Flags lowered to honor California Senator Dianne Feinstein

At the direction of the President of the United States, Gov. Josh Green has ordered the United States flag and the Hawaiʻi state flag to be flown at half-staff in honor of the late California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who served as a US senator from 1992 to 2023.

Flags at the State Capitol and all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawaiʻi National Guard in the State of Hawaiʻi will be lowered until sunset, on the day of her interment, Thursday, Oct. 5. 

“Dianne Feinstein’s extensive career in the Senate has not only impacted California but has also resonated across the nation, including here in Hawai‘i” said Green. “Her dedication to public service and her advocacy on important issues have been felt far beyond her home state. My thoughts are with her and her family during this time.” 

“Senator Dianne Feinstein was a pioneering American and a true trailblazer. In San Francisco, she showed enormous poise and courage in the wake of tragedy, and became a powerful voice for American values, ” President Joe Biden, Jr. said. “In the United States Senate, she turned passion into purpose, and led the fight to ban assault weapons, also making her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties. Senator Feinstein was a role model for so many Americans and she had an immense impact on younger female leaders for whom she generously opened doors. She was a historic figure, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations,” he said.

On Friday, US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released a statement on the passing of US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) calling her a “trailblazer.”

“For more than 50 years, she forged many firsts, in California and in Washington. As the longest-serving female US Senator, she fought to make our country safer and more fair: taking guns off our streets, enshrining marriage equality, and protecting women and children,” said Sen. Schatz. “As the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee, she challenged the nation to reflect on our missteps and live up to our values. Her storied career is an inspiration to public servants everywhere and a lesson in having the courage of your convictions. May her memory be a blessing for her family and the people of California.”

Fellow US Senator, Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) also used the word “trailblazer” to describe Sen. Feinstein.

“She stood up to powerful interest groups on behalf of her constituents and the rest of us,” Sen. Hirono said Friday during remarks on the Senate floor. “She was a fierce legislator – fighting to ban assault weapons, defend survivors of domestic violence, protect our nation, and much more. But she was also a thoughtful friend. Just last week, she wrote me a letter expressing her happiness that the Banyan tree in Lahaina – badly burned by the wildfires – is starting to show signs of new life. She wrote, ‘I hope that the beloved tree continues to recover and serves as a source of hope and symbol of resilience for the entire community.’”