About Mike

As a lifelong Idahoan, Mike Crapo has learned that a willingness to listen makes for a more effective leader and lawmaker. Mike's commonsense approach and collaborative, creative problem-solving have enabled him to achieve lasting solutions to issues of importance to Idahoans and the nation. The start of the 115th Congress marked a move in senate seniority for Mike, now ranked 18th.

Banking Committee—With the start of this Congress, Mike serves as the Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over efforts to promote the stability of the financial system and responsible lending to families and businesses. This includes oversight of federal policy concerning public and private housing, insurance, financial institutions, securities markets, equity investment, urban development, mass transit, foreign trade promotion and economic policy.

He has been a member of the committee since the beginning of his Senate service in 1999, and he served as the Ranking Member (lead Republican) on the committee in the 113th Congress. His strong background and interest in the finance arena has led to his leadership role in making inroads in the areas of regulatory relief, expansion of homeownership, trade and securities and investment. 

Finance Committee—Mike, who has long been a strong advocate of reforming our nation’s broken tax code, also serves as a senior Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, giving Idaho a strong voice in legislation that impacts our daily lives. The committee has jurisdiction over many issues of daily importance to all Idahoans, including the federal tax code and tax policy in general; major federal government entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; and implementation of reciprocal foreign trade agreements. He serves on three Finance subcommittees:

• Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight;
• Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy; and
• Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure.

With the Republicans maintaining a majority in the 115th Congress, Senator Crapo continues serving on the Joint Committee on Taxation, a bipartisan committee with members of both the House and Senate who work collaboratively on the tax legislative process.

Judiciary Committee—At the start of the 115th Congress, Mike joined the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over nominations such as the Attorney General, Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and judges for appellate and district courts. It also has oversight responsibility for numerous federal departments, including the Department of Justice and its agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additionally, the committee has jurisdiction over immigration and naturalization policy and amendments to the U.S. Constitution. As a former practicing attorney in Idaho Falls before entering public service, Mike assumes an active role on the committee responsible for criminal justice policy and other related matters. He serves on four Judiciary Subcommittees:

• Subcommittee on The Constitution;
• Subcommittee on Immigration and The National Interest;
• Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts; and
• Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law.

Budget Committee—In 2003, Mike was selected to serve as a member of the Senate Budget Committee, which is responsible for crafting Congress’ annual budget plan, monitoring action on the budget and overseeing the operation of the Congressional Budget Office. Mike's fiscally-conservative principles lend a measure of responsible restraint to the pressures for greater spending by the federal government. 

Indian Affairs Committee—Rounding out his committee assignments for the 115th Congress, Mike serves on the Indian Affairs Committee. Idaho is home to five Native American tribes, contributing to the richness of Idaho's history and the State's future. The Indian Affairs Committee is tasked with addressing the unique challenges of the native peoples of our country, including health care access, education, economic development and land management, and considering any necessary legislative solutions.

Environment Committee—Mike served on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee from 2009 to 2017, having served on it previously from 1999 to 2005. The EPW Committee has jurisdiction over environmental policy, water issues, fisheries, highway funding, wildlife and other issues. Among other federal agencies, the committee is charged with overseeing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Previously, Mike served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife. Idaho is defined, in part, by its vast natural resources and the environmental issues that often accompany them, and Mike is heavily involved in natural resources related issues ranging from efforts to update and strengthen the Endangered Species Act to clean water to salmon recovery.

Agriculture Committee—From 2001 to 2008, Mike served as a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and advanced the needs of Idaho's agriculture and timber industries during the crafting of the 2002 Farm Bill and the 2008 Farm Bill. During his service on the committee, he served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit, with jurisdiction over rural development; conservation; stewardship of natural resources; state, local and private forests and general forestry; and agricultural and rural credit.

Caucuses— Mike is an active member of the Senate Western Caucus, made up of senators from Western and rural states committed to advancing federal policies related to environmental stewardship and resource utilization on lands across the West. He also leads or serves on more than 30 other caucuses, which provide an organized forum to join with others in advocating for a wide range of issues important to Idahoans:

• Founder and Co-Chairman, Senate Nuclear Cleanup Caucus; 
• Co-Chairman, Heart and Stroke Coalition;
• Co-Chairman, Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus;
• Co-Chairman, Senate Sweeteners Caucus;
• Founder, Congressional Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Caucus, reinforcing his role as a champion of men’s and women’s health issues; 
• Senate National Guard Caucus;
• Air Force Caucus;
• Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus;
• Western Water Caucus;
• Senate Biotechnology Caucus; 
• Senate Medical Technology Caucus; 
• Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group and others.

Leadership—Mike’s sensible approach has earned him the respect of his colleagues, and he has been selected to serve in other various leadership roles. Mike will continue to serve as Chief Deputy Whip among Senate Republicans for the 115th Congress. During Mike’s tenure in the House, he served on House Leadership as New Member Leader, Strategic Planning Leader and Deputy Whip for the Western Region.

Idaho Legislature—Before being elected to the United States Senate in 1998, Mike served three terms as the 2nd District Representative for Idaho in the U.S. House of Representatives. Previously, he served in the Idaho State Senate from 1984 to 1992, and spent his final four years in the Idaho Legislature as Senate President Pro Tempore.

Experience, Education and Family—Prior to his service in Congress, Mike was a partner in the law firm of Holden, Kidwell, Hahn & Crapo. He is a member of the Idaho and California Bar Associations and the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his Juris Doctorate cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1977, and he graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University in 1973 with a B.A. in political science. Following graduation from law school, he served a one-year clerkship with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mike and his wife, Susan, have five children and eleven grandchildren.

Priorities—Improving our nation’s economic wellbeing—which includes reforming our badly broken tax code, reforming federal government spending programs and establishing powerful budget controls—remains Mike’s number one priority. Curtailment of unreasonable government mandates, increasing our nation’s economic competitiveness, advancing local, collaborative problem solving and many more critical issues are among Mike’s other top priorities in the 115th Congress.