Congressman Adam Schiff, who was first elected in 2000, believes unrest in the Middle East and uncertainty about the economy are major challenges still facing the United States. That is why he is running for a ninth term as the Democratic representative in the 28th Congressional District.

Congressman Adam Schiff joined Democratic colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives for a sit-in to demand action on gun control legislation in June after the mass murder at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (photo courtesy of Congressman Adam Schiff’s Office)

Schiff, who is regularly involved with issues involving national security as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said he has been honored to represent the district, which stretches from West Hollywood to Pasadena. He is running against Lenore Solis, a Republican candidate and Glendale resident who ran a quiet campaign.

Schiff remains at the forefront of foreign policy and military issues. Earlier this week, he expressed anger about the Pentagon and California National Guard reclaiming enlistment bonuses for military members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced he is asking the Pentagon to suspend efforts to reclaim the military bonuses – which range from $15,000 to $20,000.

“Secretary Carter made the right call to suspend efforts to collect bonuses and benefits that were given in error to soldiers who enlisted or reenlisted to serve our nation during war time,” Schiff said. “While this will help some families sleep a bit easier at night, much more needs to be done, starting with Congressional legislation to waive these debts and to provide relief to soldiers who have already repaid some or all of the bonuses they accepted in good faith. It should not fall on the shoulders of those who serve our country to pay for the mistakes of others that offered these incentives improperly or allowed the error to go undiscovered for so many years.”

Schiff said he will be working with colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve legislation that will bar the military from asking for the bonuses. He also sent a letter this week to Major General David Baldwin, of the California National Guard calling for the National Guard to halt its requests that the money be returned.

Congressman Adam Schiff held a town hall meeting on gun violence in August to hear ideas about the issue from constituents and to outline his viewpoints about the problem. (photo by Edwin Folven)

“I continue to work on drafting legislation that will accomplish these goals and hope to introduce it in the coming weeks before Congress comes back into session.”

Schiff said there will be other major issues to address when Congress resumes its session the week after the Nov. 8 election. He cited terrorism, the escalation of violence in Syria and Russian aggression as top priorities.

“Since I was first elected, the situation around the world has changed quite dramatically and the threats we face are different,” Schiff said. “When I was first elected it was before 9/11 and the top issue was the environment. But now with newly belligerent Russia, and ISIS and al-Qaida still a threat, the national security threat has changed. The environment and climate change are certainly as pressing as ever, but national security is a priority.”

Schiff also keeps his focus on local issues. On the environmental front, Schiff is working to expand the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by creating the “Rim of the Valley” corridor, which would preserve approximately 193,000 acres of land along the northern and western edges of the San Fernando Valley.

Schiff said he is also a strong proponent of public transportation and will fight to add more subways and light rail lines. He was involved in securing federal funding to get the Gold Line light rail operational from the San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles, and supports an extension of light rail through West Hollywood.

“I am a big fan of that proposal,” Schiff said. “I met with the mayor and council members in West Hollywood to discuss it. We are trying to advance the timing of that project. I have seen what a great boon the Gold Line was in the eastern part of the district, and I’d love to see light rail in the Hollywood and West Hollywood part of the district.”

The congressman said one of his top priorities will be to boost the economy and find additional ways to create jobs.

“I think people are particularly concerned about the economy. People have still barely recovered from the Great Recession and if they have recovered, they don’t feel a lot of solidity. Getting the economy growing is a starting point. I support Secretary Clinton’s infrastructure package which will not only improve the crumbling infrastructure, it will put people back to work.”

Schiff also said he remains a strong proponent of social equality and justice, and will continue to work with national and local leaders on LGBT issues. He is championing legislation at the federal level to regulate “conversion therapy” centers, and plans to focus on employment and housing discrimination.

“I think the continued struggle for equality is something my constituents place a great importance on,” Schiff said. “We have made tremendous strides, but we still have a problem with discrimination in employment and housing. I would like to see more legislation to prevent discrimination. I think that is a very high priority.”

Senior issues and preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are also priorities, Schiff said. The congressman plans to work to preserve Social Security benefits and Medicare for seniors. He also praised the ACA for making health insurance available to more people than ever in the United States.

“The Affordable Healthcare Act has been very successful in extending healthcare to 20 million people who didn’t have it before,” Schiff said. “But one party has taken the position of repeal or nothing. There will be a stalemate until we can convince them to work together so we can improve it.”

Schiff added that he plans to continue building bridges in Washington to overcome differences between Democrats and Republicans that often lead to stalemates in Congress.

“The biggest danger is broken governance, and the presidential campaign has not helped in bridging the divide. I am trying to stay focused on the job and not let politics intrude,” Schiff said. “I think the GOP is a party that doesn’t know where it is headed, and [government] only works when there are two parties. I hope leadership prevails after the election and I hope the Democrats are in control.”

He said there is unfinished business involving foreign affairs that he hopes to continue addressing, as well as issues affecting people closer to home.

“I am deeply concerned about Russia and their incredible aggression in places like the Ukraine and Syria. And I am also concerned about cyber-attacks on the United States. Those are some of the major threats we are going to face,” Schiff said. “I want to continue to make sure healthcare and housing needs are met.”

Schiff added that he has enjoyed representing the local area and hopes constituents in the 28th District will elect him for a ninth term.

“It’s been a great honor to represent the community and I welcome their support and vote in November,” Schiff added. “We have one of the most exciting and diverse districts in the country, but it’s not without its challenges. I look forward to hearing their input.”

Solis, who was reached by phone on Tuesday, said she was asked by the Republican party to run against Schiff so the incumbent congressman did not run unopposed. Solis said she is a longtime member of the Republican party and owns an Atwater Village-based realty and tax preparation business. She declined to discuss issues over the phone, and instead asked that an email request be sent so she could forward an official response. The email was not returned.