Schiff, Steven, 1947-1998

Steven Harvey Schiff (March 18, 1947 – March 25, 1998) was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he notably served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 1989 until his death in 1998.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he received a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law. Schiff joined the New Mexico Air National Guard in 1969 and was a reservist until his death. After finishing law school, he remained in New Mexico and was a lawyer until his election to Congress. From 1972 until 1977, Schiff was an assistant district attorney for Bernalillo County, New Mexico; from 1979 to 1981, Schiff served as assistant city attorney and counsel for the Albuquerque police department. He was the Bernalillo County, New Mexico district attorney from 1981 until 1988.

Schiff was elected to the One Hundred First and to the four succeeding Congresses. He had an interest in UFOs and as a congressperson pressured various government officials for information about them. Schiff died of squamous-cell carcinoma in Albuquerque, New Mexico partway into his fifth term and was interred in Fairview Cemetery there.