS SO MUCH YOU CAN SAY
I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE
BIT MORE OF A PERSPECTIVE. FROM
SAN DIEGO. I REMEMBER WHEN SHE
WAS THE U. S SENATOR IN SAN
DIEGO WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE
CONSERVATIVE THAN IT IS TODAY. I
SERVED ON A CITY COUNCIL THAT
WAS A MAJORITY REPUBLICANS. BUT
I WILL TELL YOU SHE FOCUSED ON
REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA. SHE WAS
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, AND SHE
COULD REPRESENT SAN FRANCISCO.
BUT SHE COULD REPRESENT SAN
DIEGO AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES
HERE. REMEMBER WHEN SHE WOULD
COME DOWN AT THE BEHEST OF THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WOULD
HAVE LUNCHES WITH US TO HEAR
WHAT OUR ISSUES WERE ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM IN SAN DIEGO, A PERSON
WHO COULD TAKE INTRACTABLE
ISSUES AND TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS
WATER UH, ISSUES AROUND
AGRICULTURE AND CLEARLY ISSUES
AROUND SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQ,
PLUS COMMUNITY GUN CONTROL. UM
REALLY, A PILLAR AND A ROLE
MODEL FOR WOMEN AT EVERY LEVEL
OF GOVERNMENT. THIS WAS A
REPRESENTATIVE THAT COULD
BALANCE SO MUCH AND REALLY
REPRESENT CALIFORNIA. THE
VASTNESS OF CALIFORNIA THE
DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ISSUES THE
STAKEHOLDERS AND I THINK SHE
DESERVES OUR FULL RECOGNITION
TODAY FOR ALL OF THAT, BUT A
FUNNY STORY. I WILL NEVER FORGET
WHEN I, UM WAS THE SPEAKER IN
WAITING AND SPEAKER PEREZ
DECIDED I NEEDED TO GO TO
WASHINGTON, D. C IN DECEMBER
WHILE WE WERE OUT OF OFFICE OUT
OF SESSION. AND I DIDN'T MAKE IT
. THE AIRPORT. SHUT DOWN. I
COULDN'T I WAS STUCK IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. BUT
SPEAKER PEREZ WAS IN D. C AND HE
HAD A LONG LIST OF MEETINGS FOR
US, ONE OF WHICH WAS TO GO IN
AND TALK WITH SENATOR DIANNE
PHªN STAN. EVERY SINGLE MEETING
WAS CANCELED. BUT. ONE AND THAT
WAS SENATOR FEINSTEIN. SHE WAS
THERE. THE SNOW THERE WAS
OFFICES WERE SHUT DOWN. IT WAS
SNOWING AND SPEAKER PEREZ CALLED
ME AND SAID. I SAID, I'M SO
SORRY YOU WENT FOR NO REASON, HE
SAID. I DIDN'T GO FOR NO REASON.
SENATOR PHªN STEIN MET WITH ME
AND PUT ME THROUGH ALL OF THE
ISSUES. WATER WHAT ARE WE DOING
ON THIS? WHAT DO YOU NEED HELP
THE LITANY. SO HER OFFICE WAS
THE ONLY ONE THERE THAT DAY, AND
SINCE THEN I WAS ABLE TO GO A
NUMBER OF TIMES BOTH AS SPEAKER
AND PRO. TIM AND I WOULD TELL
YOU YOU NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT YOU
WERE GOING TO TALK TO HER ABOUT.
YOU NEEDED TO KNOW AT A VERY
DEEP LEVEL, UH, THE ISSUES
BECAUSE SHE WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS
AND SHE WANTED TO KNOW YOUR TAKE
ON IT FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE, SO
I WOULD TELL YOU WE WERE WELL
SERVED IN CALIFORNIA BY THIS
GREAT, GREAT WOMAN. THIS GREAT
REPRESENTATIVE AND I JUST, UH I
THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT WE DO THIS
TODAY AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY
COULD. AND I WANT TO THANK THE
SENATOR, UM, FROM SAN FRANCISCO
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD SO
QUICKLY SO THAT WE COULD PAY
TRIBUTE AND OUR TO AN INCREDIBLE
, INCREDIBLE PERSON. I ADJOURN
IN HER MEMORY, AND I KNOW THAT
YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN STORIES
AND YOUR OWN THOUGHTS. BUT IT'S
RIGHT THAT WE DO THIS TODAY. SO
THANK YOU. SENATOR DODD. MADAM
PRESIDENT, MEMBERS, UH. I THANK
THE SENATOR FROM SAN FRANCISCO
AND OUR PROTEST IN THE SENATOR
FROM SAN DIEGO FOR THEIR GREAT
COMMENTS, AND I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ITSELF DISCO
CITY HALL TO PAY MY RESPECTS TO
HER. FOR 15 YEARS I WAS A COUNTY
SUPERVISOR IN NAPA COUNTY. AND I
WAS JUST TOTALLY AMAZED. BY THE
CAPABILITIES OF SENATOR DIANNE
FEINSTEIN. BUT CERTAINLY YOU
KNOW, LONG BEFORE I GOT INTO
POLITICS, HER HER REIGN AS THE
CITY SUPER COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND
MAYOR. SAN FRANCISCO WERE
LEGENDARY. BUT WHAT I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER ON
THE NAPA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL
PROJECT VERY COMPLICATED PROJECT
AND SHE CAME WE WANTED THE ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS WAS ABOUT
$650 MILLION. WE'RE TRYING TO
GET FOR A SMALL COUNTY LIKE NAPA
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND
SHE CAME IN, AND I THINK TO THE
POINT THAT THE PRO TEM MADE SHE
WAS WELL DIALED IN. SHE KNEW
MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECT. THEN THE
MAYOR OF NAPA, AND I DID. IT WAS
NOT REALLY EMBARRASSING WITH
JUST SHOWED ME WHAT GREAT STAFF
WORK. IT IS, TOO, BUT THE SAME
THING WHEN I WAS CHAIR OF THE
MITCH WALTON TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION, WE'D COME IN AND SHE
WOULD HAVE HER LIST OF THINGS
THAT SHE WANTED TO COVER, AND I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF THOSE
VERY PROUD TO GET HER SUPPORT
OVER THE YEARS. AND HER
FRIENDSHIP. AH BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, I THINK I NEVER
ONCE SAW HER PHONE IT IN. AND
WORKED HARD ALL THE WAY TO THE
END WAS UNFORTUNATE WHAT
HAPPENED TO HER AT THE END, BUT
AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL I HAVE
, UH, MY MEMORIES OF SENATOR
FEINSTEIN WILL ALWAYS GO DOWN AS
VERY, VERY POSITIVE. THANK YOU.
