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Home > Students > Kids Page > Q&A with Congressman Schiff
Questions and Answers with
Congressman Adam Schiff
Have you ever wanted to ask your Congressman a question? Congressman Schiff meets with students from all over the 29th Congressional District of California, and here are some of the questions that he is most frequently asked by young people.
Before you served in Congress, you served in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. What sparked your interest in the law, and subsequently, to become a federal prosecutor?
Stanford University, Palo Alto, California | Congressman Schiff: As a college student, I was torn between an interest in medicine and law. I started out as a pre-med and political science major at Stanford University. In retrospect, even though I did not pursue a career in medicine, I am glad I received a broad education in the sciences, and I encourage all students to take a diverse set of classes. After attending Harvard Law School, I clerked for a federal judge and had the opportunity to watch Assistant United States Attorneys present their cases. Their job seemed fascinating, and I concluded that as a lawyer starting his career it would be much more fulfilling and challenging to work as a prosecutor than working in a law library. I served as a federal prosecutor for six years, during which time I prosecuted cases ranging from espionage to carjacking. After several years of prosecuting cases, I had a strong desire to work on a broader range of issues. I wanted to work proactively, to keep young people out of trouble to begin with and to work on education and the environment. When a friend of mine who worked with me in the U.S. Attorney's Office went to the California State Senate and his new job gave him the opportunity to do all of these things, I decided to follow his example."
Which historical figures influenced you the most?
Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill on portico of Russian Embassy in Teheran, during conference. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division |
Congressman Schiff: Two historic leaders have influenced me the most. The first one, at least in regard to the order in which I studied them, was Winston Churchill. His leadership during the 1930s, when people considered him to be far outside the mainstream of political life and thought, was extraordinary. He warned about the rise of Nazi Germany and the dangers associated with Nazism long before anyone else was raising such fears. He had a strong faith in himself that allowed him to weather the criticism, and I think that’s inspiring.
Abraham Lincoln.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division |
The second individual who has most impressed me is Abraham Lincoln. I believe that he is the most interesting figure in American history. He was a self-taught country boy who grew into the most influential man of his era. His writing, in my view, is pure poetry. Much of his work amazes me, but, in particular, I am fond of his Second Inaugural Address. Indeed, all of his written and spoken work, his letters, and even his off-the-cuff remarks, are moving. Lincoln was not only a remarkable leader but also a power moral figure. Even as the Civil War ended, while others were celebrating the surrender of the South, Lincoln began talking about the difficulty of reconstruction. Lincoln said he was not ready to exult, because "winning" this war was not like vanquishing a foreign enemy, it was like vanquishing a brother. Lincoln was looking forward, already worried about the struggles that would accompany reconstruction and already looking for solutions.
What do you like most about working in Congress?
United States Capitol, Washington D.C.
| Congressman Schiff: The range of issues is absolutely extraordinary. The opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives, in the life of our community and our nation is a wonderful challenge. One minute, we are focusing on getting a prescription drug plan for seniors, and the next we are working on a bipartisan measure to eliminate unregulated "soft" money from political campaigns. One day, it's increasing funding for education, and the next it's looking to improve conditions within the Middle East and the Caspian region. Congress affords me the opportunity to have an impact on people's lives on a daily basis. That is simply a wonderful responsibility.
And what aspects of working on Capitol Hill do you like the least? Congressman Schiff: That’s easy. I don't get to see my family every day, and that's really tough. I wish I could tuck in my young children every night, but I can't.
Is there any message you'd like to pass on to young people?
Congressman Schiff: I'd like to offer some of the young people out there a few words of encouragement. In light of some of the recent scandals here in the last few years, I fear that many people may be turned off from public service. But working in public service is a challenging, rewarding profession. Certainly if you have the dream of being a public official, or working in public service, don't let it go. Some students have asked me what the best subjects for study are if one is interested in politics. I suggest that for young people, the best training is exactly that which interests them. College students should be generalists; there is plenty of time to specialize later. Follow your passion in life and don't let anyone tell you it can't be done. If you're good at what you do, there will always be a demand for you.
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