Dianne Feinstein, the California senator who served for more than three decades and was a trailblazer for women in US politics, has died aged 90.
Feinstein was the oldest member of the US Senate and voted as recently as Thursday.
For months the veteran Democrat had faced questions about alleged memory and cognitive issues.
In April she was admitted to hospital after a “minor fall” at her home, the latest in a series of health concerns.
In a statement, Ms Feinstein’s office said that she passed away at her home in Washington DC overnight.
“Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who made an incredible impact on our country and her home state,” the statement added. “She left a legacy that was undeniable and extraordinary.”
Born in 1933, Ms Feinstein grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Stanford University before being elected to the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors in 1969.
That election was the start of a long career in public service that saw her become San Francisco’s first female mayor and eventually led her to become a senator in 1992.
In a statement after her death, US President Joe Biden said that Ms Feinstein “made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations”.
Earlier this year, she was absent from Capitol Hill for nearly three months following a case of shingles. She took on lighter duties upon her return and moved around the US Capitol using a wheelchair. She sometimes seemed confused during interviews, and in committee hearings or floor votes.
Ms Feinstein was well known as a vocal advocate for gun control measures, and an ardent supporter of the assault weapons ban signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994.
