Congressman Adam Schiff represents California’s 28th Congressional District. Throughout his career in Congress, he has focused on growing the economy, strengthening national security, improving communities, aiding small businesses, and boosting education, safety, and healthcare. During his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Schiff served as the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and was a member of the Select Committee on Benghazi. The House Intelligence Committee oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies, including components of the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Energy. Also, learn more about Senator Ben Allen and his work on the environment and culture. More at layes.
Biography
Adam Schiff was born on June 22, 1960, in Framingham, Massachusetts. He grew up in a Jewish family and moved to Danville, California, during high school. He graduated from Monte Vista High School, earned a political science degree from Stanford University, and a law degree from Harvard Law School.
Schiff began his career as a federal prosecutor in the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office. In 1995, he married Eve Sanderson, and they have two children. He enjoys reading, running, and cooking for his family. Throughout his life, he has actively advocated for equality, social justice, and the support of minority groups.
Work in the California State Senate
Schiff was elected to the California State Senate in 1996 after two unsuccessful bids for the State Assembly. He served on the Judiciary Committee, the Select Committee on Juvenile Justice, and the Joint Committee on the Arts. His most famous case as a prosecutor was the successful trial against Richard Miller, an FBI agent accused of spying for the Soviet Union. As a state senator, he focused on strengthening California schools, improving after-school programs, and bolstering public safety laws. He authored the legislation to create the Gold Line Construction Authority. Since the entertainment industry is one of the region’s largest job creators, Schiff became a leader in the fight against intellectual property theft and piracy. He is the founder and co-chair of the International Creativity and Theft Prevention Caucus.
Schiff completed a four-year term as State Senator for California’s 21st Senate District. He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Juvenile Justice, and the Joint Committee on the Arts. During his time in Sacramento, he led legislative efforts to ensure up-to-date textbooks were available in classrooms, reform child support payments, and pass a comprehensive Patient Bill of Rights.
In the race for the U.S. House of Representatives, Schiff was elected to represent California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Altadena, Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Pasadena, San Marino, South Pasadena, and Sunland-Tujunga. He was re-elected in 2018.
Achievements as Congressman
A top priority for Schiff was creating jobs and fostering a stronger economy. He consistently believed that small businesses were the true engine of growth during challenging economic times. He fought to enact tax relief for small businesses, help them access capital, and reduce burdensome regulations. Schiff also believed that restoring America as a manufacturing powerhouse was crucial. Through these efforts, American businesses could start growing and creating jobs.
Schiff has been a leader in national security and foreign policy in Congress. He pushed for a broad strategy emphasizing diplomacy, intelligence reform, and efforts to stabilize countries at risk of becoming terrorist “safe havens.” He worked hard to ensure the safety of all Americans by tackling nuclear proliferation. Schiff authored the Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law on February 16, 2010.
The Congressman was also a human rights champion and a firm supporter of recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He introduced resolutions and spoke frequently on the issue. Schiff also championed freedom of the press. He promoted the Press Freedom Caucus, which aims to ensure press freedom worldwide by creating a forum to combat and condemn media censorship and the persecution of journalists. Schiff also authored the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, which President Obama signed on May 17, 2010.
Also among his successes was securing federal funding to create a regional DNA lab in Glendale to speed up the processing of DNA evidence. The lab began operations in April 2012. He also managed to secure vital funding to help the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department eliminate the backlog of thousands of untested sexual assault evidence kits. Legislatively, he introduced the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Act of 2012, which encourages states to collect DNA upon arrest for certain crimes to help solve cases and prevent further crimes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Schiff recognized the urgency of vaccine development. As early as 2020, Schiff warned that the country would face a series of pandemic waves as social distancing measures eased.
Schiff is a proponent of science and believes that American leadership in space exploration is a key driver in countless high-tech and emerging industries. As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA, Schiff consistently fought to preserve and expand robotic missions.
The Connection Between Schiff and Trump
Schiff chaired the House Intelligence Committee for four years and spearheaded the first Trump impeachment investigation. He also served on the House Select Committee that investigated Trump’s role in the Capitol attack. Donald Trump has repeatedly called for indictments against committee members. He made over 100 threats against his political rivals during his 2024 presidential campaign.
In response to these threats, Adam Schiff stated that he would stand up to Trump. He is alarmed by the former President’s threats, which target mass deportations, family separations, and economic destruction. Schiff is confident he doesn’t need to fear the threats, believing he can defend himself in U.S. courts. He called on Trump to refrain from carrying out the actions mentioned in his threats.
On November 5, 2024, Schiff won the election for the U.S. Senate in California. On December 9, 2024, he was sworn in as a Senator using a 1490 edition of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, one of the most revered and comprehensive codes of Jewish law. For Schiff, this volume represents a legal code and one of the most organized, comprehensive, and influential documents of Jewish law. Schiff is not the only Jewish elected official who has chosen to take the oath of office on this specific code. Schiff officially began his Senate term on January 3, 2025.