Feinstein vows to return to DC, but what if she doesn’t?

No.

There is no guarantee that replacements will fill their predecessor’s committee seats.

“Once a new senator is sworn in to fill a vacancy, he or she will receive committee assignments only after the Senate passes an ordinary resolution,” Reynolds said.

Opponents could theoretically hold up the process with a filibuster — a continuous, often unnecessary, debate on the floor that would prolong the vote. 60 votes are needed to end a filibuster.

The question is especially important to Feinstein, who serves on the Judiciary Committee.

Even if he were to step down, Republicans would likely block his successor or any Democratic replacement from filling his seat on the Judiciary Committee under existing Senate rules. That being said, such a move would be unprecedented and highly provocative.

Democrats, including former Senate Majority Harry Reid, who has served 21 years in the Senate, Jim Manley, and former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, could pass a rule change to ensure that Republicans cannot block new senators from committees by requiring a simple majority instead of 60 votes. A leader from Nevada.

But Manley noted that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.C.), the top GOP senator on the Judiciary Committee, said in a recent CNN interview that Republicans would follow precedent if Feinstein resigned.