Schumer ‘hopeful’ Feinstein will return next week, according to notes

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was prepared to tell reporters on Tuesday he is “hopeful” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) will return to Washington for work next week. 

A photojournalist for Politico snapped a picture of Schumer’s notes during his weekly Tuesday press conference that read he and Feinstein spoke on Monday.

“We are both hopeful she can return next week,” Schumer’s notes read. 

A spokesperson for Feinstein confirmed the two spoke earlier this week. 

“Senator Feinstein continues to make progress in her recovery; however, we don’t have a timeline yet for her return to Washington, which is dependent on her medical team saying it is safe to travel,” the Feinstein spokesperson added. 

The New York Democrat did not talk about Feinstein’s situation during the press event. Feinstein, 89, has been sidelined from the Senate since late February after being hospitalized with shingles, which she has struggled to recover from.

Feinstein announced in early February she will retire at the end of her term, but her absence has brought on calls from some progressive corners of the party for her to resign from the upper chamber.

Amid the calls in April, she requested a temporary replacement on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she continued her recovery, but Republicans dismissed that possibility, forcing Democrats to wait on her to recover and return to the chamber. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee was forced to cancel three markups on nominees before the two-week recess during late March and early April. However, the panel was able to advance seven nominees on April 20, though it remains unable to move on a handful of people who will require all 11 Democrats to be present and remain blocked by Republicans. 

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Judiciary Committee chairman, told reporters earlier on Tuesday he had not spoken recently with Feinstein.