SENATOR BRADFORD. THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT AND I'M HONORED
TO STAND AND ADJOURNED IN MEMORY
AS VICE CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS AND PAY TRIBUTE TO
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN. QUITE
SIMPLY STATED AH, SHE DID THAT
CARRIED HER LIFE TO PUBLIC
SERVICE. AND AS THE LONGEST
SERVING WOMAN IN THE SENATE. SHE
WAS A TRUE TRAILBLAZER WHO
SERVED THE STATE WITH STRENGTH.
WITH VISION AND ALWAYS WITH
COMPASSION, AND I REMEMBER ONE
OF MY FIRST MEETINGS TO D. C AS
ASSEMBLY PERSON WE MET WITH
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN AND AS
STATED SHE. PROVIDED HERSELF
DIRECTLY, NOT STAFF. SHE MET
WITH US DIRECTLY AND REALLY
ENGAGE THIS ON WHAT WAS
IMPORTANT FOR CALIFORNIA AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
CONVERSATION AND DIALOGUE. AS
STATED HER CAREER WAS FORGED
THROUGH THE HORRIBLE TRAGEDY OF
GUN. UH VIOLENCE THAT TOOK THE
LIFE OF MIRROR MOSCONI AND
SUPERVISOR HARVEY MILK. AND THIS
TREMENDOUS LOSS. CAME TO DEFINE
HER PATH. UH IT FUELED HER
UNWAVERING RESOLVE TO PASS
GROUNDBREAKING GUN CONTROL LAWS
AND BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS HERE IN
THIS COUNTRY. SENATOR FEINSTEIN
WAS AN UNWAVERING SUPPORTER OF A
PACK TO BLOCK AMERICAN POLITICAL
ACTION COMMITTEE. THAT WAS I
MEAN, ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA I
SHOULD SAY, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY
ONE OF HER FORMER STAFFERS AND
HER GOOD FRIEND AND A MENTOR OF
MINE, THE LATE PERCY PINCKNEY.
DIANNE FEINSTEIN SUPPORT AND
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION INSPIRED
MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS TO NOT
ONLY GET INVOLVED IN PUBLIC
SERVICE BUT ALSO TO RUN FOR
OFFICE. A TRUE GIANT HAS LEFT
HIS MEMBERS. I JOINED WITH MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND
PAYING TRIBUTE AND RECOGNIZING
AND EXPRESSING MY DEEP GRATITUDE
AND ADMIRATION FOR THIS
CALIFORNIA ICON FOR A LIFELONG
SERVICE AND OUR LEADERSHIP THAT
MADE OUR NATION BETTER, SAFER
AND STRONGER AND ONE OF MY MOST
CHERISHED POSSESSIONS IS A PIECE
OF ART. A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T
KNOW SHE DID ART. AND ONE OF MY
VISITS. SHE GAVE ME A FRAME.
PIECE OF ART THAT SHE HAD DONE.
SO I AM HONORED TO HAVE THAT
AND, UH, CHERISH THAT AND WE'LL
HOLD ON TO IT. INTERNALLY SO I
ALSO ADD MY VOICE AND ASKED US
THAT WE ADJOURN THE MEMORY OF
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN.
SENATOR RAMBERG. THANK THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT COLLEAGUES
AND THANK YOU. MY COLLEAGUE FROM
SAN FRANCISCO. BRING THIS FOURTH
. UM I WASN'T ADMIRERS, SENATOR
FEINSTEIN, THEN. COUNCIL MEMBER,
THEN MAYOR FEINSTEIN SINCE I WAS
IN LAW SCHOOL AND THE
ASSASSINATION HAPPENED, I RAN
RIGHT OVER TO CITY HALL AND SAW
HER STRENGTH, HER PASSION, HER
DEDICATION. THE PEOPLE OF SAN
FRANCISCO AND FOLLOWING ON HER
DEDICATION OF THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA, UM, HAD PERSONAL
INTERACTION WITH HER QUITE
FREQUENTLY. SOME OF YOU KNOW, I
DID DRUGS IN WASHINGTON D C FOR
THREE YEARS. THAT SHOULD
REPHRASE THAT. UM I WAS IN THE
DRUG CZAR'S OFFICE, THE DEPUTY
DRUG CZAR FOR THREE YEARS, AND
SENATOR FEINSTEIN WAS VERY MUCH
ENGAGED THAT ISSUE VERY MUCH
ENGAGED IN THAT ISSUE, AND SHE
WAS QUITE CRITICAL. THE CLINTON
MINISTRATIONS, UM WHEREIN I
SERVED AND WE WERE GOING TO HAVE
A HEARING ON THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN MEXICO AND UNITED STATES
IN TERMS OF OUR MUTUAL DRUG
EFFORTS, AND SHE WAS CRITICAL OF
BOTH COUNTRIES AND I WAS THE
MINISTRY ADMINISTRATION'S
REPRESENTATIVE TESTIFY. SO THE
DAY BEFORE I WENT TO HER OFFICE
TO SORT OF HAVE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT IT, AND SHE WAS AS
PASSIONATE AS SHE ALWAYS WAS AS
DEDICATED ALTHOUGH WE HAD NO ONE
OTHER FOR A LONG TIME, AND AT
THE END, SHE SAID, YOUNG MAN,
YOU HAD BETTER GIRD YOUR LOINS,
WHICH WAS A BIT OMINOUS FOR THE
NEXT DAY. AND SO I APPEARED THE
NEXT DAY MY LOINS WERE GIRDED,
BUT SHE SHE SHE DEFINITELY WAS
PASSIONATE, TOUGH. ON BOTH
COUNTRIES, BUT THAT WAS
EMBLEMATIC OF SENATOR FEINSTEIN.
SENATOR FEINSTEIN WAS TOUGH. SHE
WAS PASSIONATE. SHE WAS
DEDICATED BECAUSE SHE WAS
DEVOTED TO PEOPLE THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS MY HONOR
TO SERVE IN THE ADMINISTRATION
AND INTERACT WITH SENATOR
FEINSTEIN. SHE DID COME UP
AFTERWARDS SAID, I HOPE YOU
DIDN'T TAKE THAT PERSONALLY. UM
NO, I DIDN'T SENATOR THAT. YOU
KNOW, YOU TOLD ME TO GIRD MY
LOINS. AND THEN YOU TOOK
ADVANTAGE, BUT MANY EVENT UM IN
ANY EVENT WE ARE. WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD HER
SERVICE FOR AS LONG AS WE HAD,
UM WE IN CALIFORNIA A GREAT DEAL
TO SENATOR FEINSTEIN AND I
JOINED WITH OTHERS IN URGING
THAT WE HAD JOINED JOINED HER
MEMORY. SENATOR NEAL Ó. THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM I KNEW
DIANE FEINSTEIN NOT WELL. BUT I
HAD MANY OCCASIONS TO VISIT
WASHINGTON D C WITH OUR LOCAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SHE ALWAYS
MET WITH US, UH, DIDN'T ALWAYS
AGREE. AH BUT, UH, AS A MEASURE
OF A PERSON, AND I MET AS A
MEASURE OF CHARACTER, AND AS A
MEASURE OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE PEOPLE, SHE WAS TRULY TOP
RATE. UM. MY NEPHEW ACTUALLY
WORKED FOR HER IN THE DISTRICT.
AND FOR THE TIME THAT HE WORKED
FOR HER, HE WAS HER CHAUFFEUR.
SO HE GOT TO KNOW HER AND I CAN
TELL YOU FROM THAT. PERSPECTIVE
UM, HE COULD NOT HAVE HAD A
BETTER AND MORE RESPONSIVE AND
KINDER BOSS THAN SENATOR
FEINSTEIN AND I CAN BACK THAT
THOUGHTFULNESS UP WITH A
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. ON ONE OF
THE TRIPS THAT I TOOK BACK TO
WASHINGTON, DC WAY BACK IN THE
NINETIES WHEN WE WERE WORKING
HERE TO TRY TO SAVE MCCULLEN AS
AN AIR FORCE BASE. AND BY THE
WAY, PARENTHETICALLY I THINK
WE'VE BEEN BETTER OFF WITH THAT
AS A PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT,
BUT NONETHELESS, I WAS GOING TO
MEET WITH HER STAFF PEOPLE. THIS
WAS WHEN RICHARD NIXON HAD
PASSED AWAY AND EVERYBODY WAS
LEAVING TOWN FOR HIS FUNERAL,
AND I ENTERED HER OFFICE AND THE
RECEPTIONIST WAS THERE AND I
INTRODUCED MYSELF AND SO SHE WAS
GONNA LET THE STAFF MEMBER NO.
AND THEN SHE LEFT THE OFFICE FOR
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SO I WAS
IN THE UM, RECEPTION AREA BY
MYSELF. THE SENATOR CAME RUSHING
THROUGH WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER
STAFF PEOPLE CLEARLY IN A HURRY,
AND I KNEW WHY, AND JUST WALK
THROUGH AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE
BACK OFFICES ABOUT WHICH I
DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING IN
PARTICULAR. BUT A COUPLE OF
MINUTES LATER, SHE P CAME BACK
OUT INTO THE RECEPTION AREA BY
HERSELF. AND WALKED UP TO ME AND
SHE SAID, ARE YOU BEING HELPED?
NOW THAT TELLS ME A MEASURE. OF
A PERSON'S CONCERN ABOUT ANOTHER
PERSON. I TOLD HER NO. THE
RECEPTIONIST JUST IS OUT FOR A
MOMENT. I'M MEETING WITH ONE
YEAR STAFF PEOPLE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, BUT, UM, AS I SAY,
THAT'S A MEASURE OF A PERSON WHO
CARES, AND I JOIN MY COLLEAGUES
AND JOURNEY IN HER MEMORY TODAY.
SENATOR EDMUND. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO
RISE AND ALSO AT ANOTHER WOMAN'S
VOICE TO THE CONVERSATIONS. I
RISE ON BEHALF OF THE WOMEN'S
CAUCUS AND JUST AS A AS A PERSON
WHO GREW UP IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, DIANNE FEINSTEIN HAS
LONG BEEN AN ICON. UM AND I JUST
WANT TO TALK ABOUT
REPRESENTATION MATTERS. MY
PEOPLE HAVE SAID HEARD ME TALK
ABOUT MY FAMILY ARE IMMIGRANTS
FROM MEXICO AND MY MOTHER WAS
THE FIRST TO REGISTER TO VOTE
AND TALK TO THE REST OF THE
FAMILY AND THE REGISTERING TO
VOTE SO THEY COULD VOTE FOR JFK
BECAUSE HE WAS A CATHOLIC. AND I
CAN TELL YOU WHEN DIANNE
FEINSTEIN WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO,
UH, AND DURING THAT HORRIBLE
1978 AND THEN BECAME MAYOR. IT
WAS SO ICONIC FOR MY MOM WHO WAS
OF HER AGE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK
AND SEE A WOMAN REPRESENTING US.
AND I THINK WE CAN'T UNDERPLAY
ENOUGH. HOW MUCH REPRESENTATION
MATTERS ON ALL ASPECTS OF
OURSELVES ON ALL PARTS OF OUR
IDENTITY THAT IF SOMEBODY CAN
LOOK TO US AND KNOW THAT THERE'S
HOPE AND THERE'S REPRESENTATION
IN THEIR OWN DEMOCRACY, AND
THEY'RE REFLECTED IN SOME KIND
OF WAY AND THAT THEY DO THAT,
WITH STRENGTH AND DEDICATION AND
COMPASSION AND CARING. I JUST
THINK THAT WHAT TRULY WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. SO
I THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE. AND
FOR HER INSPIRATION, UH AND
MAYBE WE ADJOURN IN HER MEMORY.
SAYING NO FURTHER. COMMENTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADDITIONS
. AND IF YOU CAN, PLEASE BRING
HER NAME FORWARD TO THE DESK SO
THAT SHE MAY BE APPROPRIATELY
MEMORIALIZED BY THE SENATE.
SENATOR LAIRD. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I RISE TO ADJOURN IN
THE MEMORY OF MY MOTHER, DOROTHY
LAIRD, WHO PASSED AWAY IN
NOVEMBER. AND SHE HAD JUST HAD
HER 99TH BIRTHDAY IN AUGUST. SHE
LIVED A LONG AND RICH LIFE. THAT
HAD MANY CHAPTERS. SHE WAS BORN
IN RURAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND WAS
DEPRESSION ERA AND DUST BOWL.
HER GRANDFATHER LOST TO SAVINGS
WHEN THE BANK WENT UNDER. SHE
WOULD TELL THE STORY OF HER
MOTHER. PUT WHEN THE DUST CLOUDS
WOULD ROLL IN HER MOTHER WOULD
PUT SHEETS THAT WERE WET OVER
THE WINDOWS, AND THEY WOULD SEE
THE DUST MATERIALIZE, UH AROUND
THE WINDOW SILL AND TRY TO KEEP
IT OUT OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS HARD
FOR THOSE OF US. HER SONS THAT
WERE RAISED IN CALIFORNIA.
UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE STORIES
UM SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW HER
FATHER WOULD GO DOWN TO THE
MISSOURI RIVER AT THE END OF
WINTER AND WITH HIS FAMILY
MEMBERS CHOP UP ICE BLOCKS AND
BRING THEM BACK AND PUT THEM IN
THE ROOT CELLAR AND THE ICE
WOULD LAST THROUGH THE SUMMER.
WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT AND
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I SAID TO
HER. MOM BECAUSE YOU TOOK US TO
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH WHEN WE WERE
REALLY YOUNG, AND THEN WE
SWITCHED TO THE METHODIST CHURCH
. I SAID, WELL, YOU ONE FOR A
WHILE AND THEN DAD ONE AND SHE
SAID, OH, NO, I WAS MOSTLY A
METHODIST GROWING UP, AND I
SAID, HOW IS THAT TRUE? YOU'RE
GRANDFATHER WAS AN IMMIGRANT.
NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN MINISTER.
YOUR FATHER WAS IN A FAMILY OF
10 KIDS THAT WERE RAISED IN THE
CHURCH AND SHE SAID. WHAT WERE
WE WERE A TOWN OF 300. AND WE
HAD ONE COMMUNITY CHURCH AND WE
WOULD GET WHATEVER MINISTER WE
COULD EVER GET. AND SO WE WOULD
MOSTLY GET METHODIST, SO I WAS
MOSTLY A METHODIST GROWING UP,
HE WHICH WAS HARD TO FATHOM. SHE
GRADUATED. SHE CAME TO
CALIFORNIA SHE CAME TO GLENDALE.
SHE WANTED TO STAY IN THE YW
COCA. SHE WASN'T 18. THEY
WOULDN'T LET YOU DO IT, SO SHE
HAD TO LIVE WITH RELATIVES UNTIL
SHE COULD CHECK IN. SHE WAS A
RECEPTIONIST WHO WAS ALWAYS
PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE
FOUNDER OF BOB'S BIG BOYS CAME
INTO HER MEDICAL OFFICE AND SHE
GOT TO KNOW HIM. AND AFTER A FEW
YEARS, A FRIEND OF HERS SAID,
I'M GOING BACK TO SOUTH DAKOTA.
I'M GOING TO GO TO THE
UNIVERSITY. WHY DON'T YOU COME
AND SHE WENT AND FORTUNATELY FOR
ME, BECAUSE WITHIN A YEAR THERE
WAS A RETURNING GI FROM THE WAR
IN EUROPE ON THE GI BILL, AND
SHE MET HIM AND THE REST WAS
HISTORY. BUT THE SAD THING THAT
HAPPENED AT THAT TIME IS
WHENEVER PEOPLE GOT MARRIED. THE
WOMAN GENERALLY DROPPED OUT AND
SUPPORTED DEMAND, AND THAT IS
WHAT SHE DID. AND THEY MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA SO MY DAD COULD START
TEACHING. AND HAD THREE SONS.
AND IT WAS HE WAS A STAY AT
HOME, MOM. UH AND OF COURSE WE
BENEFITED. AND I REMEMBER THESE
AMAZING TIMES. I MEAN, STARTING
TEACHERS DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY,
SO SHE THOUGHT WE WOULD NEVER
KNOW SHE WOULD BUY A QUART OF
WHOLE MILK AND GET A QUARTER OF
POWDERED MILK AND MIX THEM
TOGETHER AND CONVINCE US WE WERE
HAVING WONDERFUL FOR MILK. AND,
UH, ONE. WE HAD THE MEASLES. SHE
WOULD SHIP BY US AT NIGHT WITH A
PAN OF COLD WATER AND MAKE SURE
WE WEREN'T GETTING Tð FEVERISH
AND WHAT ONE OF THE INTERESTING
THINGS WAS IS WHEN SHE PASSED
AWAY. WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS THAT WE GREW
UP WITH. AND THAT SHE REALLY
MEANT SOMETHING TO THEM AS BEING
SORT OF A STABILIZING FORCE IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS FRIEND OF
MINE AND I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH
REMINDED ME THAT HE WAS FROM A
STUBBORN, STRUGGLING FAMILY AND
SOMEHOW MY MOM HAD FIGURED OUT
HOW TO AFFORD AN ENCYCLOPEDIA,
WHICH WAS A BIG DEAL, THEN. AND
HE WOULD COME AND KNOCK ON THE
DOOR. WHEN MY MOM WAS THE ONLY
ONE HOME AND ASK IF HE COULD
READ IT, AND THERE WERE TIMES
THAT I WOULD GET HOME AND HE
WOULD BE SITTING ON THE LIVING
ROOM FLOOR READING THE
ENCYCLOPEDIA. SHE WAS DOING
THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE. AND HE
SOME OF THESE FRIENDS THAT GOT
IN TOUCH. ONE OF THEM REFERRED
TO HER AND I'M SORRY. FOR YOU
YOUNGER PEOPLE FOR THE CULTURAL
REFERENCES JUNE CLEAVER WITHOUT
THE PEARLS, AND I THINK THAT
THAT THAT REALLY FIT HER. SHE
HAD A ROUGH TIME BECAUSE SHE HAD
THREE RATHER RAMBUNCTIOUS SONS
AND I RECALL THE TIME THAT I
THINK I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL AND THE DAILY PAPER HAD A
CONTEST WHERE YOU TRIED TO
GUESS. WHICH OF 25 COLLEGE
FOOTBALL TEAMS WOULD WIN THAT
DAY, AND I WOULD ENTER FOR ALL
FIVE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY AND
ADJUST IT AND TRY TO GAME THE
SYSTEM, AND THEY ALWAYS
ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS ON THE
FRONT PAGE. AND LO AND BEHOLD,
MY MOM SWEPT IT. I DON'T WANT
AND I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW THE
NAME OF THE TEAM OR PLAYER AND
SHE HAD BLUFF IT WITH ALL HER
FRIENDS. WHO SAID I DIDN'T KNOW
YOU WERE THAT SMART. I DIDN'T
KNOW YOU HAD THAT KNOWLEDGE. SHE
WAS MORTIFIED, BUT THAT WAS SORT
OF WHAT CAME WITH THE TERRITORY.
