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Paul Davis Ryan

Research Report July 19, 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... 2 Top Hit ................................................................................................................................. 13 Personal Biography ............................................................................................................... 14
Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Childhood .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Education .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Career ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 Lifestyle........................................................................................................................................................ 16

The Ryan Budgets ................................................................................................................ 18


Ryan Plan Timeline ..................................................................................................................................... 18
2012 Budget ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 2013 Budget ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 19

2010 Roadmap ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Ends Medicare As We Know It ................................................................................................................... 21


Raises Retirement Age While Leaving No Safety Net ..................................................................................................................... 22 Reduces Beneficiary Spending By As Much As 42% ....................................................................................................................... 22 Opt-out For New Enrollees Would Jeopardize Benefits For Current Recipients ...................................................................... 23 Reopens The Prescription Drug Doughnut Hole ............................................................................................................................ 23 Public Reception .................................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Kept Subsidies For Oil Companies While Cutting Alternative Energy ..................................................... 23
Ryan Budget Protected Tax Breaks And Subsidies For Oil Companies ...................................................................................... 23 Ryan Plan Slashes Alternative Energy Funding ................................................................................................................................ 24

Social Security ............................................................................................................................................. 26


2010 Budget Proposal ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26

Slashes Medicaid ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Destroys Jobs .............................................................................................................................................. 27 Reduces Federal Spending On Health Care Programs By 75% ................................................................ 28
Repeals The Affordable Care Act ....................................................................................................................................................... 28

Hurts The Most Vulnerable ....................................................................................................................... 28 Makes College Less Affordable .................................................................................................................. 29
Double Interest Rate For Student Loans ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Slashes Pell Grants ................................................................................................................................................................................. 29

Middle / Low Income ................................................................................................................................. 31 Raises Taxes On The Poor To Pay For Tax Breaks For The Rich ............................................................ 31
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Does Not Balance The Budget .................................................................................................................. 32


Violated Proposed Balanced Budget amendments ........................................................................................................................... 33

Ryan On His Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Ryan Plan In Presidential Politics .............................................................................................................. 35 Editorial Reactions ..................................................................................................................................... 35 Ryan-Wyden Proposal ................................................................................................................................ 38
Medicaid .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39 Social Security ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Spending Programs ................................................................................................................................................................................ 40 Taxes ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40

Other Budget Plans ..................................................................................................................................... 41


2007 Budget Alternative ....................................................................................................................................................................... 42

Ethics and Style .................................................................................................................... 43


Personal ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 Ethical Issues.............................................................................................................................................. 45
Private Travel .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Troha Fee Deal....................................................................................................................................................................................... 46

Influence ..................................................................................................................................................... 47 Rhetoric ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 Ideology ...................................................................................................................................................... 49


Occupy Wall Street ................................................................................................................................................................................ 53

ISSUES .................................................................................................................................. 54 Abortion ................................................................................................................................ 54


Access ......................................................................................................................................................... 54 Contraception Mandate .............................................................................................................................. 55 Criminalization ........................................................................................................................................... 55 Federal Funding Ban .................................................................................................................................. 55 Fetal Protection .......................................................................................................................................... 56 Funding ...................................................................................................................................................... 57 Notification ................................................................................................................................................. 57 Partial Birth Abortion ................................................................................................................................. 58 Planned Parenthood ................................................................................................................................... 58 Roe v Wade ................................................................................................................................................. 58 Stupak Amendment .................................................................................................................................... 59 Stem Cell Research ..................................................................................................................................... 59
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Agriculture ............................................................................................................................ 61
Childrens Food ........................................................................................................................................... 61 Disaster Relief.............................................................................................................................................. 61 Farm Bill ...................................................................................................................................................... 61 Farm Subsidies ........................................................................................................................................... 62 FDA............................................................................................................................................................. 63 Food Safety ................................................................................................................................................. 63 Food Stamps ............................................................................................................................................... 65 Funding ...................................................................................................................................................... 65

Arts and Humanities ............................................................................................................. 67 Auto Industry ........................................................................................................................ 68


Auto Bailout ................................................................................................................................................ 68 Alternative Fuels ......................................................................................................................................... 68 Cash for Clunkers ....................................................................................................................................... 69 Fuel Standards ............................................................................................................................................ 69 Gas .............................................................................................................................................................. 70

Banking and Finance ............................................................................................................ 71


Bailouts ........................................................................................................................................................ 71 Banking........................................................................................................................................................ 71 Dodd Frank.................................................................................................................................................. 71 Executive Pay .............................................................................................................................................. 71 Committee Chairman ................................................................................................................................. 72
Committee Hearings .............................................................................................................................................................................. 72

Consumer Protection .................................................................................................................................. 75 Credit Cards ................................................................................................................................................ 76 Monetary Policy And The Federal Reserve ................................................................................................ 76 Regulation................................................................................................................................................... 78 Stock Market ............................................................................................................................................... 80 TARP .......................................................................................................................................................... 80

Budget ................................................................................................................................... 82
Balanced Budget Amendment ................................................................................................................... 82 Bowles-Simpson Fiscal Commission ......................................................................................................... 82
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Budget Votes .............................................................................................................................................. 83 Congressional Pay ...................................................................................................................................... 85 Cut, Cap, and Balance ................................................................................................................................ 87 Debt Limit Fight......................................................................................................................................... 87 Earmarks..................................................................................................................................................... 89 Entitlement Reform .................................................................................................................................... 90 Federal Pay .................................................................................................................................................. 91 Federal Surplus ............................................................................................................................................ 91 Government Shutdown ............................................................................................................................... 92 International Debt Relief ............................................................................................................................ 93 Local Projects ............................................................................................................................................. 93 Spending ..................................................................................................................................................... 93
Congressional Spending ........................................................................................................................................................................ 98

Spending Criticism ..................................................................................................................................... 98

Business ............................................................................................................................... 101


Small Businesses........................................................................................................................................ 101 Regulation.................................................................................................................................................. 102

Civil Rights and Liberties .................................................................................................... 103


Affirmative Action...................................................................................................................................... 103 Flag Burning .............................................................................................................................................. 104 Pledge of Allegiance .................................................................................................................................. 104 Privacy........................................................................................................................................................ 104 Religion ...................................................................................................................................................... 105 Terror Suspects .......................................................................................................................................... 106 Voting ........................................................................................................................................................ 106

Crime and Safety .................................................................................................................. 108


Child Abuse ............................................................................................................................................... 108 Domestic Violence ..................................................................................................................................... 108 Drugs ......................................................................................................................................................... 108
Marijuana ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 109

Guns ........................................................................................................................................................... 109


Gun Safety............................................................................................................................................................................................. 110 Background Checks ............................................................................................................................................................................. 110 5

Gun Bans............................................................................................................................................................................................... 111 Conceal Carry Laws ............................................................................................................................................................................. 111 Hunting History ................................................................................................................................................................................... 111 National Rifle Association .................................................................................................................................................................. 111

Prisons ....................................................................................................................................................... 112

Defense ................................................................................................................................ 114


DOD Budgeting and Defense Spending................................................................................................... 114 Intelligence ................................................................................................................................................ 119 Military ....................................................................................................................................................... 120 Military Pay ................................................................................................................................................ 121
Civilian Defense Employees .............................................................................................................................................................. 122

Missile Defense.......................................................................................................................................... 123 Non-Nuclear Proliferation ........................................................................................................................ 123

Economy and Jobs ............................................................................................................... 124


American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ............................................................................................... 124 Economic Development ............................................................................................................................ 124 Bush Economy .......................................................................................................................................... 124 Jobs ............................................................................................................................................................ 125

Education ............................................................................................................................. 126


Affordability ............................................................................................................................................... 127 For-Profit Colleges..................................................................................................................................... 127 Funding ..................................................................................................................................................... 127 Head Start .................................................................................................................................................. 129 Higher Education ...................................................................................................................................... 130 No Child Left Behind ................................................................................................................................ 130 Public Schools............................................................................................................................................ 131 Pell Grants ................................................................................................................................................. 131 Teachers..................................................................................................................................................... 132 Student Loans ............................................................................................................................................ 133 Vouchers .................................................................................................................................................... 134

Energy and the Environment .............................................................................................. 135


Air Quality.................................................................................................................................................. 135 Alternative Energy ..................................................................................................................................... 136
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Climate Change ......................................................................................................................................... 136 Energy ........................................................................................................................................................ 137


Reformulated Gas Requirement ........................................................................................................................................................ 138 Gas Prices .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 138

Environmental Protection Agency ............................................................................................................ 139 Green Jobs.................................................................................................................................................. 139 Land Management .................................................................................................................................... 140 Mining ....................................................................................................................................................... 141 Nuclear Energy.......................................................................................................................................... 142 National Parks and Preservation ............................................................................................................... 142 Oil .............................................................................................................................................................. 146
Oil Spills ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 148 Drilling ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 148 Keystone Pipeline ................................................................................................................................................................................ 150

Pollution..................................................................................................................................................... 150 Water .......................................................................................................................................................... 151 Wildlife ....................................................................................................................................................... 152

Ethics and Lobbying............................................................................................................ 154


Campaign Finance .................................................................................................................................... 154 Election Laws ............................................................................................................................................ 155 Ethics Votes ............................................................................................................................................... 155
Insider Trading ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 155 Ethics ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 156 Lobbying................................................................................................................................................................................................ 156 Congressional Investigations.............................................................................................................................................................. 157

Transparency ............................................................................................................................................. 157

Foreign Policy ...................................................................................................................... 159


Foreign Aid ................................................................................................................................................ 159 Afghanistan ................................................................................................................................................ 160 Africa .......................................................................................................................................................... 161 China .......................................................................................................................................................... 162 Cuba ........................................................................................................................................................... 163 Europe ....................................................................................................................................................... 163 Iran ............................................................................................................................................................. 164 Iraq ............................................................................................................................................................. 164
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Israel .......................................................................................................................................................... 170 Korea .......................................................................................................................................................... 171 Kosovo........................................................................................................................................................ 171 Libya .......................................................................................................................................................... 171 Pakistan ..................................................................................................................................................... 172 Russia......................................................................................................................................................... 172 Worldwide Organizations .......................................................................................................................... 172

GLBT ................................................................................................................................... 174


Hate Crimes ............................................................................................................................................... 174 Marriage, Civil Unions .............................................................................................................................. 174 DADT ........................................................................................................................................................ 174 DOMA ....................................................................................................................................................... 174

Health Care .......................................................................................................................... 176


Affordable Care Act ................................................................................................................................... 176
Repeal Effort ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 176 Criticism ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 178 Tax Language ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 179

Health Care Reform................................................................................................................................... 179 Health Insurance ....................................................................................................................................... 181


Health Savings Accounts .................................................................................................................................................................... 182

Childrens Health....................................................................................................................................... 183 General Health Care .................................................................................................................................. 184


Preventative Care ................................................................................................................................................................................. 186 Health Fund .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 186

Medicaid/Medicare ................................................................................................................................... 186


Medicaid ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 186 Medicare ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 187 Ryan-Wyden.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 190

Patients Choice Act .................................................................................................................................. 190 Patients Rights.......................................................................................................................................... 191 Prescription Drugs..................................................................................................................................... 192 Wisconsin Health Costs ............................................................................................................................ 194

Housing ............................................................................................................................... 195


Foreclosure ................................................................................................................................................ 195 Housing and Urban Development ............................................................................................................ 196
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Mortgage Reform ...................................................................................................................................... 196

Homeland Secuirty .............................................................................................................. 199


9/11 Commission ....................................................................................................................................... 199 Bin Laden Death ....................................................................................................................................... 199 Cybersecurity ............................................................................................................................................. 199 Detainees and Terror Suspects .................................................................................................................. 199 Disasters ....................................................................................................................................................200 Funding .....................................................................................................................................................202 National Security .......................................................................................................................................204 Patriot Act ..................................................................................................................................................206 Terrorism ...................................................................................................................................................208 Torture .......................................................................................................................................................208

Immigration ........................................................................................................................ 209


Amnesty .....................................................................................................................................................209 Border Security ..........................................................................................................................................209 Criminalization .......................................................................................................................................... 210 Drivers License and Passports ................................................................................................................. 210 DREAM Act............................................................................................................................................... 211 Funding ..................................................................................................................................................... 211 Guest Work ................................................................................................................................................ 212 Local Enforcement .................................................................................................................................... 212

Labor .................................................................................................................................... 213


Executive Compensation........................................................................................................................... 213 Federal Employees .................................................................................................................................... 213 Funding ..................................................................................................................................................... 213 Minimum Wage and Fair Wage ................................................................................................................ 214
Minimum Wage .................................................................................................................................................................................... 214 Paycheck Protection ............................................................................................................................................................................ 214 Wage Discrimination ........................................................................................................................................................................... 215

National Labor Relations Board ............................................................................................................... 215 Unions ........................................................................................................................................................ 216 Unemployment .......................................................................................................................................... 217 Pensions ..................................................................................................................................................... 219
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Workers Comp and Safety ......................................................................................................................... 219 Workers Rights .........................................................................................................................................220

Legal Issues ......................................................................................................................... 221


Tort Reform ............................................................................................................................................... 221

Other ................................................................................................................................... 224


Census ........................................................................................................................................................224 Community Service....................................................................................................................................224 Gambling ...................................................................................................................................................224 Native Americans ......................................................................................................................................225

Science and Technology ..................................................................................................... 227


Communication .........................................................................................................................................227 Funding .....................................................................................................................................................228 Internet ......................................................................................................................................................229 NASA .........................................................................................................................................................230

Social Security ...................................................................................................................... 231


Benefits ...................................................................................................................................................... 231 Bush Social Security Plan .......................................................................................................................... 231 Fraud ..........................................................................................................................................................232 Privatization ...............................................................................................................................................232 Solvency .....................................................................................................................................................237 Stock Market Investment ..........................................................................................................................238 Tax Cuts.....................................................................................................................................................238 Trust Fund .................................................................................................................................................239
Lockbox Legislation ........................................................................................................................................................................ 242

Taxes ................................................................................................................................... 244


Alternative Minimum Tax .........................................................................................................................245 Bush Tax Cuts ...........................................................................................................................................247 Capital Gains .............................................................................................................................................248 Corporate Taxes.........................................................................................................................................249 Estate Tax ..................................................................................................................................................250 Flat Tax ...................................................................................................................................................... 251 IRS ............................................................................................................................................................. 251
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Payroll Tax .................................................................................................................................................252 Tax Code....................................................................................................................................................253 Tax Cuts.....................................................................................................................................................253 Tax Increases .............................................................................................................................................258

Transportation .................................................................................................................... 259


Amtrak and High Speed Rail ....................................................................................................................259 Aviation ......................................................................................................................................................260 Funding ..................................................................................................................................................... 261 Highways ...................................................................................................................................................262

Trade ................................................................................................................................... 264


Trade Agreements .....................................................................................................................................264
Asia ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 264 Central America.................................................................................................................................................................................... 265 Middle East ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 266 South America ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 266

World Trade Organization ........................................................................................................................266

Veterans .............................................................................................................................. 268


Benefits ......................................................................................................................................................268 Funding .....................................................................................................................................................270 GI Bill.........................................................................................................................................................270

Welfare ................................................................................................................................. 271 Women And Children ......................................................................................................... 272


Child Support .............................................................................................................................................272

POLITICS ........................................................................................................................... 273


2012 Election ..............................................................................................................................................273
Congressional Reelection Campaign ................................................................................................................................................. 273 Governorship Speculation .................................................................................................................................................................. 273 Presidential Draft Efforts ................................................................................................................................................................... 273 Vice Presidential Speculation ............................................................................................................................................................. 274 Wisconsin Senate Seat ......................................................................................................................................................................... 275

2010 Election ..............................................................................................................................................275 2008 Election..............................................................................................................................................275 2004 Election..............................................................................................................................................276 2000 Election..............................................................................................................................................276 1998 Election ..............................................................................................................................................276
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Redistricting ..............................................................................................................................................277 Campaign Finance ....................................................................................................................................278


Fundraising............................................................................................................................................................................................ 279 Bad Donations...................................................................................................................................................................................... 280

Campaign Staff ..........................................................................................................................................283 Relationships .............................................................................................................................................284


Mitt Romney ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 284 Barack Obama ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 284 American Farm Bureau Federation................................................................................................................................................... 285 Anthony Weiner ................................................................................................................................................................................... 286 Newt Gingrich ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 286 Gabby Giffords .................................................................................................................................................................................... 286 Jeff Flake ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 286 Marco Rubio ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 287 Mark Neumann .................................................................................................................................................................................... 287 Mitch Daniels ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 287 National Federation Of Republican Women .................................................................................................................................. 287 John Kerry............................................................................................................................................................................................. 287 Pete Hoekstra ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 288 Scott Walker .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 288 Sean Duffy ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 288 Tea Party................................................................................................................................................................................................ 288 Tommy Thompson.............................................................................................................................................................................. 289 John Shadegg ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 289 Bill Clinton ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 289 J.C. Watts ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 290

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TOP HIT
Wall Street Journal: Ryan Plan Would Essentially End Medicare. According to Naftali Bendavid at the Wall Street Journal, The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills. [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11] Paul Ryans Plan Would End Medicare As We Know It By Replacing It With Private Plans. According to Newark Star-Ledger Editorial, The result is that Americans of limited means get pounded under Ryans plan. At a time when wages for the average American are dropping and salaries for the rich are skyrocketing, Ryan would deepen the divide. He would end Medicare as we know it and replace it with a menu of private plans. New enrollees would get help paying the premiums, but Washingtons contribution would be capped at a rate that is unlikely to keep up with rising health costs. The modest costcontainment provisions in Obamas health reform would be rescinded. [Newark Star-Ledger Editorial, 4/7/11] The Ryan Plan Would Double Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Seniors While Cutting Spending On Medicaid. According to Sun-Sentinel, The Ryan budget plan would cut federal spending on Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, and begin distributing money by block grant to states. The plan would do away with Medicares direct payment for health care for seniors, replacing it with a voucher system in which recipients choose private insurers. The Congressional Budget Office found that part of the plan, which would take effect in 2022, could nearly double out-of-pocket costs for seniors. [SunSentinel, 4/16/11] Ryan Plan Would Set Off A Spiral Of Increased Premiums For Traditional Medicare As Healthy Individuals Abandoned It For Private Plans. According to the Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, Second, Chairman Ryan claims that his proposal ensur[es] that traditional Medicare remains an option. Unfortunately, thats not the case. Under premium support, traditional Medicare would tend to attract a less healthy pool of enrollees, while private plans would attract healthier enrollees (as occurs today with Medicare and private Medicare Advantage plans). Although the proposal calls for risk adjusting payments to health plans that is, adjusting them to reflect the average health status of their enrollees the risk adjustment process is highly imperfect and captures only part of the differences in costs across plans that stem from differences in the health of enrollees. Inadequate risk adjustment would mean that traditional Medicare would be only partially compensated for its higher-cost enrollees, which would force Medicare to raise beneficiary premiums to make up the difference. The higher premiums would lead more of Medicares healthier enrollees to abandon it for private plans, very possibly setting off a spiral of rising premium costs and falling enrollment for traditional Medicare. Over time, traditional Medicare would become less financially viable and could unravel not because it was less efficient than the private plans, but because it was competing on an unlevel playing field in which private plans captured the healthier beneficiaries and incurred lower costs as a result. Ryan also would allow private plans to tailor their benefit packages to attract healthier beneficiaries and deter sicker ones, which only makes this outcome more likely. [Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/28/12]

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PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY
Overview
Name: Born: Home: Education: Career: Paul Davis Ryan Jan. 29, 1970 Janesville, Wisconsin BA, Economics/Political Science, Miami University, Ohio, 1992 Janesville Craig High School, 1988 Legislative Director, United States Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, 1995-1997 Aide, United States Senator Robert Kasten of Wisconsin, 1992 Economic Adviser, Speechwriter, Empower America, 1993 - 1995 Former Speechwriter, Jack Kemp Vice Presidential Campaign Former Speechwriter, Office of the Director of National Drug Control Policy Former President, Ryan Incorporated Representative, United States House of Representative, 1998-present Member, Community Solutions and Initiatives Coalition Co-Chair, Congressional Sportsmens Caucus Member, Ducks Unlimited Member, Janesville Bowmen, Incorporated Board Member, Rock County Junior Achievement Member, Saint John Vianneys Parish Member, Saint Marys Parish

Elected Office: Organizations:

Childhood
Ryans Allowance Was Cut For Bad Grades. According to CNN Money, Ryans parents put the kids on an incentive system for allowances -- if they got just one B on their report cards, their allowance was cut from $4 to $2, and a C meant no allowance at all. [CNN Money, 3/4/10] Ryan Is A Fifth Generation Resident Of Janesville, Wisconsin. According to US News and World Report, Paul Davis Ryan, the youngest of Paul Sr. and Betty Ryans four children, was born in Janesville, Wis., on Jan. 29, 1970. Ryan is the fifth generation of his family to live in Janesville. [US News and World Report, 7/23/08] Ryans Childhood Nickname Was P.D. According to US News and World Report, Sharing the same first name as his father, Paul had a childhood nickname: P. D. (Paul Davis). It was often mistaken for Petey, which caused Ryan to dislike the nickname. [US News and World Report, 7/23/08]

Education
Ryan Attended Joseph A. Craig High School In Janesville. According to his House Biography, Paul is a graduate of Joseph A. Craig High School in Janesville and earned a degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. [Congressman Paul Ryan, Biography, accessed 7/16/12] Ryan Earned An Economics Degree From Miami University. According to his campaign biography, He also earned a degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. [Paul Ryan for Congress, Biography, accessed 7/16/12] Ryan Wanted To Attend The University Of Chicago To Follow In The Footsteps On Milton Friedman. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, An economics major at Miami of Ohio, Ryan says his dream was to go to the University of Chicago, where Milton Friedman had taught, and become an economist. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] 14

Ryan Used Social Security Benefits To Pay For His Education. According to US News and World Report, Ryans father died when Paul was only 16. Using the Social Security survivors benefits he received until his 18th birthday, he paid for his education at Miami University in Ohio, where he completed a bachelors degree in economics and political science in 1992. According to the Chicago Tribune, Ryans late father was a lawyer who died when Ryan was 16. He has said his fathers death made him grow up fast. Until he was 18, Ryan, the youngest of four children, collected Social Security survivors benefits, which he said he socked away for college. [US News and World Report, 7/23/08; Chicago Tribune, 4/17/11] Ryan Enrolled At Miami University, Switched To Economics After Taking Courses In Physics And Chemistry. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, After high school, Ryan enrolled in Miami University of Ohio to study medicine. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his cardiologist grandfather. But he disliked physics and chemistry and kept being drawn to economics. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Former Econ Professor Described Ryan As An Intellectually Curious Student. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, By the time Ryan entered the classroom of Richard Hart, a Miami economics professor, the young conservative had already read works by Milton Friedman and Friedrich August von Hayek, advocates of free-market capitalism. He had one characteristic you dont see much these days in college students: That is intellectual curiosity, Hart said of Ryan. He was always probing, asking questions, challenging conventional views. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryan Had Planned To Pursue A Ph.D. In Economics Before Career In Politics. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan intended to pursue a doctorate in economics when he took a detour to the nations capital to work for Kasten. In Washington, he found he could use his economics knowledge to influence public policy. I was writing amendments that were making it into law as a staff guy, Ryan said. I learned early on you could make a difference. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryan Received Honorary Law Degree From Carthage College. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Carthage College will award 524 bachelors degrees and 30 masters degrees during graduation ceremonies today. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the commencement address, and Milwaukee Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan will deliver the baccalaureate address. Ryan will receive an honorary doctorate of law degree, and Dolan will receive an honorary doctorate of divinity degree. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/21/06]

Career
Ryan Worked At Family Construction Company Before He Was Elected To Congress. According to his campaign biography, Prior to his election to Congress, Paul worked at Ryan Inc., Central a construction firm that was founded by Ryans great-grandfather in 1884. [Paul Ryan for Congress, Biography, accessed 7/16/12] Ryan Began His Career Working For Supply Side Advocate Senator Bob Kasten. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, He worked his way from mailroom intern to the policy staff of the Senate small business committee under former Wisconsin Sen. Bob Kasten. Kasten was close to former congressman and cabinet secretary Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.). Both men were ardent proponents of supply-side, pro-growth economics, centered on the use of tax cuts to spur growth. The whole idea was to reward investment and savings, and particularly to encourage risk-taking, says Kasten. According to Cesar Conda, who worked for Kasten at the time, Paul was more than a willing student when it came to the power of low tax rates, limited government and individual freedom. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Was A Speechwriter For Empower America. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, When Kasten was defeated by Democrat Russ Feingold in 1992, Ryan became a speechwriter and an analyst at Empower America, an advocacy group formed by Kemp, former education secretary Bill Bennett, the late diplomat Jeane Kirkpatrick and former Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Worked As A Tortilla Coast Waiter. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In his early years as a D.C. staffer, Ryan moonlighted on Capitol Hill as a waiter at the Tortilla Coast restaurant and as a fitness trainer at Washington Sport and Health Club, among various side jobs. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] 15

Ryan Was Once An Oscar Mayer Salesman, Drove The Wienermobile. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, One of his summer jobs in college was as an Oscar Mayer salesman in Minnesota, peddling turkey bacon and a new line called Lunchables to supermarkets. He drove the Wienermobile once. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Was A Staffer For Senator Sam Brownback Of Nebraska. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryans last D.C. staff job was with Republican Sam Brownback, House member and then U.S. senator from Kansas. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Turned Down Offer To Be Budget Director For George W. Bush. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In the course of researching this story, a reporter learned from a GOP source that Ryan had turned down a chance to be budget director in President George W. Bushs second term. Ryan sounded surprised when asked about it, but confirmed it. You asked. I cant lie to you, he said. Obviously I didnt take the offer. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/25/09] Ryan Was A Marketing Consultant For His Familys Construction Business. According to US News and World Report, Ryan worked as a marketing consultant for his familys construction business before being elected to Congress. Ryan Incorporated Central began as an earthmoving business created by his great-grandfather in 1884. [US News and World Report, 7/23/08] Ryan Worked For Family Construction Business After Senator Kasten Lost Reelection Bid. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Then a Democratic state senator, Feingold defeated Kasten in 1992 and put Ryan out of a job. Ryan returned to Janesville and worked for the construction and excavation company started by his great-grandfather and still run by his cousins. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryan Worked At The Conservative Think Tank Empower America. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, In Washington, a trio of powerful Republicans, including former education secretary William Bennett and former housing secretary Jack Kemp, created a conservative think tank. They asked Ryan to join their staff to work on economic issues. He had a passion for the ideas of empowerment and personal ownership and for an economy as a tide that will lift all boats, Kemp said of Ryan. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryans Family Construction Business Was Founded In 1884. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan is a marketing consultant at Ryan Incorporated Central, a Janesville-based construction company that was founded by his greatgrandfather in 1884 and is now owned and operated by his cousins. Ryans Career Path Was An Exception Among His Generation X Peers. According to the Boston Globe, Young people like Ryan, who chart a course from legislative aide to chief of a Senate staff to congressman, are the exceptions in Generation X. According to The Fourth Turning, a book by Neil Howe and William Strauss that explores generational change, the most recently enfranchised Americans - those born between 1961 and 1980 - politically lean toward pragmatism and nonaffiliation and would rather volunteer than vote. That is borne out by a University of California at Los Angeles study of recent freshmen that shows only about 6 percent even contemplate a government career. The number was three times higher 30 years ago. [Boston Globe, 10/30/98] Ryan Worked Part-Time As A Marketing Consultant For His Family Business. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kemp referred to Ryan as a citizen politician . . . hes coming from the private sector. However, Ryans private sector experience is limited. Ryan, 28, has worked as a part-time marketing consultant for his familys excavation business since returning to Janesville to run for Congress this year. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/2/98]

Lifestyle
Ryan Took Regular Ski Trips To Colorado As A Child. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryans mother is an outdoors enthusiast who led her husband and four kids on regular trips to hike and ski in the Colorado Rockies. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Said He Regularly Worked Out To P90X. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, (My father) died of a heart attack at 55, my grandfather died of a heart attack at 57, my great-grandfather died of heart attack at 59, so Im into the health 16

thing, says Ryan. He is fairly careful about what he eats, performs an intense cross-training routine known as P90X most mornings, and has made close to 40 climbs of Colorados Fourteeners (14,000-foot peaks). [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Is A Bowhunter. According to US News and World Report, Ryans hobbies include hunting and fishing. He is a bowhunter and belongs to his hometowns archery association, the Janesville Bowmen. [US News and World Report, 7/23/08] Ryan Equated Entering Congress As Running A Small Business And Had A Mobile Office That Visits Rural Areas Of His District. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan, a Republican from Janesville in his second term, said entering Congress means running a small business. Our product is constituent service, he said. We have a larger federal government that interferes in the lives of people more often, he went on, naming Internal Revenue Service miscalculations and Medicare snafus as examples of interference. Hence, Ryan staffs three offices in Wisconsin and drops $350 monthly during warm months to lease an old Snap-On Tools truck that visits rural areas as a mobile constituent services center. It also visits county fairs. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/27/01] Ryan Loathed The Stereotypes Of His Generation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Technically speaking, Ryan is a member of Generation X, though he bristles at the characterization. He loathes the notion of his generation as nihilistic snowboarders with chips on their shoulders, watching South Park and muttering, Yeah. Right. Whatever. Im an optimist, Ryan insists. I believe in forming good, solid principles and sticking to them. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/9/98] When First Elected Ryan Pledged Not To Live In Washington. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan swears hell not become one of these detached professional politicians who loses sight of the needs of his district. In fact, hes not going to really even live in Washington, he says. Ill get some cheap efficiency apartment, he says. I plan to stay right here in the district in my house as much as I can. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/9/98]

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THE RYAN BUDGETS


The Rise Of The Tea Party And The Global Economic Crisis Has Made Ryans Budget Plan A GOP Litmus Test, Picking Him As A Running Mate Would Be A Full Embrace Of His Budget Idea. According to the Associated Press, The global economic crisis and the rise of the tea party, with its focused attention on government spending and debt, have made Ryans budget plans something of a GOP litmus test. In March, Romney was quick to praise Ryans latest proposal to slice trillions from the federal budget. Ryan reciprocated soon after with an endorsement of Romneys White House bid. Picking Ryan as his running mate would be read as a full embrace of his budget ideas. But that assumes Ryan would return Romneys interest. [Associated Press, 6/16/12] Rep. Paul Ryan Said He Created The House GOP Budget Plan To Start Movement For Spending Reform. According to Gawker, [Bill] Clinton caught Paul Ryan backstage at this mornings Pete Peterson Foundation forum on the national debt, a gathering of die-hard deficit hawks and associated monsters. ABC News has coverage their brief conversation, which you can check out in the clip. They speak like the oldest of friends: So anyway, I told them before you got here, I said Im glad we won this race in New York, Clinton told Ryan, when the two met backstage at a forum on the national debt held by the Pete Peterson Foundation. But he added, I hope Democrats dont use this as an excuse to do nothing. Ryan told Clinton he fears that now nothing will get done in Washington. My guess is its going to sink into paralysis is whats going to happen. And you know the math. Its just, I mean, we knew we were putting ourselves out there. You gotta start this. You gotta get out there. You gotta get this thing moving, Ryan said. [Gawker, 5/25/11]

Ryan Plan Timeline


2012 BUDGET
April 11, 2011: Ryan Introduced GOP Budget To House Of Representatives. According to the Christian Science Monitor, House Republicans budget plan for fiscal year 2012, slated to be taken up by the full House later this week, aims to roll back nearly half a century of social policy, as well as cut trillions in federal spending. Though it has scant prospect of gaining Senate approval, the plan is nonetheless expected to define partisan fault lines through the 2012 election and beyond. On Wednesday, President Obama will lay out a competing idea for how to go about cutting government spending and reducing the record federal deficit. He, too, is expected to address the social contract with Americans via entitlement programs, after mostly ignoring that issue in his 2012 budget proposal earlier this year. Crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin, who is the Budget Committee chairman, the plan would cut $5.8 trillion over the next 10 years, targeting some of Americas most popular government programs. He said on April 5 that its time to end empty promises to Americans from a government that is going broke. [Christian Science Monitor, 4/12/11] April 15, 2011: House Passed Ryan Budget 235 193. According to the Boston Globe, House Republicans yesterday muscled through a budget plan that pares federal spending by an estimated $5.8 trillion over the next decade while reshaping Medicare in a proposal that immediately touched off a fierce clash with Democrats. Just one day after Congress concluded its fight over this years spending, the House voted 235-193 to approve the fiscal blueprint for 2012 drafted by Representative Paul D. Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the Budget Committee. Besides reconfiguring the Medicare program that now serves those 65 and older, the proposal would cut the top corporate and personal income tax rates while also overhauling the Medicaid health program for the poor. The vote represents the most ambitious effort yet by the new Republican majority in the House to demonstrate that it intends to aggressively rein in spending and shrink government. It doubles as a challenge to President Obama over which party is more determined to force a sharp shift in the handling of federal dollars. The spending spree is over, Ryan said. We cannot keep spending money we dont have. [Boston Globe, 4/16/12] Ryan Authored Republican Path To Prosperity Budget. As Chairman of the House Committee on the Budget, Paul Ryan authored the fiscal year 2012 budget resolution titled, The Path to Prosperity, Restoring Americas Promise. According to the House Committee on the Budget FY 2012 Budget Resolution, This Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2012 intends to recommit the nation fully to the timeless principles of American government enshrined in the U.S. Constitution liberty, limited government, and equality under the rule of law. It seeks to guide policies by those principles, freeing the nation from 18

the crushing burden of debt that is now threatening its future. This budget is submitted, as prescribed by law, to apply these principles, reect this vision, and provide a framework for the orderly execution of Congresss constitutional duties for Fiscal Year 2012 and beyond. [House Committee on the Budget, Path to Prosperity FY 2012 Budget Resolution, 2011] May 2, 2011 Bill Received By The Senate May 25, 2011: Senate Rejected Ryan Budget 40-57. According to the Detroit Free Press, The U.S. Senate rejected a House-passed budget plan that would privatize Medicare, a vote aimed at putting Republicans on record on an issue Democrats say could boost them in the 2012 elections. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted, 57-40, not to advance the plan drafted by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican. On Tuesday, Democrats seized a Republican-held House seat in western New York in a special election that the Democratic candidate turned into a referendum on Ryans deficit-cutting Medicare proposal. Last nights results provide clear evidence that when voters learn about the Republican plan, ending Medicare as we know it, they say, No, said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. This is a red district, and Republicans were expected to win, but everything changed once that conversation turned to Medicare. [Detroit Free Press, 5/26/11] After The 2011 August Recess, Ryans Policies Regarding Medicare And Medicaid Went Nowhere Under The Republican Leadership. According to National Journal, In terms of policy innovation, Ryans ideas on Medicare and Medicaid have gone nowhere. On dollars and cents, Republican leaders took as much as they could get in spending cuts during the debt-ceiling fiasco, but they left the handshake deal with Senate Democrats and the Obama White House far short of Ryans original intent. [National Journal, 9/22/11]

2013 BUDGET
March 23, 2012 - H. Con. Res 112 Introduced In The House March 29, 2012 House Passed Ryan Budget 228-191. According to the New York Times, A fierce two-day debate over a Republican budget plan portrayed as either a path to prosperity or a road to ruin ended Thursday with House passage of a blueprint that would transform Medicare, cut domestic spending to levels not seen since World War II and order up a drastic overhaul of the tax code. The plan, which passed 228 to 191, with no Democratic votes and 10 Republican defections, will form the template around which much of the 2012 election will be fought. Democrats will try to hang its extensive changes to Medicare around the necks of vulnerable Republican candidates, along with the accusation that Republicans supported a program to punish the poor and elderly while rewarding the rich with still more tax cuts. Republicans will say theirs is the party willing to make the tough choices to tame a soaring federal debt. It is so rare in American politics to arrive at a moment in which the debate revolves around the fundamental nature of American democracy and the social contract, but that is exactly where we are today, said Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Budget Committee and the architect of the blueprint, adding, Todays budget is a vote of confidence for the American experiment. [New York Times, 3/30/12] Ryan Crafted GOPs 2013 Budget. On March 29, 2012, Ryan voted for his fiscal year 2013 budget and recommended budgetary levels for FY2014-FY2022. According to the New York Times, A fierce two-day debate over a Republican budget plan portrayed as either a path to prosperity or a road to ruin ended Thursday with House passage of a blueprint that would transform Medicare, cut domestic spending to levels not seen since World War II and order up a drastic overhaul of the tax code. The plan, which passed 228 to 191, with no Democratic votes and 10 Republican defections, will form the template around which much of the 2012 election will be fought. [] The budget orders six House committees to draft plans to cut the deficit by $261 billion by early May to help avert automatic cuts to the military that will take place under last summers agreement unless a broad deficit reduction plan is passed. Cuts that are relatively abstract now will become concrete in a matter of weeks -- and will hit nutrition, health care and welfare particularly hard []Under the Ryan plan, [] Medicare would be reduced by $205 billion. Medicaid and other health programs would be cut $770 billion. Other entitlement programs, including welfare, food stamps, agriculture subsidies and transportation, would be cut by nearly $2 trillion. Programs at the discretion of Congress would be cut $352 billion below the levels requested by the president over 10 years. To do that, House spending bills will have to come in well below the caps set last July. In the fiscal year that begins this October, the House plan sets spending on domestic programs $19 billion below the limit in last summers Budget Control Act. Medicare would be 19

turned into a subsidized set of private insurance plans, with the option of buying into the existing fee-for-service program. The annual growth of those subsidies would be capped just above economic growth, well below the current health care inflation rate. The Republican budget mandates the repeal of Mr. Obamas health care law and assumes the elimination of the government-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also orders up a sweeping overhaul of the tax code. The six existing personal income tax rates, topping off at 35 percent, would be reduced to two -- 10 percent and 25 percent -- with the revenue loss offset by the elimination of unspecified tax deductions and exemptions. [Roll Call 151, S 112, 03/29/2012; New York Times, 3/30/12] April 16, 2012 - Bill Received By The Senate May 16, 2012: Ryan Plan Rejected By The Senate 41-58. According to the Associated Press, Democrats controlling the Senate rejected for the second year in a row Wednesday a budget plan passed by House Republicans. The 58-41 vote against the GOP budget came after a daylong debate in which Democrats blasted Republicans for refusing to consider tax increases as part of a solution to trillion-dollar deficits, and Republicans in turn attacked Democrats for not offering a budget at all. Republicans launched the debate, which was aimed less at successfully passing a bill than highlighting the failure of Senate Democrats to deal with a budget deficit expected to top $1 trillion for the fourth consecutive year. The Senate rejected five separate budget plans, including one based on President Barack Obamas February budget and offered by Republicans to embarrass Democrats and the White House. It failed on a 99-0 vote. Three GOP senators elected in 2010 with tea party support also offered plans in a competition to see whose budget could cut government the most. The end results were preordained: sweeping rejection of Obamas budget and a near party-line vote to block the main alternative, the blueprint of Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., that passed the House in March. The tallies on the Ryan budget and a tougher version offered by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., defeated on a 57-42 vote, were probably inflated since the votes werent on the actual budgets themselves but rather on a motion to simply take them up for debate.: [Associated Press, 5/16/12]

2010 Roadmap
Ryans Roadmap For Americas Future Aimed To Erase The Federal Debt By 2063, Simplify The Tax Code, And Alter Medicare And Social Security. According to the New York Times, In this highly charged election season with both houses of Congress at stake, not a lot of politicians are lining up publicly behind Mr. Ryan. He is, nonetheless, suddenly a rising star in some corners. And like many other politicians whose ideas were once considered extreme, only to later be mainstream -- like Ronald Reagan -- Mr. Ryan is seen as on the leading edge of something. Why? His Roadmap for Americas Future, an elaborate (critics say drastic) plan that aims to erase the federal debt by 2063, simplify the tax code and significantly alter (his critics say eviscerate) Medicare and Social Security. When asked to handicap the 2012 Republican presidential field, Sarah Palin called Mr. Ryan sharp. Newt Gingrich dubbed him extraordinarily formidable. And, in a column, George Will imagined him as vice president to a President Mitch Daniels (now the Republican governor of Indiana). [New York Times, 8/3/10] In 2010, Only 13 GOP Representatives Endorsed Ryans Budget Plan. According to TheStreet.com, Rep. Paul Ryan (RWis.), is a conservative favorite, brimming with outside-the-box ideas to help revive the economy. While Ryans colleagues love him, only 13 GOP House members have dared to endorse his agenda, which includes partial privatization (and some potential benefit cuts) for Social Security. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) made the mistake earlier this summer of stating the obvious -- that eventually Social Security will have to be reformed. But Boehner and Ryan generated disapproval from many of their colleagues, who worry that Democrats are poised to pounce on the issue. Most Republicans question why they should declare now -- before the election -- that Social Security should be reformed. Most politicians want cover, so they prefer to wait until the Deficit Commission issues its report in early December; Social Security reform almost certainly will be a key recommendation. [TheStreet.com, 8/11/10] Many Republicans Were Hesitant To Embrace Ryans Roadmap As Political People Told His Colleagues It Was Controversial, 13 Out Of The 178 Congressional Republicans Were Co-Sponsors. According to the Washington Post, Political people always tell their candidates to stay away from controversy, said Ryan, 40. They say, Dont propose anything new or bold because the other side will use it against you. While he does not name the political people, they no doubt include many Republican colleagues, who, even as they praise Ryan for his doggedness, privately consider the Roadmap a path to electoral disaster. Unlike most politicians of either party, he doesnt speak generically about reducing spending, but he does acknowledge the very real cuts in popular programs that will be required to bring down the debt. His ideas are 20

provocative, to say the least. They include putting Medicare and Medicaid recipients in private insurance plans that could cost the government less but potentially offer fewer benefits; gradually raising the retirement age to 70; and reducing future Social Security benefits for wealthy retirees. Of the 178 Republicans in the House, 13 have signed on with Ryan as co-sponsors. Washington Post, 8/2/10] Ryan Unveiled His Roadmap For Americas Future In 2008 And Revised In The Winter Of 2010, It Reformed Entitlements, Lower Taxes, And Tame Medical Inflation By Ending Tax Preferences. According to the National Review, A key exception to Republican fecklessness has been Paul Ryan, ranking Republican member on the House Budget Committee. His Roadmap for Americas Future, presented in 2008 and revised this winter, proposes entitlement, health-care, and tax reforms in order to make the federal budget sustainable on tax revenues equaling 19 percent of GDP, a rate close to the post-war average. Ryan gets three fundamental points right: We must reform entitlements (especially Medicare) by slowing their rate of growth and raising retirement ages; we must tame medical inflation by, among other things, ending damaging tax preferences that encourage overspending on health care; and we must broaden the tax base while lowering marginal rates in order to spur investment. In recent months, the Ryan plan has come under both criticism and self-serving praise from the left. When President Obama fielded questions at the House Republicans late-January retreat, he went out of his way to call the roadmap a serious proposal, and other progressives have similarly praised it as worthy of review -- probably because they expect that the proposals to cut Medicare and Social Security will be unpopular and will undermine the Republicans who attacked the health-care bill for cutting entitlements. [National Review, 4/19/10] Ryan Said That The Roadmap Was Not An Alternative To Obama But A Long-Term Solution To Address The Countrys Pressing Needs, It Was Not A GOP Bill But His Plan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan has been pushing his own plan, called A Roadmap for Americas Future. The detailed proposal, first unveiled two years ago during the Bush presidency and tweaked since, has captured national attention of late in the pages of the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, and on various cable and network television shows. As the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, Ryan says his plan will ensure health and retirement security for all, address the countrys rising debt and promote a market-driven competitiveness in the economy. Ryan said his plan is not the Republican alternative to President Barack Obamas budget plan. Rather, he said, it is a long-term plan to address the countrys pressing financial needs. This is not a GOP bill. This is my plan, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/6/10]

Ends Medicare As We Know It


Wall Street Journal: Ryan Plan Would Essentially End Medicare. According to Naftali Bendavid at the Wall Street Journal, The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills. [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11] Paul Ryans Plan Would End Medicare As We Know It By Replacing It With Private Plans. According to Newark Star-Ledger Editorial, The result is that Americans of limited means get pounded under Ryans plan. At a time when wages for the average American are dropping and salaries for the rich are skyrocketing, Ryan would deepen the divide. He would end Medicare as we know it and replace it with a menu of private plans. New enrollees would get help paying the premiums, but Washingtons contribution would be capped at a rate that is unlikely to keep up with rising health costs. The modest costcontainment provisions in Obamas health reform would be rescinded. [Newark Star-Ledger Editorial, 4/7/11] The Ryan Plan Would Double Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Seniors While Cutting Spending On Medicaid. According to Sun-Sentinel, The Ryan budget plan would cut federal spending on Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, and begin distributing money by block grant to states. The plan would do away with Medicares direct payment for health care for seniors, replacing it with a voucher system in which recipients choose private insurers. The Congressional Budget Office found that part of the plan, which would take effect in 2022, could nearly double out-of-pocket costs for seniors. [SunSentinel, 4/16/11] Ryan Plan Would Set Off A Spiral Of Increased Premiums For Traditional Medicare As Healthy Individuals Abandoned It For Private Plans. According to the Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, Second, Chairman Ryan claims that his proposal ensur[es] that traditional Medicare remains an option. Unfortunately, thats not the case. Under premium support, traditional Medicare would tend to attract a less healthy pool of enrollees, while private plans would attract healthier enrollees (as occurs today with Medicare and private Medicare Advantage plans). Although the proposal calls for risk 21

adjusting payments to health plans that is, adjusting them to reflect the average health status of their enrollees the risk adjustment process is highly imperfect and captures only part of the differences in costs across plans that stem from differences in the health of enrollees. Inadequate risk adjustment would mean that traditional Medicare would be only partially compensated for its higher-cost enrollees, which would force Medicare to raise beneficiary premiums to make up the difference. The higher premiums would lead more of Medicares healthier enrollees to abandon it for private plans, very possibly setting off a spiral of rising premium costs and falling enrollment for traditional Medicare. Over time, traditional Medicare would become less financially viable and could unravel not because it was less efficient than the private plans, but because it was competing on an unlevel playing field in which private plans captured the healthier beneficiaries and incurred lower costs as a result. Ryan also would allow private plans to tailor their benefit packages to attract healthier beneficiaries and deter sicker ones, which only makes this outcome more likely. [Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/28/12] The Ryan Medicare Bill Called For Beginning In 2022, Individuals Turning 65 Would No Longer Would Receive A Guaranteed Benefit, The Government Would Provide A Premium Support That Would Be Adjusted Annually For Inflation. According to Health and Social Work, A central component of the Ryan bill is its transformation of Medicare from a defined benefit plan to essentially a defined contribution plan. Beginning in 2022, individuals turning 65 would no longer receive Medicares traditional guaranteed benefit. Instead, the government would provide a sum of money ($8,000), or a premium support which would be applied toward the purchase of private health insurance. This payment would be adjusted on the basis of an individuals health, age, and income (Kaiser Family Foundation Program on Medicare Policy, 2011). Plans would be required to cover all Medicare-eligible individuals and charge the same premiums to individuals in the same age group (p. 4). Although plans would have to cover certain benefits, it is unlikely that a uniform or specified defined set of benefits (Kaiser Family Foundation Program on Medicare Policy, 2011, p. 2) would be required. [Health & Social Work, 8/1/11]

RAISES RETIREMENT AGE WHILE LEAVING NO SAFETY NET


Ryan Budget Would Raise Medicare Retirement Age From 65 To 67, But Also Repeal Affordable Care Act Thereby Leaving 65 And 66-Year-Old Individuals Without Any Guarantee Of Health Insurance. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The CBO analysis states that the Ryan plan would raise the age at which people become eligible for Medicare from 65 to 67, even as it repeals the health reform laws coverage provisions. This means 65- and 66-year-olds would have neither Medicare nor access to health insurance exchanges in which they could buy coverage at an affordable price and receive subsidies to help them secure coverage if their incomes are low. This change would put many more 65- and 66-year-olds who dont have employer coverage into the individual insurance market, where the premiums charged to people in this age group tend to be extremely high thereby leaving many of them uninsured. People of limited means would be affected most harshly because they would not be able to afford private coverage. In addition, many 65- and 66-year-olds with a pre-existing medical condition would not be able to purchase coverage at any price. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12]

REDUCES BENEFICIARY SPENDING BY AS MUCH AS 42%


Ryan Budget Would Result In Reduced Federal Spending On Each Medicare Beneficiary By 35-42%, Forcing Beneficiaries To Cover Remaining Cost Out Of Pocket. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The Ryan plan would also replace Medicares guarantee of health coverage with premium-support payments to seniors (starting with new beneficiaries in 2023) that they would use to buy coverage from private insurance companies or traditional Medicare. The growth in these payments each year would be limited to the percentage increase in per capita GDP plus one-half percentage point. For more than 30 years, however, health care costs per beneficiary in the United States have risen an average of about two percentage points per year faster than GDP per capita. CBO thus projects that under the Ryan budget, federal Medicare expenditures on behalf of an average 67-year-old beneficiary would, by 2050, be 35 percent to 42 percent lower than under current law. Under the Ryan budget, moreover, Medicare would no longer make payments to health care providers such as doctors and hospitals; it would instead provide premium-support vouchers to beneficiaries that theyd use to help buy coverage from private insurance companies or traditional Medicare. Therefore, the only way to keep Medicare cost growth within the GDP +0.5 percentage-point target would be to limit the annual increase in the governments premium-support vouchers. That would very likely cause the vouchers to grow more slowly than health care costs and hence purchase less 22

coverage with each passing year. Over time, more costs would likely be pushed on to beneficiaries. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12]

OPT-OUT FOR NEW ENROLLEES WOULD JEOPARDIZE BENEFITS FOR CURRENT RECIPIENTS
Opt-Option Would Increase Costs For Current Recipients By Reducing Bargaining Power And Making The RiskPool Older And Sicker. According to the Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, Third, Chairman Ryan says that his proposal would not affect people age 55 and older, but this claim would likely turn out untrue. As fewer new beneficiaries enrolled in traditional Medicare when they reached the eligibility age, the population in traditional Medicare would gradually get older, sicker, fewer in number, and much more expensive per person to cover. Moreover, as the size of the Medicare population shrank, administrative costs would rise relative to benefit payments, traditional Medicares power to demand lower payment rates from providers would erode, and providers would have less incentive to participate in the program. As a result, people now age 55 and older might well face higher premiums and cost sharing for traditional Medicare, a more limited choice of providers, or both. [Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/28/12] Opt-Out Option For Younger Employees Would Lead To Higher Medicare Premiums Or Reduced Benefits As the Risk-Poll Shrinks. According to the National Journal, The plan to grandfather traditional Medicare for those older than 55 could also have negative consequences for current seniors: In 2022, when the limited-subsidy program would be introduced, seniors who qualified for traditional Medicare would be allowed to switch to the new program. If healthier or younger beneficiaries make the change to lower their out-of-pocket costs, those still participating in Medicare would be part of an insurance pool that is less healthy and more expensive. To cover those higher per-person costs, Medicare might well be forced to either raise premiums or limit reimbursements to health care providerswhich could prompt many to stop taking Medicare patients. [National Journal, 6/6/11]

REOPENS THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG DOUGHNUT HOLE


Ryan Plan Would Increase Prescription Drug Costs By Reopening The Doughnut Hole In Drug Coverage. According to the National Journal, But the proposal would also repeal last years health care law, which means reopening a coverage gap in Medicares prescription-drug benefit that the statute closed. The gap, commonly called the doughnut hole, requires seniors to pay 100 percent of any prescription costs after the annual total reaches $2,840 and until it hits $4,550. Those who spend more or less have at least three-quarters of the costs covered. Under the 2010 health law, Medicare will pay 7 percent of the cost of generic drugs and 50 percent on name-brand pharmaceuticals; by 2020, the doughnut hole will be closed. [National Journal, 6/6/11]

PUBLIC RECEPTION
Bloomberg Poll Found 57 Percent Of Americans Thought They Would Be Worse Off Under Ryans Medicare Plan. According to Politico, Democrats are winning the messaging war on Rep. Paul Ryans bid to overhaul Medicare, with a new Bloomberg poll finding 57 percent of Americans believe they would be worse off under his plan. Only 34 percent said they would be better off if Congress replaced traditional Medicare with a program to purchase private insurance with government subsidies, as Ryan has proposed. [Politico, 6/23/11]

Kept Subsidies For Oil Companies While Cutting Alternative Energy


RYAN BUDGET PROTECTED TAX BREAKS AND SUBSIDIES FOR OIL COMPANIES

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Center For American Progress: Ryans Budget Retained $40 Billion In Tax Breaks For Oil. According to the Center for American Progress, American families have been plagued by higher oil and gasoline prices over the past several years despite a significant increase in domestic oil production and rigs, and decline in consumption. But while high prices threaten the economy and family budgets, they enrich American oil companies with huge profits. Yet it appears that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans (R-WI) proposed FY 2013 budget resolution would retain a decades worth of oil tax breaks worth $40 billion. And his budget would cut billions of dollars from investments to develop alternative fuels and clean energy technologies that would serve as substitutes for oil and help protect middle-class families from volatile energy prices as well as create jobs. In short, the Ryan budget compounds the cost of high oil and gasoline prices on the middle class. [Center for American Progress, Issues, 3/20/12] Newsweek: Ryan Plan Protects Tax Breaks For The Oil Industry. According to an article by Newsweeks White House Correspondent Daniel Stone, When House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled the GOP blueprint for cutting government spending, he asked Americans to make sacrifices on everything from Medicare to education, while preserving lucrative tax subsidies for the booming oil, mining and energy industries. [Newsweek/The Daily Beast, 6/17/11]

Even Though Ryan Said Those Programs Should End


Ryan Said All Federal Subsidies To Oil Should End. According to Politico, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan called for ending oil subsidies Thursday, further complicating Republican efforts to stay on message about rising gas prices. The Wisconsin Republican told constituents at a Waterford, Wis., town hall meeting that he agreed that federal oil subsidies ought to end. Were talking about reforming the safety net, the welfare system; we also want to get rid of corporate welfare. And corporate welfare goes to agribusiness companies, energy companies, financial services companies, so we propose to repeal all that, Ryan said in response to a question about oil subsidies. [Politico, 4/28/11] Ryan: Subsidies For All Energy Companies Need To Be Reduced Or Eliminated. According to Politico, In a statement to POLITICO, Ryans office said the House-passed budget resolution clearly states that as part of an overall corporate tax reform, tax loopholes and deductions for all corporations should be scaled back or eliminated entirely. That obviously includes oil companies. Elsewhere, we state that subsidies for all energy companies need to be reduced or eliminated so that we can get government out of the business of picking winners and losers in the market. [Politico, 4/28/11] Ryan Spokesman Said His Budget Included Cut To Subsidies For Oil Companies. According to The Hill, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) opened the door Thursday to supporting a plan to eliminate oil industry tax breaks even as House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other Republicans have distanced themselves from the proposal. The House-passed FY2012 budget resolution clearly states that as part of an overall corporate tax reform, tax loopholes and deductions for all corporations should be scaled back or eliminated entirely. That obviously includes oil companies, Ryan spokesman Conor Sweeney told The Hill in an email. Ryans budget resolution, Sweeney notes, also calls for eliminating tax breaks for clean energy technologies and expanding domestic oil-and-gas production. [The Hill, 4/28/11] Ryan Proposal To Eliminate Energy Subsidies Split With GOP. According to The Hill, Asked about ending the oil industry breaks, Ryan said: Were talking about reforming the safety net, the welfare system. We also want to get rid of corporate welfare. And corporate welfare goes to agribusiness companies, to energy companies, financial services companies. So we propose to repeal all of that. Think Progress, a blog run by the Center for American Progress, noted that Ryan had previously voted against two proposals to eliminate the subsidies. Ryans possible support for the proposal indicates there is a divide among top House Republicans on the cutting the oil subsidies. [The Hill, 4/28/11]

RYAN PLAN SLASHES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FUNDING


Center For American Progress: Ryan Plan Would Spend Only 20% Of Previous Year Funding On Clean Energy. According to the Center for American Progress, Instead of ending Big Oil tax breaks, Rep. Ryans proposed FY 2013 budget would slash funding for investments in clean energy research, development, deployment, and commercialization, along with other energy programs. The plan calls for a $3 billion cut in energy programs in FY 2013 alone. From 2013 to 2017 the Ryan budget would spend a paltry total of $150 million over these five years on these programswhich is barely 20 percent of what was invested in only 2012. [Center for American Progress, Issues, 3/20/12] 24

Center For American Progress: Ryan Plan Disregards Economic Benefits Of Clean Energy. According to the Center for American Progress, Cutting funds for clean energy investments to rely on greater revenue generation through prosperity, and market based solutions also ignores the 100 years of federal support for oil production. According to an analysis by DBL Investors, the oil and gas industry received nearly $500 billion in subsidies over the past 90 years, while investments in renewable technologies were limited to $6 billion. Rep. Ryans proposed budget also disregards the economic benefits of a clean energy future to middle-class families. In addition to creating new industries and jobs, clean energy sources that rely on homegrown wind, solar, geothermal energy, or efficiency will insulate Americans from rising and volatile energy prices. [Center for American Progress, Issues, 3/20/12] Ryan's Budget Eliminates Clean Energy Spending. According to the New York Times, A long-term Republican budget plan released this week by Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin calls for drastic cuts in federal spending on energy research and development and for the outright elimination of subsidies and tax breaks for wind, solar power and other alternative energy technologies. The plan rolls back expensive handouts for uncompetitive sources of energy, calling instead for a free and open marketplace for energy development, innovation and exploration, Mr. Ryan, chairman of the House budget committee, wrote on Monday in The Wall Street Journal. [New York Times, 4/6/11] Plan Cut Funding For Uncompetitive Energy By $7 Billion Compared To Presidents Budget. According to the New York Times, Under the Republican plan, overall discretionary funding for energy programs would fall to about $1 billion per year. President Obamas 2012 budget, meanwhile, would provide about $8 billion to support clean energy research and deployment. Mr. Ryans proposal calls specifically for eliminating welfare for energy companies. The proposal does not include details on which subsidies would be curtailed, but its references to uncompetitive energy sources clearly point to wind and solar power, which typically generate electricity at a premium to fossil fuels like coal. [New York Times, 4/6/11] Budget Plan Would Not Cut Tax Breaks For Oil Companies. According to the New York Times, Other energy incentives may go unchallenged, however. Questioned on Fox News on Sunday by Chris Wallace on whether multibilliondollar subsidies for oil and gas companies would also be eliminated, Mr. Ryan did not give a direct answer. Do you eliminate tax breaks? Mr. Wallace asked. Do you bring in new revenue by eliminating, for instance, tax breaks for oil companies? The problem with our deficit is not because Americans are taxed too little the problem with our deficit is because Washington spends too much money, Mr. Ryan responded. So were not going to go down the path of raising taxes on people. [New York Times, 4/6/11]

Center For American Progress: Ryan Plan Is A Recipe For Repeating Mistakes Of Bush Administration. According to the Center for American Progress, The latest House Republican budget plan asks low-income and middle-class Americans to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction while simultaneously delivering massive tax breaks to the richest 1 percent and preserving huge giveaways to Big Oil. Its a recipe for repeating the mistakes of the Bush administration, during which middle-class incomes stagnated and only the privileged few enjoyed enormous gains. [Center for American Progress, Issues, 3/20/12] Center For American Progress: Each Component Of The Ryan Budget Threatens The Middle Class. According to the Center for American Progress, Each component of the new House Republican budget threatens the middle class while doing nothing to add jobs or grow our economy. It ends the guarantee of decent insurance for senior citizens, breaking Medicares bedrock promise. It slashes investments in education, infrastructure, and basic research, all of which are key drivers of economic growth and mobility. And it cuts taxes for those at the top, asking the middle class to pick up the tab. Its a budget designed to benefit the top 1 percent at everyone elses expense. [Center for American Progress, Issues, 3/20/12] Center For American Progress: Backward-Looking Plan That Would Benefit Big Oil Companies At The Expense Of Middle-Class Americans. According to the Center for American Progress, House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryans (RWI) proposed FY 2012 budget resolution is a backward-looking plan that would benefit big oil companies at the expense of middle-class Americans. It retains $40 billion in Big Oil tax loopholes while completely eliminating investments in the clean energy technologies of the future that are essential for long-term economic growth. [Center for American Progress, 4/6/11]

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Center For American Progress: The Ryan Budget Would: Lock Americans Into Paying High, Volatile Energy Price. According to the Center for American Progress, This budget would lock Americans into paying high, volatile energy prices. It would ensure that millions of clean energy jobs are created overseesnot here in the United States. It is a path backward to Bush-Cheney Big Oil energy policies that cost jobs and harm American competitiveness. In short, the Ryan plan ensures that we lose the high-stakes competition for the $2 trillion worldwide clean tech market. [Center for American Progress, 4/6/11] Center For American Progress: Ryan Plan Allows Harmful Pollution Attacks Environmental Regulations. According to the Center for American Progress, The Ryan budget undermines our economy in another way. It goes backward by continuing to allow harmful, costly pollution. Its attacks on environmental regulations ignore their economic benefit. The Environmental Protection Agency, for instance, determined that the Clean Air Act has generated $20 in benefits for every $1 in cleanup costsa return on investment that would make Warren Buffet proud. Paul Ryans proposed budget resolution would keep Big Oil fat and happy while condemning the rest of us to high energy prices, job losses to other nations, and air pollution. Rather than foster innovation and economic growth like President Obamas proposed budget, it is a path to perdition. [Center for American Progress, 4/6/11]

Social Security
The Ryan Medicare Plan Had The Potential To Affect Social Security Because Beneficiaries Would Spend Their Social Security On Increased Medical Costs. According to Health And Social Work, Underlying Ryans plan is an assumption that health care inflation can only be restrained through consumer choice and market competition (Klein, 2011a). As an example of how his plan would work, Ryan has pointed to Medicare Part D, in which providers compete against each other for seniors business (Klein, 2011a). Part D came in 40 percent below cost projections done at the time of enactment, an almost unheard of accomplishment for a government program (Klein, 2011a).However, this unexpected performance seems to have had less to do with choice and competition than with lower than expected enrollment and sectorwide trends in the pharmaceuticals market--namely, the slow introduction of newer, more expensive medications and the increasing use of generics (Klein, 2011b). According to Park (2011),there is strong evidence that the use of private plans to deliver the Medicare drug benefit may actually have raised Medicares costs. In any event, Part D costs rose more rapidly than the CPI, which-under Ryans plan--would shift costs to beneficiaries (Klein, 2011b). [Health & Social Work, 8/1/11]

2010 BUDGET PROPOSAL


Under Ryans Budget Proposal, A Worker Born In 1985, With Average Salary Of $43,000 Would Receive 17 Percent Less At Retirement Than Under Current Law. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cited a Wall Street Journal report, which concluded, Republican proposals to overhaul Social Security would substantially reduce future benefits for people now entering the workforce, according to a new analysis from Social Security Administrations chief actuary... The new analysis reveals that these proposals result in benefits cuts ranging from 10% to as high as 50%, said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D., N.D.), one of the Democrats who requested the study. Thats not what Id call saving Social Security....A worker born in 1985 whose earnings averaged $43,000 would receive 17% less at retirement than current law promises, as a result of Mr. Ryans proposal to change the inflation index. His proposed increase in the retirement age would reduce benefits by another 8%, according to the actuarys analysis. [10/21/10] [Congressional Documents and Publications, 10/22/10]

Analysis
Social Security Administration: Ryan Plan Would Reduce Social Security Benefits For Seniors By Between 10 and 50 Percent. According to Politico, Endangered Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) is taking on Rep. Paul Ryans (R-Wis.) plans to reform Social Security. The chair of the Social Security subcommittee on House Ways and Means got the Social Security Administration to analyze Ryans recommended changes, including raising the retirement age above 67, and changing the way benefits are indexed. The SSAs actuary report, released Wednesday, shows that the changes would reduce benefits between 10 and 50 percent compared with the current rules. [Politico, 10/20/10] Ryan Called The Report A Desperate Reelection Ploy. According to Politico, Ryan called the report a desperate reelection ploy. Congressman Ryan appreciates Congressman Pomeroys effort to contrast Ryans invitation for solutions 26

with partisan attacks aimed to exacerbate our uncontrolled fiscal trajectory, Ryan spokesman Conor Sweeney said in a statement. Congressman Pomeroys do-nothing plan will impose painful, across-the-board benefits cuts on current seniors and those nearing retirement. Americas seniors cannot afford desperate attacks on the eve of an election, he said. [Politico, 10/20/10]

Slashes Medicaid
Ryan Plan Slashes Medicaid, Jeopardizing Nursing Home Coverage. According to National Journal, Perhaps more jolting, the Republican budget would cut spending on Medicaidhealth care for the poormuch of which goes to long-term care for the elderly. Some 9 million seniors qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and about two-thirds of all nursing-home residents are covered by Medicaid. The GOP budget proposes cutting some $744 billion from Medicaid over 10 years by turning the system into block grants that limit federal contributions and give states more choice in structuring benefits. No one knows exactly which Medicaid services states would choose to cut back, but senior citizens account for a disproportionate share of Medicaid outlays and would almost certainly bear some of the burden. [National Journal, 6/6/11] Ryan Plan Slashes Medicaid By Making It A State Block Grant. According to Sun-Sentinel, The Ryan budget plan would cut federal spending on Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, and begin distributing money by block grant to states. The plan would do away with Medicares direct payment for health care for seniors, replacing it with a voucher system in which recipients choose private insurers. The Congressional Budget Office found that part of the plan, which would take effect in 2022, could nearly double out-of-pocket costs for seniors. [Sun-Sentinel, 4/16/11] Ryan Budget Would Force States To Either Increase Spending Or Reduce Scope Of Medicaid And Childrens Health (CHIP). According to the Center For Budget And Policy Priorities, As CBO explains, the magnitude of the cut in Medicaid and CHIP means that states would need to increase their spending on these programs, make considerable cutbacks in them, or both. Cutbacks might involve reduced eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP, coverage of fewer services, lower payments to providers, or increased cost-sharing by beneficiaries all of which would reduce access to care. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12] Ryan Budget Would Cut Medicaid By $800 Billion Over Next Ten Years, And Steadily More After That Until Cuts Extended To Over Half Of The Program. According to the Center For Budget And Policy Priorities, The Ryan plan would cut Medicaid by more than $800 billion over the next ten years and steadily larger amounts after that (on top of the Medicaid reductions that would result from Chairman Ryans call to repeal health reform). After several decades, Medicaid would be cut by more than half. Yet Medicaid already costs substantially less per beneficiary than private insurance because it pays health providers rock-bottom rates and has low administrative costs. In addition, its per-beneficiary costs have been rising more slowly than private-sector health care costs. Assertions that Medicaid costs are highly inflated and that states can provide comparable health care for much less money may serve as convenient rationales for severe cuts in health care for some of the nations most vulnerable people, but they do not reflect reality. Last year, the Urban Institute estimated that a very similar Ryan Medicaid block-grant proposal would likely cause 14 to 27 million low-income Americans to lose coverage by 2021 (in addition to the 17 million people who no longer would gain coverage due to the repeal of health reform and its Medicaid expansion). [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/12]

Destroys Jobs
Ryan Budgets Cuts Would Result In 4.1 Million Jobs Lost Through 2014, As A Result of Shrinking Demand. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Paul Ryans latest budget doesnt just fail to address job creation, it aggressively slows job growth. Against a current policy baseline, the budget cuts discretionary programs by about $120 billion over the next two years and mandatory programs by $284 billion, sucking demand out of the economy when it most needs it and leading to job loss. Using a standard macroeconomic model that is consistent with that used by private- and public-sector forecasters, the shock to aggregate demand from near-term spending cuts would result in roughly 1.3 million jobs lost in 2013 and 2.8 million jobs lost in 2014, or 4.1 million jobs through 2014. [Economic Policy Institute, 3/21/12]

27

CAP: Ryan Budget Would Embrace An Immediate Swerve Into Severe Austerity, Undermine Economic Recovery. The Center for American Progress wrote, Though weve recently enjoyed several months of solid job growth, our current economic recovery is by no means assured, and we still have a long way to go to get back to full economic health. Not only does the House Republican budget plan fail to propose even a single new idea for spurring job creation, it would also force an immediate swerve into severe austerity. Its an economic prescription that, as Europe is finding out, will make matters much worse. [Center for American Progress, The 6 Key Failures of the House Republican Budget Plan, 3/20/12]

Reduces Federal Spending On Health Care Programs By 75%


Ryan Budget Would Cut Spending On Health Care Programs For Low And Middle-Income Individuals By More Than 75% By 2050. Equally stunning are CBOs findings about the impacts of the Ryan plan on programs to enable Americans to secure health-care coverage. CBO finds that the Ryan plan would cut programs to help low- and middle-income people afford health insurance Medicaid, CHIP, and the Affordable Care Acts subsidies to help near-poor and moderateincome families afford insurance by more than 75 percent by 2050, with the bulk of the cuts coming from Medicaid. Spending on these programs would be slashed from between 4 and 4 percent of GDP in 2050 under current policies to just 1 percent of GDP. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12] Ryan Budget Would Result In Far More Uninsured Individuals. CBO also observes that the Ryan plans elimination of subsidies to help people with modest incomes purchase health coverage (as part of the plans repeal of all coverage expansions under the health reform law) means that the number of people without health insurance would be much higher than under current law. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12]

REPEALS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT


The Ryan Medicare Plan Would Repeal The Affordable Care Act And Independent Payment Advisory Board. According to Health And Social Work, According to Ryan, his plan, and it alone, can save Medicare from a bankrupt future (Klein, 2011b).Yet Ryans plan repeals most of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) (now more commonly known as the Affordable Care Act [ACA]), which takes steps to bring health care costs under control (Orszag, 2009, 2011). For example, Ryans bill would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which Aaron (2011) described as Congresss Good Deed. The IPAB is an independent board of experts that would recommend strategies for preventing excess spending growth in Medicare (Aaron, 2011). Unless overridden by a vote of Congress, the IPAB could introduce a wide range of cost-control measures. [Health & Social Work, 8/1/11]

Hurts The Most Vulnerable


Ryan Budget Would Impose Enormous Cuts To Food Stamps. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The Ryan budget reportedly also cuts SNAP (that is, food stamp) benefits by $133 billion over ten years and slices Pell Grants. The former would likely increase hunger and hardship among poor children, while the latter would likely reduce opportunities for promising students from low-income backgrounds to attend college. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/12] Ryan Budget Would Slash Funding For Crucial Programs Assisting Vulnerable Individuals, Including Low-Income Housing, Head Start, Child Nutrition Programs, And Home-Delivered Meals For Senior Citizens. Also striking is Ryans slashing of non-defense discretionary spending, which funds everything from veterans health care to medical and scientific research, highways, education, national parks, food safety, clean air and clean water enforcement, and border protection and other law enforcement. This part of the budget also funds a number of programs to assist poor or otherwise vulnerable people such as low-income housing; child care for the working poor; Head Start; the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program (WIC); and home-delivered meals for seniors. The Budget Control Act of last August substantially cut funding for non-defense discretionary programs by imposing tough annual budget caps, but the Ryan budget would cut these programs nearly $1.2 trillion below the caps. In fact, it would slash funds for non-defense discretionary programs over the 28

coming decade by $800 billion below the level to which that funding would fall if sequestration occurred every year through 2021. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/12] Ryan Budget Derived 62% Of Spending Cuts From Programs Assisting Low-Income Individuals. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans budget plan would get at least 62 percent of its $5.3 trillion in nondefense budget cuts over ten years (relative to a continuation of current policies) from programs that serve people of limited means. This stands a core principle of President Obamas fiscal commission on its head and violates basic principles of fairness Chairman Ryans budget proposes $5.3 trillion in nondefense budget cuts (and about $200 billion in defense increases). The $5.3 trillion in cuts includes $1.2 trillion in cuts to nondefense discretionary programs; this $1.2 trillion in cuts is beyond the cuts needed to comply with the strict funding caps that the Budget Control Act established. Several hundred billion dollars of these additional cuts would very likely come from low-income programs. Total cuts in low-income programs (including cuts in both discretionary and entitlement programs) appear likely to account for at least $3.3 trillion or 62 percent of Chairman Ryans total budget cuts, and probably significantly more than that; as explained below, our assumptions regarding the size of the lowincome cuts are conservative As noted, our estimates of the size of the cuts in low-income programs which assume these programs will merely bear a proportionate share of the budget cuts required in each of the relevant budget categories are conservative. When faced with the choice of which specific programs to cut, policymakers are not likely to cut much from a number of the non-low-income programs in these budget categories that are popular, such as veterans disability compensation, veterans health, the FBI, and cancer research. That means that other programs including low-income programs would have to be cut by more than their proportionate share. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/23/12]

Makes College Less Affordable


DOUBLE INTEREST RATE FOR STUDENT LOANS
Ryan Plan Would Double Interest Rate On Student Loans. According to the Sun Chronicle, The budget would also double the interest rate charged on loans to 6.8 percent, adding to a debt burden that has reached record highs. [Sun Chronicle (Attleboro, MA), 4/9/12]

SLASHES PELL GRANTS


Under The New Ryan Plan, 1 Million Students Would Lose Pell Grants. According to the Huffington Post, More than 1 million students would lose Pell grants entirely over the next 10 years under Rep. Paul Ryans budget, according to an analysis that the national reform organization Education Trust provided to The Huffington Post. And by the looks of it, the Ryan budget, which is slated to hit the House floor this week, would hit the poorest kids hardest. [] The plan proposed by Ryan (R-Wis.), who chairs the House Budget Committee, would chop away at Pell grant eligibility, thereby reducing total Pell grants by about $170 billion over the next decade; allow the interest rate for federally subsidized Stafford loans to double; end student loan interest subsidies for those still in school; and make Pell spending discretionary -- instead of mandatory -allowing further cuts down the line. Pell grants, the largest source of federal financial aid, currently help more than 9 million students to afford college. Following last years budget standoffs, next years maximum Pell grant of $5,645 will cover just onethird of the average cost of college -- the smallest share ever. [Huffington Post, 3/27/12] Education Trust Estimated 400,000 Students Would Lose Grants Under Ryan Plan. According to the Sun Chronicle, Grants are considered the most helpful form of financial aid based on need because they do not have to be paid back. This money makes the difference to many families between going to school and not going to school, she said. She said an estimated 400,000 students will lose their grants next year, while the amount of aid will be lowered for others. [Sun Chronicle (Attleboro, MA), 4/9/12] Ryan Budget Slashes Pell Grants. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The Ryan budget reportedly also cuts SNAP (that is, food stamp) benefits by $133 billion over ten years and slices Pell Grants. The former would likely increase hunger and hardship among poor children, while the latter would likely reduce opportunities for promising students from low-income backgrounds to attend college. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/12] 29

Romney Supported Federal Budget Cutting Pell Grants By 25 Percent. According to the New York Times, That may be because Mr. Romney supports the House Republican budget, which would cut Pell Grants by 25 percent or more at a time when they are needed more than ever. [New York Times, 3/5/12] 2012 Ryan Budget Plan Would Return Pell Grants To Pre-Stimulus Levels. According to the House Committee on the Budget FY 2012 Budget Resolution, Return Pell grants to their pre-stimulus levels to curb rising tuition inflation and make sure aid is targeted to the truly needy. [House Committee on the Budget, Path to Prosperity FY 2012 Budget Resolution, 2011] 2012 Ryan Budget: Pell Grants Were On An Unsustainable Path, Necessary To Cut And Target To The Truly Needy. According to the House Committee on the Budget FY 2012 Budget Resolution, Congress must do a better job of delivering job training resources in a targeted, accountable way to people who need them, so that more can take advantage of the nations network of private and non-prot job training centers. The last Congress did nothing to streamline the nations duplicative job-training programs. Instead, it recklessly expanded Pell grants for higher education beyond governments means to pay, exacerbating an existing trend of spending-driven tuition ination and endangering the viability of the program for the truly needy. The Presidents budget recognizes that Pell spending is on an unsustainable path and recommends a few reforms to start to get control of the programs costs. This budget takes the necessary next steps to ensure Pell spending is brought under control and targeted to the truly needy instead of being captured in the form of tuition increases. Recent studies have demonstrated that increases in Pell grants appear to be matched nearly one for one by increases in tuition at private universities. [House Committee on the Budget, Path to Prosperity FY 2012 Budget Resolution, 2011] Ryan Budget Claimed President Was Pushing Pell Grants To Unsustainable Rates. According to the House Committee on the Budget FY 2013 Budget Resolution, The rst two years of this administration were marked by a reckless expansion of the federal governments obsolete approach to education and job training, endangering the viability of advanced education services for those most in need. The administrations budget pushes Pell Grant spending toward unsustainable rates, contributing to tuition ination and inhibiting upward mobility and access to better opportunities. [House Committee on the Budget, Path to Prosperity FY 2013 Budget Resolution, 2012] 2013 Ryan Budget: Pell Grants Were On An Unsustainable Path, Necessary To Cut And Target To The Truly Needy. According to the House Committee on the Budget FY 2013 Budget Resolution, Return Pell Grants to a sustainable funding path to ensure aid is available for the truly needy and to curb tuition ination for all students. Even the Presidents budget acknowledges that college costs are on an unsustainable path. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that increases in Pell Grants appear to be matched nearly one for one by increases in tuition at private universities. This budget puts Pell on a sustainable path by limiting the growth of nancial aid and focusing it on low income students who need it the most. This will force schools to reform and adapt. It will also ensure that Pell spending goes to students who truly need it. Moreover, federal intervention in higher education should increasingly be focused not solely on nancial aid, but on policies that maximize innovation and ensure a robust menu of institutional options from which students and their families are able to choose. Such policies should include reexamining the data made available to students to make certain they are armed with information that will assist them in making their postsecondary decisions. Additionally, the federal government should act to remove regulatory barriers in higher education that act to restrict exibility and innovative teaching, particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as online coursework. [House Committee on the Budget, Path to Prosperity FY 2013 Budget Resolution, 2012] Ryan Plan Would Make Paying For College Substantially More Difficult. According to the Sun Chronicle, As student debt soars, the U.S. House is looking to cut college financial aid in a way that critics contend will make it even harder for middle class families to afford higher education. The House has passed a budget plan authored by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, RWisconsin, that slashes Pell Grants for low-income families and doubles the interest rate on unsubsidized Stafford Loans. This will make things substantially more difficult for students trying to pay for college, said Kate Tromble with The Education Trust. [Sun Chronicle (Attleboro, MA), 4/9/12] Education Trust: $200 Billion Would Be Cut From Grant Program Over 10 Years Under Ryan Plan. According to the Sun Chronicle, Over the next 10 years an estimated $200 billion would be cut from the grant program, leaving about one million students without the aid. The maximum grant would be reduced immediately to $5,550, the lowest level as a percentage of the tuition in the history of the program. Part-time students -often the poorest of college students - would no longer be eligible for the aid. [Sun Chronicle (Attleboro, MA), 4/9/12] 30

Middle / Low Income


Ryan Budgets Spending Cuts, Along With Defense Budget Increases Would Eliminate Core Government Functions Like Veterans Programs, Medical And Scientific Research, Highways, Education, Programs For Low Income Families Other Than Medicaid, National Parks, Food Safety And Water Supple, Etc. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The CBO report, prepared at Chairman Ryans request, shows that Ryans budget path would shrink federal expenditures for everything other than Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and interest payments to just 3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050. Since, as CBO notes, spending for defense alone has not been lower than 3 percent of GDP in any year [since World War II] and Ryan seeks a high level of defense spending he increases defense funding by $228 billion over the next ten years above the pre-sequestration baseline the rest of government would largely have to disappear. That includes everything from veterans programs to medical and scientific research, highways, education, nearly all programs for low-income families and individuals other than Medicaid, national parks, border patrols, protection of food safety and the water supply, law enforcement, and the like. (In the same vein, CBO also notes that spending for everything other than Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and interest has exceeded 8 percent of GDP in every year since World War II. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/20/12]

Raises Taxes On The Poor To Pay For Tax Breaks For The Rich
Ryan Budget Would Actually Raise Taxes On Many Low-Income Individuals By Not Extending Recent Tax Cuts For Working Poor Enacted Under President Obama. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Many low-income working families would actually see an increase in their tax burdens under the Ryan plan. While the Ryan budget makes permanent all of the Bush tax cuts for high-income households that are slated to expire at the end of 2012, it would not extend the tax cuts for working-poor households that were enacted under President Obama and also are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12] Ryan Budget Is Robin Hood In Reverse On Steroids Results In Redistribution Of Wealth From The Poor To Rich. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The new Ryan budget is a remarkable document one that, for most of the past half-century, would have been outside the bounds of mainstream discussion due to its extreme nature. In essence, this budget is Robin Hood in reverse on steroids. It would likely produce the largest redistribution of income from the bottom to the top in modern U.S. history and likely increase poverty and inequality more than any other budget in recent times (and possibly in the nations history). It also would stand a core principle of the Bowles-Simpson fiscal commissions report on its head that policymakers should reduce the deficit in a way that does not increase poverty or widen inequality. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/12] Ryan Budget Would Oversee Massive Tax Cuts For Wealthy Individuals And Corporations. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Despite warning that the nation faces the perils of debt, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan introduced a budget on March 20 whose tax proposals would be extremely costly and would disproportionately favor the nations highest-income households and large corporations. His budget would cut the top marginal income tax rate, now 35 percent but scheduled to rise next year to 39.6 percent, to 25 percent. It would cut the corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent and eliminate taxes on the foreign profits of U.S.-based multinationals. It would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), designed to ensure that high-income people pay at least a minimum level of tax. And it would eliminate health reforms increase in the Medicare tax for high-income individuals. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/22/12] Ryan Budget Proposed $10 Trillion In Tax Cuts For High-Income Americans Alongside Severe Spending Cuts To Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps And Pell Grants. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, These tax cuts all would come on top of President Bushs tax cuts, which also are very expensive and tilted toward the nations most affluent people and which Chairman Ryan would make permanent. The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (TPC) estimates that extending the Bush and other expiring tax cuts would cost $5.4 trillion over the next decade and that Chairman Ryans additional tax cuts would cost another $4.6 trillion. That means Chairman Ryan is proposing nearly $10 trillion in tax cuts (relative to current law) that heavily favor high-income Americans even while claiming that his budgets severe cuts in basic 31

low-income programs like Medicaid, food stamps, and Pell Grants are needed to rein in unsustainable deficits. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/22/12] Ryan Budget Contained Massive New Tax Cuts For Wealthiest Americans Above And Beyond The Bush Tax Cuts. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Even as House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans budget would impose trillions of dollars in spending cuts, 62 percent of which would come from low-income programs, it would enact new tax cuts that would provide huge windfalls to households at the top of the income scale. New analysis by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (TPC) finds that people earning more than $1 million a year would receive $265,000 apiece in new tax cuts, on average, on top of the $129,000 they would receive from the Ryan budgets extension of President Bushs tax cuts. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12] Ryan Budget Would Raise After-Tax Income Of Millionaires By More Than Six Times As Much As It Would For Middle-Class Households. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The new tax cuts at the top would dwarf those for middle-and lower-income families. After-tax incomes would rise by 12.5 percent among millionaires, but just 1.9 percent for middle-income households (see Figure 1 and footnote 6). [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12] Ryan Budget Would Cut Top Individual Tax Rate To Lowest Level Since Before New Deal. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The Ryan budget includes a number of specific tax cuts, on top of making the Bush tax cuts permanent. All of its new tax cuts are both expensive and tilted toward high-income households. It would cut the top individual tax rate to 25 percent, the lowest level since the Hoover Administration more than 80 years ago. It would cut the corporate rate to 25 percent and eliminate both the Alternative Minimum Tax and the Affordable Care Acts increase in the Medicare tax for high-income people. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12] Ryan Budget Would Offer $265,000 Average Annual Tax Cut To Individuals With Income Over $1 Million, But Individuals Earning Between $50,000 And $75,000 Annually Would Only Receive $1,045 Average Annual Tax Cut. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, A new TPC analysis finds that people with incomes above $1 million would receive a $265,000 average annual tax cut just from the new Ryan proposals (i.e., not counting what they would also receive from extension of the Bush tax cuts). Middle-income taxpayers those with incomes between $50,000 and $75,000 would receive $1,045, on average. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12] Ryan Budget Would Provide 37% Of Total Proposed Tax Cuts To Individuals Earning More Than $1 Million, Despite Those Individuals Constituting Less Than Of 1% Of All Households. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, The new TPC figures show that the Ryan tax cuts are starkly regressive: after-tax incomes of people who make more than $1 million a year would rise by 12.5 percent, on average six times more than the 1.9 percent average gain for middle-income households. Underscoring how tilted the proposal is toward the top, the TPC figures show that people making more than $1 million a year would receive 37 percent of the new Ryan tax cuts even though they constitute less than one-half of one percent of U.S. households (see Figure 2). [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12]

Does Not Balance The Budget


The Club For Growth Pointed Out That Ryans Plan Did Not Balance The Budget Until 2040. According to The American Conservative, The latest version of Ryans budget, we are reminded, reduces spending by $3 trillion and deficits by $5 trillion while avoiding $2 trillion in tax increases. Medicare is gradually transformed from a single-payer program to a premium support system, though seniors will now retain the option of old-fashioned Medicare under a plan co-authored by liberal Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden. Marginal tax rates would be slashed, the national debt would cease to gobble up the entire economy, and Obamacare would be repealed, if not exactly replaced. Save Social Security reform for the second Romney term, and whats not to like? Except many conservative activists didnt like it. The Club for Growth, one of the most influential fiscal pressure groups on the right, pointed out that the plan didnt balance the budget until 2040. They also denounced House Republicans for failing to implement all the spending cuts mandated by the failure of the supercommittee. Club president Chris Chocola, himself a former Republican congressman, said in a statement: The Club for Growth urges Republicans to support a budget that balances in the near future and complies with the Budget Control Act. A blogger associated with FreedomWorks complained, Unfortunately, the plan doesnt really try to balance the budget or specify a single cabinet agency for elimination. The Tea Party scribe also dinged Ryan for largely leaving defense and Social Security, two of 32

the biggest line items in the federal budget, off the table. The baseline for the $5 trillion in deficit reduction isnt current law, but President Obamas budget, which the House rejected by a vote of 414 to 0. [The American Conservative, 5/1/12]

VIOLATED PROPOSED BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENTS


Ryan Acknowledged That His Budget Would Violate A Balanced Budget Amendment. According to a transcript of a House Republican conference call obtained via Fair Disclosure Wire, Ryan was asked, Representative Ryan, a lot of Republicans, the majority of Republicans, all -- every Senate Republican balanced budget amendment. This budget appears to easily violate that. Youve got $8 trillion in more debt over the next decade. Do you need to rewrite that amendment? You know, how is this compatible with, you know, $8 trillion in more debt over the next 10 years, compatible with getting rid of the deficit in five years? Ryan responded, : Ive been a supporter of a balanced budget amendment since the days I came to Congress in 1998. Our baseline, our fiscal situation has gotten so bad, this just tells you what kind of work it needs to do to fix it. One of the components of the balanced budget amendment is a cap on government spending. We propose that. I think the key focus for freedom and economic liberty is to bring the size of government down. This does that. This brings the size of government down and forces it with a cap so that our government is limited in scope so that our economy and our people can be free. This is about securing prosperity for the next generation, growing our economy now. If we were to have a balanced budget amendment in law, itd take probably 7 to 10 years to do that, and so its -- its pretty crazy to try and speculate what the baseline will look like at that moment. But the key here is, using real numbers, using CBO, were putting a path to getting this debt paid off. [Fair Disclosure Wire, 4/6/11]

Ryan On His Plan


Ryan: This Is Not A Budget; This Is A Cause. According to a transcript of a House Republican conference call obtained via Fair Disclosure Wire, Ryan was asked, Congressman, what do you say to nervous Republicans who say that this is a political kamikaze mission, youve just given Democrats a big target that may ultimately cost Republicans your majority here in the Congress? Ryan responded, You know, look at these people. Look at these new people who just got here. You know, they didnt come here for a political career. They came here for a cause. This is not a budget; this is a cause. [Fair Disclosure Wire, 4/6/11] Ryan Claimed His Budget Would Cut $6 Trillion Over 10 Years. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, As detailed Tuesday, the Ryan plan revamps spending and taxing across the board. It would cut federal spending by roughly $6 trillion over 10 years compared with the presidents budget; slash the federal workforce by 10% through attrition and freeze federal pay; roll domestic programs back to 2008 levels and freeze them there for several years; and cap overall government spending at levels Ryan described as more typical of the past but below todays levels. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/6/11] Ryan Warned Of Painful European-Like Austerity If His Budget Was Not Implemented. According to a transcript of On The Record with Greta Van Susteren, Ryan said, If we dont preempt the debt crisis, then we will have painful European-like austerity -- benefit cuts to current seniors, tax increases on everybody that slows down the economy. Thats what were trying to prevent from happening. [Fox News, On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, 3/29/11] FactCheck: Ryan Exaggerates His Claim That The Economy Will Self-Destruct In 2037 Due To Debt. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Recently, House Budget chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., allowed journalists from CNN to attend a closed-door briefing that he held for fellow Republican lawmakers. One comment Ryan made during his presentation caught our eye. The Congressional Budget Office has this economic model where they measure the economy going forward, and they are now telling us that the entire economy crashes in the year 2037 because their computer simulation cant conceive of any way in which the U.S. economy can continue, Ryan said, according to the CNN report, which also included a video clip of the comment. We wondered whether Ryan was accurately describing what the CBO -- Congress non-partisan fiscal-analysis office -- was saying. We found that Ryan has a point about the peril facing the economy from the nations rapidly growing debt, but we also found that his comment was somewhat exaggerated Analyzing this status-quo model, the CBO wrote that it is not possible to simulate the effects ... after 2058 because deficits become so large and unsustainable that the model cannot calculate their effects. (The CBO went on to write that, compared to the status-quo option, Ryans plan did a better job of bringing down the debt and promoting economic output.) Still, the year this economic model essentially blows up, according to CBO, is 2058 -- 21 years later than what Ryan said in the CNN clip. [St. Petersburg Times, 3/21/11] 33

Ryan Said His Entitlement Plan Would Not Hurt Grandma Right Now, But Would Reform Entitlement Programs For People Under 55 Years Old. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on MSNBCs The Dylan Ratigan Show, Ryan said if fixing these problems was politically easy, we would have done it already by now. But you just cant disguise these numbers. I mean, we have a fiscal problem that is just so monumental, Dylan, that weve got to attack this, and the sooner, the better. Now, look, you dont have to hurt grandma right now. The whole point of my plan is that if you are in or near retirement, over 55 years old, we can guarantee your Social Security and Medicare benefits. But for our generation, those of us under 55 and beyond, look, were not going to have these programs anyway. Theyre going bankrupt. So weve got to reform them to make them sustainable for the future. And the way in which I propose to reform them is to give people the same kinds of choices like I have as a member of Congress and a federal employee when I buy my health care and get my retirement benefits. [Federal News Service, 3/10/10] Ryan Claimed A Plan Showing Nearly 80% Of Americans Opposed His Medicare Plans Was Inaccurate. According to a transcript of The Ed Show, David Gregory said to Ryan, According to our polling, nearly eight in 10 Americans do not want to cut spending for Medicare, even in the name of cutting the debt. You, I assume, are not doing this as an intellectual exercise. Ryan responded, First of all, if people are describing this accurately in polls, it`s far more popular than the poll you referenced. Second of all, leaders are elected to lead. I don`t consult polls to tell me what my principles are or what our policies should be. Leaders change the polls. [MSNBC, The Ed Show, 5/23/11] Ryan Said The Republican Town Meetings Went Phenomenally Well. According to a transcript of State of the Union with Candy Crowley, Candy Crowley said to Ryan, Because as you know, some of your members went home and took a beating on Medicare. The idea that Medicare, as we know it, would be replaced by a subsidy system that would be capped for those as you get wealthier. And a lot of people said dont change Medicare, we see this in the polls. Ryan responded, OK. So first, I would say our town hall meetings went phenomenally well. Mine in particular. Second of all, Medicare is going broke. The trustees just reminded us of this last week. [CNN, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, 5/15/11] Ryan Said His Budget Would Means Test Medicare. According to a transcript of All Things Considered obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, So what we propose is to subsidize more low- income care and people as they get sicker. So as a person gets older, obviously their health condition deteriorates so their subsidies will increase. If a person is low income, they get complete out-of-pocket coverage. We subsidize all of their out-of-pocket costs, their co- pays and deductibles. And what we do is we means test Medicare. If youre a wealthy senior in the future, were proposing that you dont get as much subsidy so that we can put more subsidy to people who have higher health care risks and who are lower income. [Federal News Service, 4/14/11] Ryan Said His Budget Built Upon The Medicare Plan He Designed With Democrat Alice Rivlin. According to a transcript of a House Republican press conference that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, So this is why Alice Rivlin and I put out a plan in the debt commission to deal with Medicare and Medicaid. Alice Rivlin is a great, proud Democrat -- Brookings Institution, Clinton OMB director. This Path to Prosperity builds upon those Rivlin-Ryan plans that we put in here. But the reason we didnt support the debt commission is it didnt, in my opinion, deal with the drivers of our debt. [Federal News Service, 4/5/11] Rivlin Said She Didnt Support Ryans Plan. According to Politico, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) touted the help of former Clinton advisor Alice Rivlin a great, proud Democrat - in promoting a key Medicare provision in his budget proposal Tuesday. The only problem? Rivlin said she told the Republican she doesnt support the final version of the measure he wrote into his budget - a provision Ryan referred to generally as the Ryan-Rivlin plan when rolling out his sweeping economic blueprint. We talked fairly recently and I said, You know, I cant support the version that you have in the budget, Rivlin said in an interview with POLITICO. I dont actually support the form in which he put it in the budget. [Politico, 4/5/11] Rivlin: Ryans Plan Pushed Too Much Of The Cost Onto The Beneficiaries. According to Politico, The other main difference is in the rate of growth in subsidies for beneficiaries entering the new exchange system. In the Ryan version, he has lowered the rate of growth and I dont think thats defensible, Rivlin said. It pushed too much of the cost onto the beneficiaries. [Politico, 4/5/11] 34

