Information for Kids

Senator Crapo meets with Meridian Elementary School students to discuss healthy eating habits and snacks.

Many decisions made by Congress affect kids throughout the country, and I hope that students will take advantage of the resources available through the Internet to learn more about their country's government.I am pleased that you are interested in learning more. My job as a U.S. Senator is very rewarding. Every state elects two U.S. Senators. A Senator has to be at least 30 years old, live in the state in which he or she is elected and been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years. I was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998, when I was 47 years old.

Making Laws

Setting up the federal laws of the United States is one of the most important responsibilities of a U.S. Senator. That process can sometimes be very complicated. One of my favorite books to read with classes in Idaho is "House Mouse, Senate Mouse," which is a fun way to learn about how a bill becomes a law. It is a good description of how a bill is introduced, debated, voted on and ultimately signed into a law.

Meeting with Idahoans

Another important part of my job is to meet with Idahoans who visit Washington, DC, to talk with their lawmakers. Every day that the Senate is in session, I meet with people from my home state. Coming soon to this page will be a slideshow that will take you through a day with me on Capitol Hill. You can also read about a typical day at this page.

Working on Committees

As part of my responsibilities in the U.S. Senate, I serve on five committees: Budget; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Environment and Public Works; Indian Affairs; and Finance. Each one of these committees is in charge of different issues that come before Congress. For example, the Finance Committee looks over Social Security and decides whether it needs improvements; the Banking Committee oversees much of the regulation that governs home ownership. All the committees have a number of other issues under their jurisdiction.