Congressman Adam Schiff

Republicans know they can’t win with their backward policies. So they’re trying to decide future elections by passing laws making it harder for people of color to vote. These laws are daggers pointed at the heart of our democracy. And they must be stopped.

California is well on our way to full recovery from COVID-19 but we’re not out of the woods yet. The Delta coronavirus variant is on the rise in California, and, if you’re still unvaccinated, you’re at risk of contracting this highly contagious variant, which can cause serious illness and death. And while all three vaccines are safe and effective at preventing COVID-19, as an extra precaution, the World Health Organization and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Hea...lth now recommend that everyone including fully vaccinated individuals wear a mask indoors to protect themselves and those around them from the Delta variant. If you haven’t already, visit MyTurn.CA.gov to make your FREE vaccination appointment TODAY. We’re in the home stretch, but we have to keep going. It’s time to put this virus behind us once and for all. https://www.latimes.com//as-delta-variant-spreads-l-a-coun

At first glance, it may seem as though the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Colonial Pipeline, a regional ferry company in Massachusetts, a small hospital in Los Angeles, and the world’s largest meatpacker have little in common. They serve different purposes in different industries in different parts of the country and the economy. But what we are discovering is that every industry, in every part of the country, both large companies and small, are suffering deb...ilitating and increasingly common cyber-attacks. And these are just the ones that have made headlines there are many more that have not been made public. There’s no mistaking it cyberspace is the 21st century’s battlefield, and the actions we take today or don’t will have long-lasting repercussions on every walk of life. This month, President Biden met with Putin and put forward a clear list of industries and critical infrastructure that constitute a red line and must never be the target of cyber-attacks and hacks. Importantly, Biden promised real consequences if Russia did not cooperate in efforts to hold those responsible to account. This type of blunt talk from the President is a welcome change from the last four years and puts Putin on notice that these attacks will no longer be tolerated. This threat isn’t going away on its own and may get worse before it gets better. In our increasingly connected world, everything from the gas that powers our vehicles to the food we feed our families can be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. But America can do a much better job defending itself and using its considerable cyber capabilities to disrupt those who would attack us. In Congress, we will make sure the Administration has the resources and authorities it needs to do so. https://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com//news-from-washingt/

Marriage equality has been the law of the land for nearly six years, but inequality and violence toward the LGBTQ+ community still persists in far too many parts of our society. That must change immediately. To celebrate and mark Pride Month, I spoke with my constituent and the first openly gay Hollywood stuntman, Shawn Balentine, about his incredible life story and the urgent need to pass the Equality Act. Shawn frequently travels across state lines for work, and knows fir...sthand how it feels to lose certain civil rights simply because of who you love, how you identify, or where you happen to live or work. The Equality Act will create consistent federal protections barring discrimination in housing, employment, public spaces, and more for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Senate must take up and pass this critical legislation because no one is truly free until all are free. See more

We must always stand united against all forms of hatred. Today, we remember the eleven lives lost in the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh two years ago, in what was the deadliest attack on Jewish Americans in our nation’s history. Hate has no place in America, and on this terrible anniversary we must recommit to speaking out against anti-Semitism, and against those who fuel the flames of violent bigotry. For the worshippers we lost that day, may their memory forever be a blessing.

California Residents: Over the next few days, some areas will experience high, dangerous wind conditions that can lead to wildfires. Due to these powerful winds, you may experience power shut offs by your utility provider. With Los Angeles already under a wind advisory, it is important to be prepared, especially if you are in the canyon, mountain, or foothill areas, and be ready to evacuate if you are told to do so. Let’s all do our part to save lives and protect our community.

As we approach the election, I have been thinking more and more about where we are, who we are, and who we want to be as a nation. I often hear people say that we have never been more divided, and while there’s no doubt we are facing unprecedented, wrenching challenges as a nation, I am confident that America will get through this turmoil. I truly believe that, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to get up in the morning. We have been through two World Wars, a Great Depression, a Ci...vil War, and more. And we will survive this period of great strife and division, too. This moment was born of two simultaneous revolutions an economic revolution changing our workplaces, with automation and globalization causing millions of people at home and abroad to lose their jobs through no fault of their own. That was coupled with an information revolution with social media, no less significant than the invention of the printing press, and perhaps more jarring since we didn’t centuries to get used to this innovation. It will take us real time to acclimate to an environment where fear and lies travel far faster than truth, and in which algorithms amplify our divisions. These revolutions, and division, predated Donald Trump, but like the capable arsonist that he is, he has poured fuel on the fire. This too shall pass, but not without a lot of damage in the meantime. And it will be up to those of us who remain to pick up the pieces, and build our democracy back better. Our job moving forward is to reclaim our country and what we stand for. We must remind the rest of the world what America represents. More importantly, we must never lose sight of our values and who we are as citizens, and as a nation. I shared more thoughts on how we got to this political moment, and where we go from here, in UCLA's Blueprint Magazine:

America is the land of opportunity, and those coming to our borders and shores are seeking a better life. The thought of detainees being forced to undergo surgical procedures that could prevent them from having children in the future is unimaginable and inhuman. It’s an affront to basic human dignity. Congress has no choice but to investigate this, and hold every single person involved accountable for their actions. We are better than this as a nation. We have to be.

For more than a month, Azerbaijan and Turkey have been waging war on Artsakh, bombarding civilians, churches, and committing possible war crimes. More than 800 soldiers have been killed repelling Azerbaijan’s attacks, and dozens of civilians are dead. Estimates are that more than half of the civilian population of Artsakh has been displaced, sleeping in cars or open fields away from falling bombs, as winter approaches. I am formally calling for U.S. recognition of the Indepen...dent Republic of Artsakh. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. If Azerbaijan and Turkey have determined to wage war, the United States, the Minsk Group, and the International Community should make clear that they will not succeed in their aims. Aliyev and Erdogan must be made to understand that if they continue with this war, there will be consequences. The United States will not stand idly by. I stand with Armenia. I stand with Artsakh.

The Trump Administration has adopted many cruel and callous policies over the past few years. But none has been more shameful than family separation, which has orphaned more than 500 migrant children and left an indelible stain on the soul of our nation. And for what? To use their suffering for political gain? Simply put, this treatment is inhumane, unconscionable and an anathema to what we stand for as a nation. We must work to reunite families and hold those that perpetrate...d this cruelty to account. America is better than this. We have to be.

I have some good news to report about efforts to get the U.S. government to state the plain and undeniable facts of the Armenian Genocide: Earlier this year, along with a bipartisan group of colleagues, I wrote to the The Library of Congress urging them to use the historically accurate phrase Armenian Genocide in their catalogs, rather than referring to the campaign of genocide as the Armenian "massacre." There is no historical debate over whether the murder of 1.5 million ...Armenians from 1915-1923 was a genocide, and it is an affront the community, and to contemporary human rights efforts, to use euphemisms that obscure the scale of this atrocity. Particularly after both the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation recognizing the genocide, this change was long overdue. I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, has informed us that they will now use the term Armenian Genocide as the subject matter heading. The Library is a leading institution of knowledge in the United States and across the world, and its holdings include many works that attest to the facts of the genocide. This change is a significant and important one -- a further step in overcoming the decades-long campaign of denial that has silenced too many about this dark period of history. And this decision takes on greater importance because of current events. The genocide of a century ago feels all too present for so many families as Azerbaijan and Turkey commit atrocities in Artsakh and Armenia today, killing dozens of civilians and injuring and displacing thousands. Recognizing genocide is not simply a historic issue - it is a message to Presidents Aliyev and Erdogan that we not be intimidated into silence. We will stand with Armenia and Artsakh.

Every day, journalists across the world are harassed, arrested, or murdered for their reporting. A free and independent media is essential for a free society, and the United States must stand with journalists who risk their lives to expose corruption, provide independent and critical views, and tell the difficult stories that must be told. That’s why I introduced the Jamal Khashoggi Press Freedom Accountability Act, which will ensure that the United States holds to account th...ose who commit gross human rights abuses against journalists. This legislation would prohibit U.S. foreign assistance to government entities, and levy targeted sanctions against individuals, that perpetrate gross human rights violations against journalists, and would require the Department of State to document incidents of online harassment and electronic surveillance of journalists in its annual Human Rights Reports. Standing up for democracy means standing up for a free press. It is time for the United States to champion this fundamental principle around the world. https://schiff.house.gov//schiff-introduces-legislation-to

A lot of you don’t know this, but I am originally from Boston and grew up a Red Sox fan. But coming to Los Angeles after law school, it was hard not to come to admire and root for the Dodgers. The late 1980s were one of the best times to become a Dodgers fan, with Fernando-mania, Orel Hershiser, and Kirk Gibson. Tonight, they face the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. And the team is the best since 1988, with Mookie, Cody, Walker, Corey and Clayton. Third time in the last four years, and this time I know that they will bring the World Series trophy back to where it belongs Los Angeles! Let’s go Dodgers!

Tune in LIVE for a virtual town hall hosted by Congressman Adam Schiff and State Senator Anthony Portantino, with California Labor and Workforce Development Agency Secretary Julie Su. The conversation will be moderated by former Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos.

TONIGHT AT 7 PM PT: Join me and State Senator Anthony Portantino for a virtual town hall with California Labor and Workforce Development Agency Secretary Julie Su, moderated by former Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos. Register via zoom at www.bit.ly/schiffportantino or tune in here on Facebook Live. I hope you’ll join us for this important conversation!