Adam Schiff: Where the California U.S. Senate candidate stands on these issues

Adam Schiff on top issues facing CA voters

Rep. Adam Schiff spoke about his run for US Senate and where he stands on some issues including the economy, homelessness, and crime.

Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff is in a competitive race for California U.S. Senate, facing off against Republican and former Dodger Steve Garvey in the November General Election.

Schiff represents California's 30th Congressional District. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000 and currently serves as a senior member of the House Committee on the Judiciary. In 1996, he was elected to the California State Senate and was the Senate’s youngest member when his term began. During his four-year term, Schiff chaired the Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Juvenile Justice, and the Joint Committee on the Arts. While serving in the State Senate, he also taught political science courses at Glendale Community College.

Schiff has been a leading advocate for human rights both locally and around the world. He is the Vice Chair of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus and Vice Chair of the Armenian Caucus. As a strong supporter of the Armenian community, he has led efforts in Congress to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide and in 2019 Congress passed his resolution with overwhelming bipartisan support. Schiff was also part of the congressional delegation that traveled to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the spring of 2022.

Here's where Adam Schiff stands on issues:

Schiff's stance on crime

Schiff said public safety is his top priority. He plans to increase funding for law enforcement and put more cops on the street and focus on community-based policing. In addition to that, he also plans to invest in new tools to identify those who are committing crimes.

"I brought back millions to eliminate the rape kit backlog so we could take rapists off the street. I helped establish a regional DNA crime lab in Glendale so that we could identify who's committing these smash-and-grab robberies and other property crimes. And so we're going to have more police, better police, better policing, and we're going to need other tools to bring people to justice," Schiff told FOX 11's Phil Shuman.

Rep. Schiff continues to campaign. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Schiff's stance on homelessness

Schiff said tackling the issue of homelessness means creating more affordable housing. His plans also include expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, which would make it easier for developers to build more affordable housing. He also plans to create a federal low-interest loan for multifamily housing units, and convert unused federal and state buildings/land into housing developments.

In an interview with FOX 11, Schiff said the homelessness epidemic comes back to one common problem… there isn't enough housing available and the time it takes to construct it.

"We're not building it fast enough. We're not building it cheaply enough. My top priority in the Senate is going to be to expand the low-income housing tax credit so we incentivize the construction of a lot more housing. I also want to incentivize local governments to get to ‘yes’ on housing decisions very quickly. I want to make sure that we reduce the time it takes to build new housing," Schiff explained.

Schiff's stance on the economy

Schiff says dramatic steps are needed to drive down costs in California. His proposed plans include driving down the cost of prescription drugs, gas, food, housing, and childcare. He said there needs to be federal price gouging rules and better antitrust enforcement. During an interview with FOX 11, Schiff said bringing down costs and lifting people's income would help move the economy. He also plans to give middle-class families a tax cut and restore the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) for families making less than $400,000.

"We have to raise people's incomes. We need to make the economy work for people. Right now, the economy is working for those who are doing really well. A lot of middle-class families are really struggling. I think part of the reason our democracy has been in trouble is that too many people find themselves working harder than ever and still barely getting by. And solving that problem is priority number one for me."

Schiff's stance on immigration

Schiff believes in securing and controlling the border. He says the asylum process is broken and needs to be reformed. Claims also need to be processed in a timely manner.

"It can take five or 7 or 10 years to have an asylum case adjudicated. And in the meantime, you know, people are living in the country for years and then told years later, no, you're not eligible for asylum. You're an economic migrant. That's not good for anybody. It's not good for those trying to migrate. It's not good for the country."

His plans also include helping communities impacted by immigration and creating a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and other undocumented people.