BREAKING: Democrat Dianne Feinstein to retire after current Senate term

In a statement released on Tuesday, 89-year-old Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein of California announced that she will not be seeking another term in her seat. 

"I campaigned in 2018 on several priorities for California and the nation: preventing and combating wildfires, mitigating the effects of record-setting drought, responding to the homelessness crisis, and ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care," Feinstein’s statement began.  

"Congress has enacted legislation on all of these topics over the past several years, but more needs to be done — and I will continue these efforts. 

Feinstein continued on to say that she remains focused on passing "commonsense legislation to fight the epidemic of gun violence, preserving our pristine lands and promoting economic growth — especially to position California for what I believe will be the century of the Pacific. And I will use my seniority on the Appropriations Committee to ensure California gets its fair share of funding."

Feinstein, the oldest member of the Senate, said she feels confident that these goals can be achieved "because we’ve done it before," citing the 1994 assault weapons ban, the 2014 CIA torture report, preserving swaths of nature like Lake Taho and the Mojave Desert, "to passing the first significant global warming legislation" and "protecting student athletes from abuse." 

"We have improved the lives of millions," she said.

"Even with a divided Congress, we can still pass bills that improve lives. Each of us was sent here to solve problems. That’s what I’ve done for the last 30 years, and that’s what I plan to do for the next two years. My thanks to the people of California for allowing me to serve them."