5 minutes with David Young, U.S. Representative for Iowa's 3rd District

AGE: 48

HOMETOWN: Born and raised in Van Meter, where I live today.

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED IN POLITICS? I graduated from college, got involved on a campaign and then also just started getting more aware of current events out of college. The past eight years, though, I was Sen. Grassley’s chief of staff. That got me more interested in public service and I ran for Congress.

EDUCATION: I started off at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and then transferred and graduated from Drake University in 1991 with a degree in English.

FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB: Getting out of Washington and being here in the 3rd District. These 16 counties are very special. It’s a very diverse district. Very urban, very rural in some areas, but all very, very good people. I’ve got the best bosses in the world.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON IN WASHINGTON CURRENTLY? I’m working on issues to make sure our veterans’ crisis line is always answered. We had some real problems with the veterans’ crisis line not being answered and we want to make sure veterans and their families who are going through some real emotional wounds, that they are having their phone calls answered. We’re losing 20-some veterans a day to suicide. We have to make sure those services are there for them. I had a bill pass in a bipartisan way that was signed into law that helped fix the veterans’ crisis line. Making sure we have a strong rural economy is important to me, looking at all aspects of that. Agriculture, making sure housing needs are met, transportation needs are met, and making sure regulations, although well-intended, are common sense and that they’re helping us, not hurting us.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT’S THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING OUR NATION RIGHT NOW?We have a $20 trillion debt right now. That is embarrassing. It’s horrible. I don’t know how much longer we can sustain it. So, we have to do in D.C. what we do in Iowa. That is we recognize there’s a problem and regardless of party affiliation here at home, we come to the table and figure out how to fix it. Sometimes the solutions aren’t always that easy, but we have to recognize it’s a serious issue. We don’t need to be handing this down to the next generation. It’s a national security issue, as well.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE MOVIE: "Planet of the Apes," the original with Charlton Heston

WHAT’S ONE PLACE YOU’VE NEVER TRAVELED BUT WOULD LIKE TO? I’d like to go to Ireland.

IF YOU COULD PICK ONE CONCERT TO SEE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would like to have seen the Rolling Stones sometime in the 70s.

IF YOU COULD ONLY EAT ONE MEAL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Nachos, loaded with everything!

FAVORITE BOOK: "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway