Incumbent Offers Insight into Plans

By Mary O’KEEFE

With less than two weeks to go before Election Day, Congressman Adam Schiff is looking toward the future and what, if elected, he will first focus on.

During the League of Women Voters-sponsored debate on Oct. 15 between Schiff and Republican candidate Phil Jennerjahn, the subject of bipartisanship was discussed.

Schiff spoke about when he first arrived in Washington, describing how he worked with Republicans on several bills. He continues to try to work with the other side of the aisle, but said it is not as easy as it once was.

“This is a foundational question. There is so much that we need to do … it can’t be done by one party or the other. All issues are required to work across the aisle,” he said.

Jennerjahn said he too would like to work with others, however “you have to have good elected leaders that you can cooperate with.”

“We really have to find a way to get together,” Schiff said in an interview with CVW. “There are fiscal issues we have to deal with [by] Dec. 31. We have a limited time to deal with [these issues].”

He added the challenges of the country, especially fiscally, are not insurmountable. The issues the House and Senate will have to face once everyone is back from elections include sequestration, extending the Bush tax cuts and raising or not raising the debt ceiling.

One of the fiscal avenues that all legislature members and administration will have to deal with is employment.

“I want California to lead the way in the [renewable energy] industry,” Schiff said. “We are in a … great position with [Jet Propulsion Laboratory] and Caltech in energy and science. We should be leading that charge.”

Foreign countries are focusing on the new technology field and educating their children in these areas.

“The key to competitiveness in energy and technology is having a well-trained work force,” he said.

That is why it is important to make it easier for students to go on to community colleges and universities, Schiff said, adding that not investing in education is counter-productive.

Schiff is the Democratic incumbent for the Congress District 28; Phil Jennerjahn is the Republican challenger for the Congressional seat.

  Mary Okeefe