Crapo, Michael Dean (1951-…), became a member of the United States Senate in 1999. Crapo, a Republican from Idaho, earlier served in the United States House of Representatives. In 1996, while Crapo was a member of the House Agriculture Committee, the House passed a sweeping farm bill that cut back federal subsidies to farmers and removed some government controls.
Crapo was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on May 20, 1951. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University in 1973 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1977. He worked as a law clerk in 1977 and 1978 and as an associate attorney with a law firm in 1978 and 1979. He joined the law firm of Holden, Kidwell, Hahn in 1979 and became a partner in the firm in 1983.
Crapo served in the Idaho state Senate from 1985 to 1993. He was elected to the U.S. House in 1992 and reelected in 1994 and 1996. In 1998, he ran for the U.S. Senate instead and won. He took office in 1999. Crapo won reelection to the Senate in 2004, 2010, 2016, and 2022. As a senator, Crapo became known for his work on the environment, federal budgets, housing policy, and issues important to rural Americans.
