Former Pasadena Congressman Adam Schiff Sworn In for Six-Year Term in U.S. Senate

After being sworn in Friday for a six-year term, Democrat Adam Schiff set a record for being the only senator in the history to have taken the oath of office three times in less than one month.

Fellow California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla accompanied Schiff on the Senate floor as he took the oath of office Friday morning from Vice President Kamala Harris. After the ceremony, Schiff issued a statement in which he described his role as an “honor of a lifetime.”

“From the towering redwoods of the north to the fertile farmlands of the Central Valley, from the breathtaking beaches and deserts of the south to every community — large and small — in between, California is a big state with big dreams,” Schiff said in a statement.

“We must work to ensure that every Californian can share in what our state has to offer. And that starts with the work necessary to build more housing and lower the cost of living,” Schiff added. “To create an economy that works for everyone and protects our planet for generations to come.”

According to the Office of the Senate Historian, Schiff set a record after taking the oath of office three separate times.

Schiff was first sworn in Dec. 9 after being appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to succeed Sen. Laphonza Butler, who resigned a day earlier. Butler had been appointed by Newsom on Oct. 1, 2023 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Schiff was sworn in a second time Dec. 19 after California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber certified the results of the Nov. 5 special election Schiff won to fill the remainder of Feinstein’s term.

Schiff’s office previously announced he will serve on the Senate Judiciary; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Environment and Public Works; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees.