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Sen. Feinstein: If Congress were all women, we would have financial reform by now.

On Wednesday, ThinkProgress attended Fortune Magazine’s “Most Powerful Women” dinner honoring accomplished women leaders from around the world. The centerpiece of the evening was a discussion with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). When Fortune Editor at Large Pattie Sellers asked Feinstein about serving as one of the few women in the Senate, Feinstein took a swipe at her male counterparts:

FEINSTEIN: There are 17 of us [women in the Senate] now. When I came in there were two. It was known as the “Year of the Woman” because a few of us got elected to the Senate. …

SELLERS: So the environment really has changed now that there are 17, and it’s easier? And here you are on regulatory reform…is there going to be this?

FEINSTEIN: Well, I actually think that if we had all women, we would solve the problem. But, I think there will be a bill now. I’m delighted that this impasse has finished, that this debate will move forward, that there will hopefully be substantial amendments and not [inaudible] amendments to incite one side or another, what we call message amendments, but practical amendments to make the bill better. And if that’s the case, I do believe we’ll have a bill.

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was sitting at the front of the room and enthusiastically clapped when Feinstein said that women would have solved the financial problem by now. Watch it:

Earlier in the conversation, Feinstein acknowledged Collins and said that she wished all Republicans would be as “reasonable” as she is. This week, Collins decided to part with her Republican colleagues’ intransigence and agreed to begin debate on financial reform legislation.