Todd Young facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Todd Young
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Official portrait, 2021
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| United States Senator from Indiana |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Jim Banks
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| Preceded by | Dan Coats |
| Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Cory Gardner |
| Succeeded by | Rick Scott |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 9th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Baron Hill |
| Succeeded by | Trey Hollingsworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Todd Christopher Young
August 24, 1972 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Jennifer Tucker
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Dan Quayle (uncle-in-law) |
| Education |
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| Website | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service |
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| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | VMUT-2 |
Todd Christopher Young (born August 24, 1972) is an American politician and a former Marine. He is currently a U.S. Senator for Indiana. He has held this important job since 2017.
Before becoming a Senator, Young was a U.S. Representative for Indiana's 9th district. He is a member of the Republican Party. From 2019 to 2021, he led the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a group that helps elect Republican senators. He was reelected as Senator in 2022.
About Todd Young
Early Life and School
Todd Young was born on August 24, 1972, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Indiana, where he went to public schools. He even won a state soccer championship in high school! In 1990, he graduated from Carmel High School.
Military Service
After high school, Young joined the United States Navy. In 1991, he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. There, he played on the NCAA Division I soccer team. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in political science.
After the Navy, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He trained to be an intelligence officer. He then led an intelligence team for a squadron that used unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). In 2000, he left active duty as a Captain in the Marines.
After the Military
After his military service, Young studied in London and earned a Master's degree in American politics. He also traveled to Eastern Europe to learn about how countries changed from old economic systems to free markets.
He later became a professor at Indiana University. He also worked as a consultant, helping local governments improve services. In 2006, he earned a law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
In 2001, Young worked for a conservative research group called The Heritage Foundation. He also worked for U.S. Senator Richard Lugar. He helped with Mitch Daniels's campaign for governor of Indiana. From 2007 to 2010, he worked as a prosecutor in Orange County, Indiana. He also started a group to promote responsible government spending.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Young decided to run for Congress in 2009. He wanted to represent Indiana's 9th congressional district. He won the election in 2010, defeating the person who held the seat before him, Baron Hill. He was reelected in 2012 and 2014.
As a Representative, Young was part of the House Budget Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. He focused on military topics like naval power and electronic warfare. He also worked on bills like the REINS Act, which would require Congress to approve big new government rules.
Young has spoken about climate change. In 2010, he said he wasn't sure what caused the planet to warm. He also signed a promise to vote against any global warming laws that would raise taxes.
Laws He Helped With
- Fairness for American Families Act: This bill would have delayed a rule that required people to have health insurance. Young believed this rule was too expensive for families.
- Save American Workers Act of 2013: This bill aimed to change how "full-time" work was defined in the Affordable Care Act. It would have raised the definition from 30 hours to 40 hours a week.
- In 2023, Young worked with Senator Tim Kaine to end old laws that allowed military force in Iraq. This bill passed with support from both major parties.
- National Biotechnology Initiative Act: This bill aims to improve how the government works together on biotechnology.
Committees in the House
Young was a member of several important committees in the House, including:
- House Budget Committee
- House Armed Services Committee
Serving in the U.S. Senate
Instead of running for the House again, Young decided to run for a Senate seat in 2016. He won the Republican primary election. He then faced Evan Bayh, who had been a Senator before. Young won the general election in November 2016.
Young was sworn into the Senate on January 3, 2017. He is known for working with members of both parties. One group even ranked him as one of the most bipartisan senators.
In 2021, Young supported counting the Electoral College votes for the 2020 presidential election. He said that "the law matters" when it comes to these counts. He was at the Capitol when it was stormed on January 6, 2021, and he condemned the violence.
In 2022, Young worked with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer on the CHIPS and Science Act. This bill provides $280 billion to boost technology research and development in the U.S. It focuses on making computer chips in America to compete with other countries. President Biden signed this bill into law in August 2022.
Since January 2023, Young has been in charge of the Candy Desk in the Senate. This is a special desk where senators can get candy.
Committees in the Senate
Young serves on several important Senate committees:
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Committee on Foreign Relations
- Committee on Finance
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Political Views
Young is part of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group of Republicans who aim for middle-ground solutions in politics. He is generally considered a conservative.
Gun Laws
Young has a strong record of supporting gun rights. The NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has given him an "A+" rating. In 2022, he voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bill that aimed to improve gun safety.
Immigration
Young does not support the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants. He wants an immigration system that focuses on people's skills for jobs. In 2018, he worked on a bill to stop families from being separated at the border.
LGBT Rights
Young's record on LGBT issues has been mixed. He believes that decisions about same-sex marriage should be made by individual states. He supports allowing gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the military. In 2016, he voted to uphold a rule that prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation for federal contractors. In 2022, he was one of 12 Republicans who voted to move forward with the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect same-sex marriage under federal law.
Supreme Court
In 2018, Young voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In 2019, he supported a plan to limit the Supreme Court to nine justices.
Foreign Policy
Young has voted for sanctions against countries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He supports Israel and has spoken out against boycotts against Israel. He has also condemned the violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.
Young has worked to limit the president's power to use military force without Congress's approval. In 2021, he introduced a bill to repeal old war authorizations. In 2023, he visited Taiwan to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations and regional security.
2021 Capitol Attack
In May 2021, Young voted against creating a special group to investigate the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
Personal Life
In 2005, Todd Young married Jennifer Tucker. She is the niece of former Vice President Dan Quayle. Todd and Jennifer have four children. He is a Protestant.
Images for kids
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Young with state senator Jim Merritt in January 2013
See also
In Spanish: Todd Young para niños
