Adam Schiff facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Adam Schiff
Official portrait, 2024

United States Senator from California
Incumbent
Assumed office December 8, 2024 Serving with Alex Padilla
Preceded by	Laphonza Butler
Chair of the House Intelligence Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Devin Nunes
Succeeded by	Mike Turner
Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Dutch Ruppersberger
Succeeded by	Devin Nunes
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
In office January 3, 2001 – December 8, 2024
Preceded by	James E. Rogan
Succeeded by	Laura Friedman
Constituency	27th district (2001–2003) 29th district (2003–2013) 28th district (2013–2023) 30th district (2023–2024)
Member of the California Senate from the 21st district
In office December 2, 1996 – November 30, 2000
Preceded by	Newton Russell
Succeeded by	Jack Scott

Personal details
Born	Adam Bennett Schiff (1960-06-22) June 22, 1960 (age 65) Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Eve Sanderson (m. 1995)
Children	2
Education	Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Signature
Website

Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently a U.S. Senator for California, a role he started in 2024. Before becoming a senator, Schiff was a member of the United States House of Representatives for 12 terms, from 2001 to 2024. He also served in the California State Senate from 1996 to 2000.

Schiff studied at Stanford University and Harvard Law School. As a lawyer for the U.S. government, he successfully prosecuted a Soviet spy named Richard Miller in 1993. He started running for public office the next year. Schiff lives in Burbank. During his time in the House of Representatives, he represented various districts in Los Angeles County.

From 2019 to 2023, Schiff led the House Intelligence Committee. This committee deals with important information about national security. He was also a main prosecutor, called an impeachment manager, in the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

In 2024, Schiff was elected to the Senate. He won against other Democratic candidates, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, and Republican Steve Garvey. He officially became a senator on December 9, 2024.

Early Life and Education

Adam Schiff was born in Framingham, Massachusetts. His parents were Edward and Sherrill Ann Schiff. He grew up in a Jewish family. His family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1970 and then to Alamo, California, in 1972.

In 1978, he finished high school at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California. He was very active, playing soccer and being chosen by his classmates as "most likely to succeed."

Schiff earned a college degree in political science from Stanford University in 1982. He then went to Harvard Law School and received his law degree in 1985. While at Harvard, he helped drive guest speakers to campus and worked as a research assistant.

Law Career and Early Politics

After law school, Schiff worked for a judge in California for a year. From 1987 to 1993, he was a lawyer for the U.S. government. In this role, he became known for prosecuting Richard Miller, a former FBI agent who spied for the Soviet Union. Miller was found guilty in the third trial.

In 1994, Schiff ran for a seat in the California State Assembly but lost.

Serving in the California State Senate

Schiff as a state senator in 1997

In 1996, Schiff was elected to the California State Senate for the 21st district. At 36, he was the youngest member of the Senate when he started his term. During his four years there, he led important committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Schiff helped create many laws during his time as a state senator. One of his most notable achievements was his work on the light rail extension to Pasadena. This project, which became known as the Gold Line, helped expand public transportation. His efforts on this project earned him the nickname "Father of the Gold Line."

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Becoming a Representative

Schiff speaking to the California Democratic Party in June 2019.

In 2000, Adam Schiff ran for the United States House of Representatives against the person already holding the seat, James E. Rogan. Schiff won this election, becoming only the second Democrat to represent that district since 1913.

After this first win, Schiff was reelected 11 more times. His district changed numbers a few times due to population shifts, but it always remained in Los Angeles County. He usually won his elections by a large margin.

In 2024, instead of running for the House again, Schiff decided to run for the United States Senate. He won this election and left the House on December 8, 2024, to become a senator.

Key Work in Congress

Views on the Iraq War

Schiff voted to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq in 2003. Years later, in 2015, he said he regretted that vote because the intelligence information about Iraq turned out to be wrong. He noted that the decision led to "disastrous consequences."

Supporting Armenian-American Issues

Schiff has been a strong supporter of Armenian-American issues. Many Armenian-Americans live in his district. He worked to pass a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that recognized the Armenian genocide. This resolution passed the full House in 2019. Schiff believes it is important to acknowledge historical truths.

Reducing Helicopter Noise

Schiff also worked to reduce helicopter noise in Los Angeles County. He teamed up with Senator Dianne Feinstein to push the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to study and regulate the noise. Because of their efforts, the FAA created a system for people to report helicopter noise in 2015.

Reforming Surveillance Laws

Schiff has supported changes to how the government collects information, especially after Edward Snowden shared classified details. He criticized the National Security Agency (NSA) for collecting large amounts of phone data. He introduced bills to stop this practice and to make sure privacy is protected when the government gathers intelligence.

Investigating the Benghazi Attack

In 2014, Schiff was appointed to a special committee investigating the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Before joining, he thought the committee was a "waste of time." However, he decided to serve because he felt he could contribute to the investigation.

Promoting Press Freedom

In 2006, Schiff helped create the Congressional Caucus for the Freedom of the Press. This group works to protect journalists and their right to report freely around the world. He helped pass the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act in 2010. This law requires the U.S. government to look into how countries treat news media in their human rights reports.

Views on the Yemen Conflict

In 2015, Schiff supported the military action led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. He said it was needed because of actions by rebels. However, in 2019, he voted for a resolution to end U.S. involvement in the war, but it was vetoed.

Debating War Powers

Schiff has pushed for Congress to debate and vote on new authorizations for military force. He believes that older laws allowing the use of military force are outdated. He also supports spending money on national defense.

Comments on Trump-Russia Investigation

Schiff was a key figure in the investigation into whether Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign worked with Russia. He said there was "more than circumstantial evidence" of such actions. He became the leader of the House Intelligence Committee in 2019 and continued to investigate.

In 2023, the House of Representatives formally criticized Schiff for his role in promoting the idea that Trump's campaign colluded with Russia. Schiff denied the accusations, calling them "defamatory."

North Korea Policy

Schiff has called North Korea a "brutal" country. After an American student, Otto Warmbier, died after being imprisoned in North Korea, Schiff called it "murder." He also noted that President Trump's unpredictable approach might have helped bring North Korea to the negotiating table.

Support for Israel

Schiff with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2002

Schiff is a strong supporter of Israel. In 2016, he urged President Obama to veto a United Nations resolution that criticized Israeli settlement building.

Schiff and Nancy Pelosi in the Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel, February 2022

In 2019, he criticized comments made by another representative that were seen as anti-Semitic regarding support for Israel. In 2023, Schiff condemned the actions of Hamas during the Israel–Hamas war. He supported Israel's right to defend itself and called for "humanitarian pauses" to help Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

Jamal Khashoggi Murder Investigation

After the CIA concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Trump said there wasn't enough evidence. Schiff, who was briefed by the CIA, stated that Trump was being dishonest about the findings.

Leading Impeachment Trials

Schiff has served as an impeachment manager (a prosecutor) in several trials. He led the impeachment trials of two judges in 2009 and 2010.

As the head of the Intelligence Committee, Schiff was a lead investigator in the impeachment inquiry against President Trump related to the Trump–Ukraine scandal. He was later named a lead impeachment manager and presented the case against Trump during his Senate trial in 2020.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict

Schiff has spoken out about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. He accused Turkey of making the conflict worse. He also called for the U.S. to recognize the Republic of Artsakh, a region controlled by ethnic Armenian forces.

Investigating the January 6 Attack

In 2021, Schiff was appointed to the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol. This committee looked into the events of January 6, 2021.

In June 2022, Schiff led a public hearing for the committee. During this hearing, officials shared their experiences with pressure from President Trump after the 2020 election. He called the testimony "enormously powerful."

Supporting a Ban on Stock Trading

Schiff supports a rule that would stop members of Congress from trading stocks.

Committee Assignments

For the current Congress, Schiff is part of the:

Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet

Caucus Memberships

Schiff is a member of several groups in Congress that focus on specific issues:

Co-chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus
Co-founded the Democratic Study Group on National Security
Co-founded the Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press
Vice Chairman of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
New Democrat Coalition
House Baltic Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
Afterschool Caucuses
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment

U.S. Senate Career

2024 Election

Senate campaign logo

Adam Schiff at his first Senate campaign event in Davis, February 2023

On January 26, 2023, Schiff announced he would run for the United States Senate in the 2024 election. He received support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In the primary election, Schiff competed against other representatives, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. He advanced to the general election, where he faced Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball player. Schiff was expected to win the race.

On November 5, Schiff won both the election to finish the current Senate term and the election for the new term starting in January 2025.

Personal Life

Adam and Eve Schiff

Adam Schiff met his wife, Eve Sanderson, in 1990, and they married in 1995. They have two children, Alexa and Elijah.

The Schiff family lives in Burbank. Adam Schiff enjoys physical challenges like triathlons and marathons. In 2014, he was the first member of Congress to take part in the AIDS/LifeCycle, a long charity bike ride to raise money and awareness for HIV and AIDS.

Schiff has also written screenplays as a hobby. In 2021, he published a book called Midnight in Washington, which talks about the effects of the Trump presidency.

Books

Midnight in Washington (2021)

Images for kids

Schiff at the United States Capitol during the 115th Congress
Schiff and Heather Podesta at a party in Washington, D.C., honoring the inauguration of Barack Obama
US congressional delegation at Halifax International Security Forum 2014
Schiff with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in November 2014
Schiff at George Floyd protest in Los Angeles
Schiff and Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi