By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Congressman Fred Upton faced a barrage of questions about his job and personal life Friday afternoon. But his interrogators weren't journalists or members of a House sub-committee, they were students at St. Mary's School.
Upton visited Mrs. Dare Soley's fourth and fifth grade classes while he was in Niles, before heading to Kalamazoo to attend an afternoon mass to honor first responders and victims of the September 11th attacks.
Upton told the children he is one of the 15 Representatives from Michigan who work in Washington on the behalf of Michigan citizens. He told them that he serves over 650,000 people in Michigan's 6th District, to which the children displayed their amazement with raised eye brows and open mouths.
Upton visits a school every week and last week he spoke at Western Michigan University, he told them.
After a short introduction, the floor was opened to any questions the children had for the congressman.
When Bush visits Michigan on Monday, Fred will be in Chicago for a hearing of the House Sub-committee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
Upton was in Washington D.C. when a plane was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
Upton told the children how he thinks it's important for people to get out and vote and choose the best person to lead the country.
Upton told the children the most rewarding part of his job is solving his constituents' problems.
Upton recently helped Benton Harbor obtain funding to add eight more police officers to their police department.
Mrs. Soley thought Upton might not be able to come in to take questions from her students.
Before he left, Upton thanked the children for their excellent questions and for being such great listeners.
Afterwards, Upton said he was a strong supporter of private schools like St. Mary's.
When asked about the anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Upton became somewhat emotional.