Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is returning to Capitol Hill, according to her office, signaling an end to a months-long absence due to health reasons that spurred calls for the lawmaker to resign.
A spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle that Feinstein is on her way back to Washington and could return to the Senate as early as Tuesday night.
The news comes at a critical moment in the fight between Democrats and Republicans over the debt ceiling, with officials warning of a possible default happening as early as next month without a deal. The White House scheduled a meeting with congressional leaders for Tuesday.
Feinstein announced in early March that she had been diagnosed with shingles and has been recovering ever since. Because Feinstein is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, her absence resulted in a 10-10 split along party lines that rendered the panel unable to advance some of President Joe Biden’s nominees to federal courts around the nation.
While Senate…