Story highlights Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she was undecided on a government shutdown vote

Earlier she released a statement saying she would vote against it

(CNN) Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned Wednesday that when the federal government shuts down "people die, accidents happen" and it's hard to assess what the impact will be when "necessary functions cease."

The California Democrat made the stark comments in a Capitol Hill hallway interview as she left a caucus lunch where the standoff with Republicans over a government funding bill -- known as a continuing resolution or CR -- was discussed. She was asked whether she thought her party would vote to pass or block a GOP bill to keep the government open ahead of a Friday deadline.

"Shutting down the government is a very serious thing. People die, accidents happen. You don't know. Necessary functions can cease," she said. "There is no specific list you can look at and make a judgment: 'Well everything is going to be just fine.' You can't make that judgment. So, I think it's a last resort. And I'm really hopeful we don't get to it."

Feinstein said she had not made her mind up about whether to vote for the measure.

Her comments differ from a press statement issued by her office earlier in the day in which she said she would vote against the funding bill unless it included the Dream Act, a bill to help young immigrants affected by the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

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