Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor thanking Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) for her distinguished service in the Senate on behalf of California.

Butler was sworn in on October 3, 2023, following the passing of the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. During her time in the Senate, Butler worked alongside Padilla to confirm eight historic California judicial nominees to the federal bench and fight for critical disaster aid for California. Padilla and Butler also introduced legislation to protect and conserve California’s treasured public lands, including the proposed Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments. The Senate recently passed a pair of bills they led honoring the life and legacy of Senator Feinstein.

Video of Padilla’s full remarks can be found here.

Key Excerpts:

• Imagine, to be called upon on such short notice to serve a state of nearly 40 million people. But it’s another thing entirely to be asked to also, in the process, fill the shoes of the legendary Senator Dianne Feinstein: a titan of California politics and the U.S. Senate who served such honor, and dignity, and grace for over three decades.

• It takes a trailblazer to fill the seat of a trailblazer. And Laphonza Butler was certainly no stranger to high stakes. She knew it and proved it as a union organizer fighting for workers all across the nation. She knew it as the one-time President of California’s SEIU Local 2015, representing members of California’s largest home care and nursing home workers union. And she knew it as President of EMILY’s List.

• Once she did join us here in the Senate, it was no surprise to me that she hit the ground running. She immediately set up an office and built a team of more than capable and passionate public servants that would help her — and my office, frankly, we’re a tag team after all — serve the people of California.

• I’ve been proud to work with her, nominating and confirming historic judicial nominees to the federal bench, to fight for critical disaster funding for Californians and the relief that we just passed a few minutes ago, and working to protect and conserve our cherished public lands, and so much more.

• To Senator Butler, let the record reflect that it’s been an honor to serve alongside you these past 14 months. And while we will miss you here in the United States Senate, I know that your work is far from over and that our partnership will continue. And I have no doubt that I will see you in the trenches.

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