AND SHE DID PITA AND WENT TO THE
GAMES AND DID THINGS BUT SHE GOT
RESTLESS AND SHE WORKED AS A
TEACHER'S AIDE AND THEN SHE WAS
DETERMINED TO RACE ME THROUGH
COLLEGE, AND SHE DID. AND THEN
SHE TAUGHT. TOO TIGHT,
KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE
UNTIL SHE RETIRED. AND IT WAS
INTERESTING BECAUSE MY AUNT
LIVED IN GOING. DALE WAS VERY
GREGARIOUS, AND I REMEMBER ONE
TIME I WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE
AND MY AUNT WAS CHATTING UP
PEOPLE SHE DIDN'T KNOW IN THE
ISLAND, CHATTING UP THE CLERK
AND MY MOM WAS MORTIFIED. SHE
SHE SAID. THAT'S NOT HER AND
LOOK AT HER. DO THAT. AND THEN
SHE BECAME THAT PERSON. SHE WAS
THE GREETER AT THE CHURCH. SHE
LOVED EVERYBODY. SHE DID THINGS
AND I REMEMBER ONE, SHE RETIRED.
AND SHE WAS IN ON THIS BRIDGE
GROUPS. ONE TIME I STOPPED TO
SEE HER. I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON
? SHE SAYS. OH WE'RE ALL
LEARNING EMAIL. WE WERE ALL IN
THE BRIDGE GROUP TODAY. WE SAID
WE LEARNED BEFORE WORD. HAVE YOU
LEARNED THE FORWARD AND SHE SHE
WAS HAVING FUN AS SHE SORT OF
MOVED ON AND DID THAT. AND THEN
SHE DID HER BEST. TO ENGAGE IN
OUR LIVES AS AS HER KIDS. I MEAN
, WHEN MY BROTHER HAD HIS WIFE
HAD THE FIRST GRANDCHILD SHE GOT
TO THE HOSPITAL BEFORE THEY DID.
AND FOR ME, IT MEANT TRYING TO
GET INVOLVED. IN SOME WAY AND
JUST SORT OF AS I DID. PUBLIC
SERVICE CAREER WHEN I FIRST RAN
FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, YEARS AND
YEARS AGO, SHE AND MY DAD CAME
TO THE KICK OFF AND I WAS. THERE
ARE A FEW 100 PEOPLE THERE, AND
I WAS SORT OF A MESS. SHE WALKED
AROUND. AND SHE INTRODUCED
HERSELF TO EVERYBODY, AND I SORT
OF SAID MOM, THIS IS YOU'RE
SURPRISING ME, AND SHE SAYS, UM
OH, JUST LIKE ROSE AND JOE
KENNEDY AND ALWAYS REMEMBER MY
DAD SAYING JOE KENNEDY'S DEAD
DEER AND IN THE WAY THAT THEY
PLAYED OFF OF EACH OTHER FOR
MANY YEARS, HE WOULD ALSO SAY TO
ME AT TIMES OR YOUR MOTHER'S
DONE A HORRIBLE THING. AND I
KNEW THAT GENERALLY MET. HE
LOVED WHATEVER IT WAS SO HE CAME
TO ME ONCE, AND HE SAID, YOUR
MOTHER'S DONE A HORRIBLE THING.
AND WHAT IS IT? WELL WE WERE TO
RECEPTION WITH WILLIE BROWN AND
SHE WALKED UP AND SHE SAID, DO
YOU KNOW MY SON? IN HERE YOU
DIDN'T APPEAR TO. AND SO SHE
SAID, WELL, YOU WILL. AND MY DAD
SAYS, ISN'T THAT HORRIBLE? AND I
THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT
REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS HORRIBLE.
UH WHEN I RAN FOR THE ASSEMBLY,
THE FIRST TIME IT WAS 30 YEARS
AGO LAST YEAR, IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A HISTORY MAKING EVENT
THERE HAD NOT BEEN AND OPEN LGBT
PERSON ELECTED TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE IN HISTORY AND AS A
RESULT THAT WAS. AN ISSUE IN THE
ELECTION, AND I HAD AN OPPONENT
IRONICALLY. MY DEMOCRATIC
OPPONENT AND A PROGRESSIVE LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT STARTED TO
BE PICTURED WITH HIS FAMILY AND
ALL THE PICTURES, WHICH HE HAD
NOT DONE PREVIOUSLY IN HIS
CAREER. AND SO THE NEWSPAPER HAD
A FRONT PAGE STORY ON HOW THIS
WAS A FAMILY VALUES THING. THIS
WAS BECAUSE OF ME. AND I TOTALLY
FORGOT THAT MY MOTHER WAS
SUBSCRIBING TO THE NEWSPAPER TO
FOLLOW THE CAMPAIGN. AND ONE DAY
I'M IN THE CAMPAIGN
HEADQUARTERS, AND SHE WALKS IN.
BECAUSE SHE LIVED IN OUR WHITE.
I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
AND THEN I REALIZED SHE HAD AN
ARMFUL OF PICTURES OF THE FAMILY
. AND SHE SAID, WHERE DO THEY
THINK YOU CAME FROM? AND YOU HAD
TO LOVE IT. AND THEN WHEN I GOT
TO THE ASSEMBLY SHE REALIZED WE
WERE BROADCAST THAT THESE
SESSIONS WERE BROADCASTING SO
SHE WOULD START TO WATCH AND I
WOULD GET EMAILS. SHE WOULD SAY,
OH, THAT WAS A NICE TIE OR WHAT
A LIVELY DEBATE OR THAT PERSON
WILL TALK ON EVERYTHING YOU
KNOW, FROM THE MOUTH OF A BABE
AND IN THOSE DAYS SHE WAS ON THE
TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM. AND
IN THOSE DAYS, THE LEGISLATURE
HAD TO AFFIRMATIVELY PUT THE
COST OF LIVING INCREASES. WE HAD
TO PUT A 2% INCREASE IN WHERE
THE TEACHERS DIDN'T GET
ANYTHING. AND THERE WAS ONE YEAR
OF A BAD BUDGET. AND ALL THESE
ALERT COMING OUT. THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO GIVE US AN INCREASE,
AND I GET THIS ALERT IN THE MAIL
FROM HER. WITH A NOTE WRITTEN
ACROSS THE TOP SAYING IS THIS
TRUE? AND LO AND BEHOLD, WE
NEGOTIATED IT. WE GOT TO 2% IN.
I HAD TO PRESENT THE BILL ON THE
FLOOR AND I PRESENTED THE BILL
ON THE FLOOR AND THEN I LOOKED
UP AT THE CAMERA. AND SAID, MOM,
IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS ADDRESS
IS YOUR ISSUE AND SHE WAS
WATCHING AND I COULD DO NO WRONG
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. BUT I
THINK THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
FROM THAT HAD TO DO WITH
LEGISLATIVE VOTING PRACTICES. AS
YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE NOT
REQUIRED TO VOTE WE CAN SO
CALLED LAY OFF. WE CAN JUST SIT
IN THE CHAMBERS AND NOT VOTE AND
THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE WENT
ON A CAMPAIGN AGAINST NON VOTING
AND THEY PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON
THE ASSEMBLY. IT WAS FRONT PAGE
FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS. AND I WAS
ONE OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT JUST VOTED ON EVERYTHING. I
JUST DIDN'T DO THAT. AND SO ON.
BEHOLD I'M READING THE CHRONICLE
ONE MORNING AND I GET TO THE
LETTERS SECTION AND THERE'S A
LETTER WITH THE HEADLINE ON IT
THAT SAYS MY SON VOTES AND I'M
THINKING, WHAT IS THIS? AND I
LOOKED DOWN AND IT IS SIGNED BY
MY MOM. MY MOM HAS WRITTEN A
LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT
LEGISLATIVE VOTING PRACTICES.
AND SO I CALLED HER UP. AND I
SAID, MOM, UH, DID YOU THINK IF
YOU WERE GONNA PUBLICLY GET IN
THE MIDDLE OF MY BUSINESS, YOU
MIGHT WANT TO GIVE ME A HEADS UP
AND SHE VERY EARNESTLY SAYS
WELL, AYE. APPARENT AND I WAS A
TEACHER, AND YOU ALWAYS WORKED
TO MODEL THINGS AND YOU JUST
DIDN'T CALL OUT THE BEHAVIOR
THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO CHANGE.
YOU ACTUALLY PRAISED PEOPLE THAT
WERE MODELING THE BEHAVIOR
TRYING TO DO WHEN YOU VOTE ALL
THE TIME. THEY DIDN'T MENTION
YOU OR YOUR COLLEAGUES AND I
THOUGHT HARD TO ARGUE AND THEN
THAT AFTERNOON. THE SACRAMENTO
BEE HAS IT BREAKING NEWS ALERT.
AND IT SAYS ON THE DOT BECAUSE
SHE SIGNED THE LETTER DOT
LAYERED AND OPENED IT UP AND IT
SAID AH, JUST REPEATED THE
LETTER FOR THE SACRAMENTO BEE
CIRCULATION AREA IN CASE ANYBODY
HADN'T SEEN IT ALREADY, AND IT
WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT
AFTERWARDS I TREASURED IN THE
MOMENT. UH, IT WAS A MOMENT. AND
IT AS THINGS MOVED ON. I WAS
LUCKY. SHE LIVED BETWEEN HERE
AND SACRAMENTO. I STOPPED FOR
MANY TIMES TO SEE HER. IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT WAS
TOUGH AS SHE STARTED TO FAIL.
BUT SHE PLAYED BINGO EVERY DAY,
AND THE PRICE FOR BINGO WAS A
HERSHEY CHOCOLATE BAR. AND IT
WAS ALWAYS SO EXCITING TO GET
THERE AND SEE HER. SHE CHOCOLATE
BARS. ON HER TABLE. I THOUGHT
COGNITIVE VICTORY THIS IS THIS
IS GREAT. AND THEN I WOULD
ALWAYS WALK OUT WITH ONE AND ON
SOME DAYS AND SHE SAID, HERE'S
ONE FOR JOHN. AND SO I WOULD
ALWAYS GET THESE HERSHEY BARS.
WELL IN THE CYCLE OF LIFE AND
WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE, I THINK
THREE DAYS BEFORE SHE PASSED
AWAY. MY NEPHEW AND HIS WIFE
VISITED HER. AND LET HER KNOW
THAT CHIEFS FINALLY WAS GOING TO
BECOME A GREAT GRANDMOTHER. AND
SHE HAD A FLASH OF RECOGNITION,
WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL THING. SO
SHE LEAVES THE REA SONS, SPOUSES
, THREE GRANDCHILDREN, MANY
FRIENDS AND AS I SAID IT TO
BEGINNING SHE HAD A LIFE OF MANY
CHAPTERS, AND IT WAS LONG AND IT
WAS RICH. BUT WE WILL MISS HER
EVERY DAY, SO I ASKED THAT WE
ADJOURNED FROM MEMORY. SENATOR
PLEASE ACCEPT OUR DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES AND BRICK. PLEASE
BRING HER. NAMED TO THE DESK SO
THAT SHE CAN BE APPROPRIATELY
MEMORIALIZED. MEMBERS WERE GOING
TO MOVE ON TO MOTIONS,
RESOLUTIONS AND NOTICES. SENATOR
WIENER. ON CONDITION OF THE
FILE. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT, UM, COLLEAGUES. I
RISE AS CO CHAIR OF OUR 19
MEMBER. LEGISLATIVE JEWISH
CAUCUS. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I
WISH I DID NOT HAVE TO MAKE
THESE REMARKS TODAY. BUT I DO
BECAUSE ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER
WE WERE ALL TOGETHER FOR THE
LAST TIME BEFORE TODAY ON THIS
FLOOR THREE WEEKS LATER. THE
WORLD CHANGED FOR JEWS HERE AND
AROUND THE PLANET. ON OCTOBER
7TH. THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
HAMAS, WHICH RUNS GAZA.
INFILTRATED SOUTHERN ISRAEL AND
ENGAGE IN WHAT CAN ONLY BE
CALLED A MASSIVE PROGRAM.
