ia_sen_GRASSLEY

(CBS) 


SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY

Age: 65

Born: September 17, 1933 in New Hartford, Iowa

Education: University of Northern Iowa, M.A. (1956); University of Northern Iowa, B.A. (1955)

Military: none

Family: Married - Barbara; 5 children

Hometown: New Hartford, Iowa


Religion: Baptist

Career: U.S. Senator (1980-present); US House (1974-80); IA House of Reps. (1958-74); Farmer.

· First elected to the Iowa state house at age 25, Grassley worked his way up to becoming chairman of the Iowa House Appropriations Committee before retiring to run for the US House of Representatives.

· Grassley was appointed to the Agriculture Committee in 1995, an important committee especially to the people of Iowa. He is very popular, especially in the rural parts of the state. He is viewed as a thrifty and influential Member of Congress and is a pretty partisan Republican.

· GrassleyÂ's spend-thrift and prudent manner has translated into several investigations and important pieces of legislation. He was the chief sponsor of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, worked on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and commissioned a GAO report on AmeriCorps spending. He is also fierce critic of needless defense spending.

· He has grown to be so popular in Iowa, that he won re-election the Senate in 1992 with 70% of the vote, garnering the largest margin of victory for the Senate in the stateÂ's history. Although he has contemplated running for governor, he reconsidered that option once the Republicans gained control of the Senate in 1994.

· He serves on the Senate Special Aging, Budget, Finance, Governmental Affairs, and Judiciary Committees as well.

· He has run his familyÂ' farm since his father passed away in 1960.