Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Brad Sherman
Current job title: Congressman
Age: 67
Political party affiliation: Democratic
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: California Board of Equalization
City where you reside: Sherman Oaks
Campaign website or social media: bradsherman.com
From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)
ICE: I have strongly opposed the actions of the Trump administration and ICE specifically in targeting individuals throughout our communities. I called for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; I organized my colleagues to conduct oversight of the Metropolitan Detention Center and have visited the Adelanto Detention Center; and I have worked with immigration attorneys to advocate for those who have been caught up in the ICE raids.
Affordability: For working- and middle-class families in Los Angeles, the path to homeownership has become increasingly difficult. As we continue to recover from the wildfire, I have personally confronted Donald Trump, asking him to exclude building materials from his tariff wars.
I will soon introduce the No U.S. Oil Exports During Iran War Act to halt exports of U.S.-produced crude oil during the ongoing war with Iran, aiming to protect American consumers from rising energy costs and economic instability.
I fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped insulin at $35 per month and cut the price of 10 other widely used prescriptions. I also authored the Regulate the Price of All Drugs Act, which will save American $300 billion annually.
Healthcare: Making health care more accessible and affordable is a top priority. That’s why I led the fight to oppose President Trump’s H.R. 1, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which threatens to terminate coverage for over 3 million Californians.
I have cosponsored legislation to restore funding that President Trump cut from Medicaid (Medi-Cal).
Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The president of the United States has no authority to administer elections under the US Constitution, and the bill that is currently being pushed by the president and his blind loyalists would directly involve the executive branch in maintaining voter registration rolls by requiring all states to turn over their voter registration rolls to the Department of Homeland Security. That is why I strongly oppose the SAVE Act. It is also important to note that each state has its own voter ID laws, and time after time it is proven that there is no voter ID problem in the United States.
I respect the Constitution, and I respect each state having its own voting and election laws.
What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I support a more just immigration system. I joined my colleagues to introduce the American Dream and Promise Act, providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and extending protections to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) beneficiaries.
It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The federal government has expended $7 billion to respond to the Los Angeles-area wildfires so far. That funding helped clear debris, provide temporary housing, and give Palisades families a real chance to begin rebuilding. Many more billions of federal dollars are expected to come in the near future to support the state’s infrastructure rebuilding projects. Unless Trump closes the door, California expects to receive significantly more for rebuilding.
However, we need a supplemental appropriation to increase the grants to underinsured homeowners. The Trump administration has signaled to congressional Republicans that, at this time, it does not support a supplemental disaster appropriation to provide additional assistance directly to families and businesses — not for Southern Californians, not for Texans and Wisconsinites impacted by severe flooding, and not for residents of other states hit by major disasters in 2025.
Natural disasters do not recognize state borders or political parties. Abandoning communities still recovering from catastrophe, including here in the Palisades, is wrong and short-sighted.
I am proud that the C-130J Super Hercules firefighting aircraft I secured years ago for the California National Guard helped protect lives and property during the Palisades fire. Preparedness saves lives.
As the Pacific Palisades continues to rebuild, I will keep fighting to make sure our community is not forgotten and that the federal government meets its responsibility to stand with Americans when disaster strikes.
I am working closely with Gov. Newsom, LA County, LA City, congressional leadership and the administration to expeditiously approve a supplemental appropriations package.
Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I support prohibitions on congressional stock trading. I am a cosponsor of the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which prohibits members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children from owning or trading individual stocks, commodities, futures, and derivative assets, and options. I have also signed the discharge petition to force a vote and hopefully pass the End Congressional Stock Trading Act, another bill that would place similar prohibitions on congressional stock trading.
Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I have earned a nearly 100% lifetime rating from the Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters in their evaluation of my voting record in Congress. With the growing threat of climate change, I have worked to expand our national commitment to environmentalism.
I am proud to help pass into law the Inflation Reduction Act – the biggest climate bill in our nation’s history – which makes economy-wide investments in agriculture, coastal restoration, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and transportation that will benefit hardworking Californian families. The Inflation Reduction Act is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, making the United States well-positioned to meet its climate goals while also investing in the American economy.
The transition to a green economy is expected to save families an average of $1,000 per year in energy costs. Millions of Californians are already eligible for tax credits that will make it easier and more affordable for them to upgrade to more efficient appliances, purchase an electric vehicle, install residential clean energy systems, and save money on their energy bills.
President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The best way to ensure military action is judicious and effective is to have strong alliances and to have checks and balances. I introduced the Hands Off Greenland Act because the United States does not threaten to take territory from our allies. With regard to checks and balances, I introduced the War Powers Act Enforcement Act to ensure Congressional approval is sought for hostilities.
Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The U.S. has every right to defend itself from a credible and imminent threat. The true existential threat to our country comes from the potential spread of nuclear weapons. For 11 years, I served as chair or ranking member of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over nonproliferation, and I have authored legislation to rein in the spread of technologies that allow for the production of fuel for nuclear weapons. Likewise, I have authored a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would prohibit the submission of a nuclear cooperation agreement with a country that does not sign and implement an Additional Protocol with the IAEA. All the countries that have nuclear weapons outside the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) have used a civilian program as cover for a military program.
The United States must continue to be a leader in upholding the nonproliferation regime, as the more nuclear-weapon states there are in the world, the more likely we are to face nuclear war.
Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Solely Congress has the right to declare war.
The War Powers Act prevents the president from continuing hostilities undertaken in emergency or exigent circumstances without seeking and obtaining congressional approval within certain time periods. Under the War Powers Act, the president must obtain congressional approval for hostilities he or she commences within 60 or 90 days. Certainly, if the president seeks to go beyond that period of time, or the other limits of the War Powers Act, he or she should do so only pursuant to statutory authorization prescribed by the War Powers Act or a declaration of war.
Unfortunately, since 1973, every president, Democrat and Republican, has claimed that the War Powers Act was not constitutional.
The Constitution divides war powers between Article I (Congress has the authority to declare war) and Article II (commander-in-chief). However, under the Constitution, funds can be spent only as authorized and appropriated by Congress.
I introduced the War Powers Act Enforcement Act, which simply seeks to make permanent law the following language annually included in the Defense Appropriations Act: No Federal funds may be used in contravention of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.).
Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The current Republican majority in Congress has absolutely failed to serve as a check on Donald Trump. There has been little to no oversight as Trump has used his position to secure billions of dollars for his friends and family. For instance, the Qatari government bribed our president with a $400 million plane, and Abu Dhabi hijacked the most advanced computer chips by agreeing to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars of Trump coin, also known as Monopoly money. Meanwhile, the Republican majority has been silent.
There can be no false equivalence in this unprecedented abdication of checks and balances. Democrats are prepared to restore oversight, starting with transparency to expose the full truth behind Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network and the individuals involved.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I am a parent of three teenage daughters and believe strongly in parental rights. While I am not inclined to have government supersede the decision-making of parents with regard to access to social media, it is clear that more restrictions are needed with regard to these platforms. For instance, I cosponsored the bill that would require TikTok to sell its operation to a company in the U.S. or a friendly country because China cannot be trusted with our children’s data – and this bill has been implemented.
I believe that social media companies should be required to empower parents. The default position is that kids cannot use social media. Then, when the social media company verifies that the parents have authorized a number of hours of use for the week (perhaps 0 hours), that is the limit of social media usage. So, I believe in the prohibition of children using social media unless there is a clear and affirmative action taken by the parents to authorize a certain amount.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I have consistently supported funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program and the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program in every Congress.
The COPS program has allocated more than $14 billion to local departments to help advance community policing in the United States. In Los Angeles, the COPS program trains hundreds of Los Angeles Sheriff Department (LASD) deputies and thousands of Los Angeles community residents and allows LASD deputies to earn California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training continuing education units in Community Engagement and Building Trust.
The JAG program has allocated more than $8 billion to states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. Los Angeles is one of the top five highest-eligible local government recipients for the JAG program and supports various initiatives, including violent crime reduction, law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, courts, crime prevention and education, drug treatment and enforcement, crime victim and witness initiatives, and mental health programs
I recently secured $1 million for the LA Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center technology and $1 million for the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles to strengthen the security of Jewish schools, synagogues, and organizations, which face a unique threat of terrorism.
There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Many significant accomplishments, including the expansion of healthcare access to millions of Americans, taking on Wall Street with significant legislative reforms, and passage of the most significant legislation ever passed in the U.S. to fight climate change, were introduced by members of Congress with decades of service in the House of Representatives and the experience to realize these priorities.
If Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi had been subject to term limits, we would not have the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The constitutional requirement of elections every two years for members of the House was the way our Founding Fathers saw fit to regularly hold members accountable to the voting public. I agree with that framework.
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Not hidden, but perhaps not widely known, I am one of only four CPAs in the United States Congress. My accounting background has allowed me to be an effective voice in Congress on financial matters and a strong advocate for consumer protection.