Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Tuesday told reporters that she’s been at the Capitol working and voting, apparently unaware that she’s spent months away this year due to health problems.

Feinstein, 89, returned to the Senate just last week after spending nearly three months away from Washington, DC,  recovering from a bout of shingles. 

When asked by a reporter Tuesday about the reception she’s received from colleagues upon her return, Feinstein lashed out at the journalist and provided answers indicating that she was seemingly unaware that she had been out.

“No, I haven’t been gone,” Feinstein said. “You should follow the — I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.”

When asked if she meant that she’d been working from home, the senior senator from California responded, “No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting. Please. You either know or don’t know.”

Feinstein, who was being maneuvered through the Senate in a wheelchair pushed by a staffer, also told a reporter that she was “feeling fine” but had “a problem with the leg.” 

When asked what was wrong with the leg, she said it was “nothing that’s anyone’s concern but mine.”

Feinstein, the oldest member of the Senate, has faced questions about her apparently declining cognitive abilities for years. 

In 2020, several people told the New Yorker that Feinstein’s short-term memory was so bad that she “often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have.” 

The publication also reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has had several “painful” conversations with Feinstein about stepping aside, only for her to soon forget the discussions had taken place.

Two years later, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a member of California’s congressional delegation who has known Feinstein for over a decade had to reintroduce themselves to her repeatedly over a discussion lasting several hours. 

The report also indicated that her staff handles most of her responsibilities. 

Last month, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) called on Feinstein to resign amid absence from the Senate chamber.

“It’s time for [Feinstein] to resign,” Khanna said. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”

His call was soon echoed by Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who tweeted, “I agree with [Khanna].”

“Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet,” he added.

Upon her return to the Senate last week, Feinstein said in a statement she had “made significant progress” but was “still experiencing some side effects from the shingles virus.”

“My doctors have advised me to work a lighter schedule as I return to the Senate,” she said.

Feinstein announced earlier this year that she will not seek re-election in 2024.