PROGRAM FOR THOSE WHO DON'T
KNOW. IS WHEN A COUNTRY OR
COMMUNITY UM OR OTHER POPULATION
VIOLENTLY TARGETS JEWS WITH THE
AIM OF EXTERMINATING OR
EXPELLING THOSE JEWS. MASS
ORGANIZED VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS
HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOREVER. MY
GREAT GRANDPARENTS LEFT EASTERN
EUROPE AND RUSSIA. TO COME TO
THE U. S. BECAUSE OF THOSE
PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF THAT
VIOLENCE. MY I HAVE CAUGHT. WE
HAVE COLLEAGUES WHOSE ANCESTORS
CAME HERE FOR THE SAME REASON.
VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS IN IRAQ
AND OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN AND
NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRIES HELPED
DRIVE NEARLY A MILLION JEWS OUT
OF THOSE COUNTRIES TO ISRAEL IN
THE 19 FORTIES AND 19 FIFTIES.
THE MOST WELL KNOWN PROGRAM IN
HISTORY, OF COURSE. IS
KRISTALLNACHT PRELUDE. OF WHAT
HAPPENED DURING THE HOLOCAUST
WHEN 6 MILLION JEWS HALF OF ALL
JEWS ON THE PLANET WERE
INDUSTRIALLY EXTERMINATED IN
FACTORIES. IN THE 19 FORTIES.
HAMAS TERRORISTS ENTERED VARIOUS
ISRAELI COMMUNITIES AND A MUSIC
FESTIVAL. AND BEGAN TO BUTCHER
AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY COULD.
WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE THAT
DAY, HAMAS HAD MASSACRED 1200
PEOPLE. MOSTLY AS RALLIES AND
MOSTLY JEWS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE OF
OTHER NATIONALITIES, INCLUDING
AMERICANS. PEOPLE FROM THAILAND
FROM THE PAUL, FRANCE, BRITAIN
AND OTHER COUNTRIES. BUT I
MASTERED NATURIST KILL HAMAS
KILLED PARENTS MASSACRED PARENTS
IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN.
HAMAS MASSACRED CHILDREN IN
FRONT OF THEIR PARENTS. HAMAS
KILLED ELDERLY PEOPLE. AND HAMAS
ENGAGE IN A MASS CAMPAIGN OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE. BRUTALLY RAPING
ISRAELI WOMEN USING FORMS OF
VIOLENCE DURING THOSE RAPES THAT
I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE
DESCRIBING ON THE FLOOR OF THE
SENATE. THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE CAN
REALLY ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS
EXTREME SEXUAL TORTURE. AND
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. HAMAS
KIDNAPPED SEVERAL 100 AS RALLIES
AND OTHERS TAKING THEM INTO GAZA
AS HOSTAGES MORE THAN 100 OF
THEM REMAIN IN GAZA TODAY. THIS
HOSTAGES RANGE IN AGE FROM 10
MONTHS OLD. 286 YEARS OLD. YES,
THEY KIDNAPPED BABIES. OCTOBER
7TH WAS THE LARGEST MASSACRE OF
JEWS IN A SINGLE DAY SINCE THE
HOLOCAUST. IT'S HARD TO
OVERSTATE THE TRAUMA THAT THIS
MASSACRE INFLICTED ON JEWS
WORLDWIDE. OVERNIGHT JEWS FELT
DEEPLY AT RISK. HATE CRIMES
AGAINST JEWS WERE ALREADY ON THE
RISE WITH A MAJORITY OF ALL
RELIGIOUS BASED HATE CRIMES IN
THE US DIRECTED AT JEWS WHO
CONSTITUTE APPROXIMATELY 2% OF
THE US POPULATION. IMMEDIATELY
AFTER OCTOBER 7TH. WE SAW A
SPIKE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS
AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING
ATTACKS ON SYNAGOGUES IN THE US,
EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA, A WAVE
OF VANDALISM AND BOMB THREATS
AGAINST SYNAGOGUES AND OTHER
JEWISH INSTITUTIONS IN
CALIFORNIA AND ELSEWHERE, JEWISH
OWNED BUSINESSES BEING
VANDALIZED. BUT THESE VIOLENT
ATTACKS WERE JUST THE START
EQUALLY DISTURBING. WAS THE
REACTION BY MANY INCLUDING SOME
SO CALLED PROGRESSIVES WHO MANY
AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAVE
ALWAYS CONSIDERED ALLIES. A
REACTION TO THE HAMAS ATTACK.
THAT WAS HORRIFYING. IMMEDIATELY
IMMEDIATELY WITHIN HOURS AFTER
THE HAMAS MASSACRE. WITHIN HOURS
AND BEFORE ISRAEL SET FOOT IN
GAZA. WE SAW RALLIES AND OUR
CITIES ON OUR UC AND CSU
CAMPUSES AND ELSEWHERE. NOT
CONDEMNING THE HAMAS ATTACK. BUT
GLORIFYING. NOT CONDEMNING
HAMAS. BUT RATHER CONDEMNING
ISRAEL EVEN BEFORE EXCEPT FOOT
IN GAZA AND CALLING FOR ISRAEL'S
ANNIHILATION. WE HEARD IN
CALIFORNIA. LEADERS AND
ORGANIZERS CELEBRATE THE HAMAS
MURDER, RAPE AND KIDNAPPING OF
JEWS AS LEGITIMATE QUOTE UNQUOTE
RESISTANCE. AS A QUOTE UNQUOTE
HISTORIC NGUYEN. AS A QUOTE
UNQUOTE EXTRAORDINARY DAY. WE
HEARD LOTS OF REFERENCES TO FROM
THE RIVER TO THE SEA. WHICH
WHATEVER SOME SAY THEY MEAN BY
IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEING USED TO
MEAN THE ELIMINATION OF THE
STATE OF ISRAEL. AND YOU SEE
BERKLEY PROTESTERS MADE THAT
CRYSTAL CLEAR WHEN THEY CHANTED.
IN ADDITION TO FROM THE RIVER TO
THE SEA, THEY CHANTED, QUOTE. WE
DON'T WANT NO. TWO STATES. WE
WANT ALL OF 48. AND WE ALSO SAW
CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING
SOME WHO REGULARLY ADVOCATE IN
THIS BUILDING. REMAIN SILENT
WHEN JEWS WERE BEING SLAUGHTERED
AND RAPED ON OCTOBER 7TH. AND
THEN QUICKLY PIVOT. TO BEING
QUITE VOCAL IN CONDEMNING ISRAEL
AND EVEN CALLING FOR THE
DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL'S ECONOMY
AND FOR ISRAEL AND THE
DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL ITSELF.
WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE
ORGANIZATIONS PASSED
RESOLUTIONS. CONDEMNING ISRAEL.
WHILE EITHER IGNORING OR GIVING
THE MOST MINIMAL LIP SERVICE TO
WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7TH. OR
THE FACT THAT THERE CONTINUED TO
BE HOSTAGES IN GAZA. WE SAW THE
èC ETHNIC STUDIES FACULTY
COUNCIL, ISSUING A STATEMENT
REFERRING TO OCTOBER 7TH AS
QUOTE PART OF THE PALESTINIAN
FREEDOM STRUGGLE. AND
CRITICIZING, YOU SEE FOR CALLING
THE ATTACK TERRORISM. CSU ETHNIC
STUDIES FACULTY ISSUED A
STATEMENT STATING THEIR
AGREEMENT WITH THEIR èC
COLLEAGUES. WE SAW A TEACHER IN
OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHICH WAS ENDORSED BY THE
OAKLAND EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
THAT TIGHT STRAIGHT UP HATRED OF
ISRAEL AND JEWS. BY TEACHING
JUST FLAT OUT FALSEHOODS ABOUT
JEWS IN ISRAEL. SAYING THAT JEWS
WERE NOT IN ISRAEL BEFORE 1948.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR THOUSANDS
OF YEARS. THAT ISRAEL WAS ONLY
FOR WHITE JEWS. WHEN MOST JEWS
IN ISRAEL OR NOT OF EUROPEAN
DESCENT. AND GLORIFYING THE WORD
INTIFADA. WHICH WHATEVER THE
DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF
INTIFADA IS IN THE CONTEXT OF
ISRAEL MEANS KILLING JEWS. WE'RE
AWARE OF TEACHERS AND OTHER
SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO WERE
SIMILARLY TEACHING THIS NON
FACTUAL HISTORY OF JEWS AND
ISRAEL. ALL OF THIS HAS CREATED
A POISONOUS AND HOSTILE
ENVIRONMENT FOR JEWISH STUDENTS
AND SOME OF OUR K THROUGH 12
SCHOOLS AND ON UC AND CSU
CAMPUSES, MEMBERS OF OUR JEWISH
CAUCUS OVER THE RECESS HAVE BEEN
MEETING WITH STUDENTS ON THESE
CAMPUSES, AND IT IS HORRIFYING
TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE DEALING
WITH ONE SCHOOL, THE ABSOLUTE
HATRED AND HARASSMENT. WE'VE
ALSO SEEN IN PUBLIC COMMENTS.
VARIOUS CITY COUNCILS, INCLUDING
IN OAKLAND AND IN LONG BEACH.
PUBLIC COMMENT, ASSERTING ANTI
SEMITIC TROPES. SADLY NONE OF US
IS NEW AND THE SEMITISM HAS LONG
BEEN DESCRIBED AS QUOTE THE
OLDEST HATRED. JEWS HAVE BEEN
SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE, EXPULSION
AND ATTEMPTED EXTERMINATION FOR
MILLENNIA. AND ANTI SEMITISM
SPANS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
WE'VE SEEN IT ON THE LEFT. WE
ALSO SEE IT ON THE RIGHT WHETHER
IT'S THE CHANCE OF JEWS WILL NOT
REPLACE US AT THE UNITE THE
RIGHT RALLY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.
THE MASSACRES BY RIGHT WING
EXTREMISTS AT SYNAGOGUES AND
PITTSBURGH OR POEWE. WE'RE
NATIONALISTS, ANTI SEMITISM BY
PEOPLE LIKE VICTOR ORBAN,
VLADIMIR PUTIN OR ELON MUSK
PROMOTING THE GREAT REPLACEMENT
THEORY. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO CALL THIS OUT WHEREVER IT
HAPPENS. FINALLY COLLEAGUES I
WANT TO EXPRESS AH! OUR CAUCUSES
HORROR, THE ABSOLUTE DEVASTATION
THAT WE ARE SEEING IN GAZA.
HAMAS MUST BE REMOVED FROM POWER
IN GAZA AND ITS ABILITY TO
MASSACRE ISRAELIS MUST BE
DEGRADED. BUT WE KNOW THAT THE
VAST MAJORITY OF GAZA RESIDENTS
DID NOT COMMIT VIOLENCE ON
OCTOBER 7TH. A HUGE NUMBER OF
GAZANS, INCLUDING SO MANY
CHILDREN. HAVE DIED AND ARE
DYING. GAZA IS SUFFERING AND
ISRAEL MUST TAKE STEPS TO AVOID
CIVILIAN DEATH. MEMBERS OF OUR
CAUCUS HAVE BEEN INTENSELY
CRITICAL OF THE NETANYAHU
GOVERNMENT. WHICH IN OUR VIEW,
AND MY VIEW IS NOT COMMITTED TO
A VIABLE INDEPENDENT PALESTINE.
WE NEED ISRAEL TO BE COMMITTED
TO FULL PEACE AND TO A TWO STATE
SOLUTION. JUST AS WE NEED THE
WEST BANK AND GAZA AND THE
GOVERNMENT'S THERE TO BE
COMMITTED TO NOT DESTROYING
ISRAEL AND KILLING ISRAELIS.
COLLEAGUES I WANT TO JUST THANK
SO MANY OF YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR
JEWISH CAUCUS. SO MANY OF YOU,
UH, IN THE SENATE AND ALSO IN
THE ASSEMBLY REACHED OUT TO
MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER OCTOBER 7TH
AND WE ARE SO DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
YOU HAVE SPOKEN OUT. YOU HAVE
MET WITH JEWISH COMMUNITY IN
YOUR DISTRICTS, AND WE WANT TO
THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE COURSE
OF THIS YEAR, AND I THANK YOU
AGAIN. IF THERE IS NO OTHER
BUSINESS, SENATOR ATKINS THE
DESK IS CLEAR. MADAM PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. COLLEAGUES
WELCOME BACK. WE HAVE A YEAR
AHEAD OF US FOR SURE. BUT OUR
NEXT FLOOR SESSION WHICH IS
AHEAD OF US IS SCHEDULED FOR
TOMORROW. THURSDAY JANUARY 4TH
2024 AT 9 A.M. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WILL BE IN
RECESS UNTIL 330 PM, AT WHICH
TIME THE ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL
BE MADE. WE WILL RECONVENE
TOMORROW. THURSDAY JANUARY 4TH
FOURTH AT 9 A.M. HAPPY NEW YEAR.