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Dianne Feinstein, the trailblazing California senator who served in US politics for over thirty years, has passed away at the age of 90. Feinstein, the oldest member of the US Senate, was an active participant and cast her most recent vote just last Thursday. However, in recent months, concerns were raised regarding her memory and cognitive abilities. In April, she was hospitalized after experiencing a minor fall at her home, adding to a string of health issues. Despite announcing her plans to retire at the end of next year, Feinstein resisted growing calls for her resignation. President Joe Biden praised her as a passionate defender of civil liberties and national security policies. Feinstein's absence from Capitol Hill earlier this year, due to a bout of shingles, was followed by a return with lighter duties, requiring the use of a wheelchair. She displayed moments of confusion during interviews, committee hearings, and floor votes. The BBC has attempted to contact Feinstein's office for comment on her passing. Feinstein was renowned for her advocacy of gun control measures and support for the 1994 assault weapons ban signed by President Bill Clinton. Earlier in her life, she became San Francisco's mayor after her predecessor and a colleague were both murdered. Feinstein's experience of discovering her predecessor's body shaped her deeply. Throughout her time in the Senate, she held significant positions such as being the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee, leading the investigation into the CIA's interrogation program post-9/11. This review resulted in legislation prohibiting the use of enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding on terrorism suspects. Feinstein was also the first woman to sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee and chair the Senate Intelligence Committee. In a 2017 CNN interview, she acknowledged the difficulties faced by women in society and expressed optimism regarding the increasing number of women in politics.