Ryan Plan In Presidential Politics


The Ryan Budget Became A Defining Issue Of the 2012 Campaign As Romney Defended It. According to the International Herald Tribune, After Mr. Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, helped Mr. Romney secure a crucial primary victory this week in Mr. Ryans home state, Wisconsin, the candidate tightened his embrace of the congressman on Wednesday despite a withering assault a day earlier from Mr. Obama on the Ryan spending plan and what he said it reflected about Republican priorities. In his most direct clash yet with the president, Mr. Romney defended Mr. Ryan before newspaper editors in Washington as a politician who unlike this president, has had the courage to offer serious solutions to the problems we face. Other Republicans cast the 42-year-old Mr. Ryan as the intellectual light of the party and the heir to Jack Kemp, the late New York congressman who also specialized in fiscal policy and was Senator Bob Doles running mate when he ran for president in 1996. [International Herald tribune, 4/6/12] Ryan Accepted An Apology From Gingrichs Over His Statement That His Budget Was Right-Wing Social Engineering. According to CNN, Its become the mantra of the GOP, including presidential candidates. So when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized Ryans plan as right-wing social engineering, in a television appearance in May, it created an immediate furor. Gingrich was forced to take the comments back. He called Ryan within days to say he was wrong and misspoke, according to Ryan. Apology accepted. [CNN, 9/26/11] Most Of The 2012 GOP Candidates For President Supported The Budget Plan, However Some Had Nuances. According to CNN, The other GOP candidates have supported his ideas -- although with some nuances, because the notion of changing entitlements is a controversial proposition for a presidential candidate. [CNN, 9/26/11]

Editorial Reactions
Op-Ed: Ryans Budget Went Against The American Idea Of Upward Mobility. According to the Washington Post, In the end, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 62 percent of the cuts come from programs for lowincome Americans and 37 percent of the tax benefits go to the few Americans earning more than $1 million. In other words, Ryans budget fails even Ryans tests for encouraging social mobility: It focuses its cuts on programs for the poor rather than programs for seniors, and it doesnt eliminate any tax loopholes. (Ryans office didnt respond to requests for comment on this column.) As Ryan argued in his October speech, the government does have a role in encouraging social mobility: It helps close the gap between the children of the poor and the children of the rich. Food stamps and other food-assistance programs help with nutrition. Public education and Pell grants help with skills. Medicaid - which covers more than 25 million children - helps with access to health care. But Ryans proposed cuts would hit these programs with particular force. [Washington Post, Ezra Klein, 4/3/12] Op-Ed: Ryans Budget Was Not A Health Care Policy Because It Did Not Leave Any Money For High-Risk Pools Because He Did Not Want To Leave Money For It. According to Jonathan Chait of the New York Times, Contrary to the impression he left at the town hall, Ryan knows full well that his budget plan does nothing for the uninsured. Here he is, earlier in the summer, doing the thing where he pretends his imaginary alternative health-care plan is real: Well, a budget resolution - because of the germaneness of reconciliation - you dont put all those things in there, but there are a number of things I would do. Insurance reforms - not just inter-state shopping - but high-risk pools that are fully funded that subsidize those with pre-existing conditions. I really believe the tax exclusion is a huge source of health inflation, props up the third-party payment system and subsidizes the wrong people in society. If youre in the top tax bracket, you get the biggest subsidy; if youre in the lowest tax bracket, you get the smallest tax subsidy. Its upside down. So Ive always believed in refundable tax credits. But you cant address all those things in a budget resolution. You need more than a budget resolution. So his explanation is that he didnt budget any money for high-risk pools because you cant do that in a budget. This is obviously silly. A budget is precisely where you set aside money that you intend to spend. Ryan left no money to subsidize high-risk pools because he didnt want to leave enough money for it. Meanwhile, the Path to Prosperity was a wide-ranging wish list of conservative desire. It repealed the Dodd-Frank financial reform. Does deregulating Wall Street that have any relevance to the budget? No. Much as he wants to pretend otherwise, Ryan has a health-care plan. Its to repeal the Affordable Care Act and let the uninsured fend for themselves. [New York Magazine, Jonathan Chait, 11/4/11] 35

The Post Standard: Ryan Plan Would Pay For Tax Cuts On Top Earners And Corporations By Slashing Entitlements, Pell Grants And Benefits For Veterans. According to The Post Standard, As the GOP continues its war on women, it adds to its victims the weak, disabled, elderly, poor and disadvantaged. Congressman Paul Ryans Path to Prosperity, lauded by our representative Ann Marie Buerkle as courageous, is in fact downright cowardly. Ryan wishes to extend the Bush tax cuts and cut the top tax rate for individuals and corporations from 35 percent to 25 percent. He pays for this by slashing Medicare, Medicaid, Pell Grants, food stamps, low-income housing subsidies and veterans health care. [The Post Standard, 6/9/11] Post Standard: Ryans Path To Prosperity Would Punish The Weak, Reward The Strong. According to The Post Standard, The plan is a losing proposition for almost every person who lives long enough to qualify for Medicare benefits. The proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would be particularly hard on women, who make up more than half of the beneficiaries of both programs. The insurance companies, however, will reap phenomenal profits if it goes into effect. Punish the weak, reward the strong. The class bias in this poorly named Path to Prosperity offers an open window to the future of this country if Republicans have their way. The concept of shared sacrifice apparently does not fit into the GOP playbook, nor does the idea of compassion. [The Post Standard, 6/9/11] Jackson Sun: Ryans Medicare Program Sought Solution To Problem That Doesnt Exist. According to The Jackson Suns Tom Bohs, The other reason Ryans approach to privatizing Medicare to save money surprises me is that it is unnecessary. The system is solvent for many years to come. Shortfalls after that easily can be addressed long before they materialize. Ryan is solving a problem that doesnt exist, and making seniors and other voters angry in the process. He should focus on problems that are real and on the table right now such as the national debt, high unemployment, mortgage defaults and a host of social, military and international affairs challenges we face. [The Jackson Sun, 5/29/11] Ryan Failed To Address Possibility Of Insufficient Coverage Under His Medicare Plan. According to The Jackson Suns Tom Bohs, The final problem with Ryans Medicare voucher scheme is that it might not - and I would hazard an educated guess it would not - be sufficient to purchase health insurance that would provide anywhere near the coverage afforded by Medicare. What would people do when their benefits ran out? Ryan doesnt address that. Again, it would be every man for himself. Of course, there might still be Medicaid available to those brought to penury by uncovered medical expenses. But that only puts the burden on others, to say nothing of the emotional and psychological blow it would inflict on seniors. [The Jackson Sun, 5/29/11] The Jackson Sun: Ryans Claim His Medicare Voucher Plan Would Allow Seniors To Choose Best Suited Health Insurance Was False Hope And Fallacy. According to The Jackson Suns Tom Bohs, Republicans shot themselves in the foot by proposing to end traditional Medicare and replace it with vouchers for private insurance. If they dont drop this scheme, it will cost them dearly in the 2012 election cycle. []Under the voucher plan proposed by Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, seniors would be allotted money they could spend on health insurance purchased through private insurance companies. The ad-vantage, according to Ryan and other Republicans, is that people would be able to choose the health insurance that best suits their needs. That is the biggest false hope I have ever heard perpetrated on old people. What is the best health insurance policy for anyone? The best policy is the one that pays the bills when you get sick without splitting hairs over whether a particular illness, procedure, service, doctor or medication is excluded in the fine print of the insurance contract. It is a fallacy that different people have different health insurance needs. What health problem dont you want coverage for? The idea that some people are in better health than others and dont need as much health insurance is nonsense. No one can predict lifes illnesses and health mishaps, let alone those of old age. It would be like buying car insurance that only covered you on some days of the week. [The Jackson Sun, 5/29/11]

Newt Gingrich Described Paul Ryans Budget Plan As Radical And Right Wing Social Engineering. According to the Des Moines Register, What news organizations such as Politico.com are calling a campaign crisis started Sunday with Gingrichs appearance on NBCs Meet the Press. Gingrich called Ryans Medicare plan too big a jump and radical change and criticized the prospect of right-wing social engineering. Critics cried foul, saying his statements discredited the House Republican-backed plan and gave Democrats a sound bite to attack it. [Des Moines Register, 5/19/11] Gingrich Later Called Ryan And Apologized For His Comment. According to the Des Moines Register, Gingrich answered frequent questions about his statements while on his first campaign trip in Iowa Monday and Tuesday, and later called Ryan and apologized for the comments. [Des Moines Register, 5/19/11] 36

Ryan Said Newt Gingrich Was Inaccurate In Describing The GOP Budget Plan As Right Wing Social Engineering. According to the Associated Press, Last week Gingrich called Rep. Paul Ryans Medicare proposal rightwing social engineering. Gingrich took his words back a few days later after he was criticized by conservatives. Gingrich also called Ryan to apologize. Ryan, R-Wis., played down the flap when asked about it on NBCs Meet the Press and played up his proposal. It essentially calls for a voucher system to help older people buy insurance in the future. []Ryan says its time to move beyond the Gingrich comments and focus on dealing with the nations fiscal problems. [Associated Press, 5/22/11]

Rep. Gerry Connolly Of Virginia Said Ryans Medicare Plan Lined The Pockets Of The Private Insurance Companies. According to the Daily Press, The debate over health care reform has provided a lot of fodder for people in the fact-checking business, including this recent criticism from Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly: [] Ruling statement: Rep. Paul Ryans Medicare plan lines the pockets of the private insurance companies, increases costs for seniors and does not reduce the deficit. [Daily Press, 5/7/11] Ryans 2010 Road Map Which Called For Adding Private Account To Social Security And Fundamentally Changing Medicare By Giving Seniors Subsidies To Buy Private Insurance Was Seen As A Political Liability By Some. According to Politico, Hes not quite a political archvillain on a par with Karl Rove or Nancy Pelosi, but Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is rapidly emerging as a top Democratic bogeyman on the campaign trail. At issue is his legislative road map, which Ryan crafted as the top Republican on the House Budget Committee. Among his specific proposals: eventually adding private accounts to Social Security and fundamentally changing Medicare by giving subsidies to seniors to buy private insurance. Democrats - from President Barack Obama on down - say the plan would devastate the social safety net that their party has crafted over the past 75 years - and theyre pounding GOP opponents with it across the country. Ryans plan restates President George W. Bushs 2005 plan to privatize Social Security and turn it from a guaranteed benefit into a guaranteed gamble, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosis spokesman, Nadeam Elshami. [Politico, 10/1/10] Ryan Refuted Krugmans Criticism Of His Roadmap Said That The CBO Did Not Do A Long Term Study Of His Plan And That Critics Dont Realize the Debt Situation Was From An Explosion Of Government Growth. According to PA Pundits, Krugmans criticisms of the Republican rising star were of course praised by all manner of media member from the shills at MSNBC to the sycophants in the liberal blogosphere. Since then, Ryan has responded and responded well, first at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Saturday: The assertion by Krugman and others that the revenue assumptions in the Roadmap are overly optimistic and that my staff directed the Congressional Budget Office not to analyze the tax elements of the Roadmap is a deliberate attempt to misinform and mislead. I asked the CBO to analyze the long-term revenue impact of the Roadmap, but officials declined to do so because revenue estimates are the jurisdiction of the Joint Tax Committee. The Joint Tax Committee does not produce revenue estimates beyond the 10-year window, and so I worked with Treasury Department tax officials in setting the tax reform rates to keep revenues consistent with their historical average. What critics such as Krugman fail to understand is that our looming debt crisis is driven by the explosive growth of government spending not from a lack of tax revenue. [PA Pundits, 8/11/10] Center On Budget And Policy Priorities: Ryans Roadmap Would Help The Most Affluent Household and Eliminates Taxes on Capital Gains, Dividends, Interest, And Abolished the Corporate Income Taxes, Estate Tax, And The Alternative Minimum Tax. According to the Center On Budget & Policy Priorities, The Roadmap for Americas Future, which Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee released in late January, calls for radical policy changes that would result in a massive transfer of resources from the broad majority of Americans to the nations wealthiest individuals.[1] The Roadmap would give the most affluent households a new round of very large, costly tax cuts by reducing income tax rates on high-income households; eliminating income taxes on capital gains, dividends, and interest; and abolishing the corporate income tax, the estate tax, and the alternative minimum tax. At the same time, the Ryan plan would raise taxes for most middle-income families, privatize a substantial portion of Social Security, eliminate the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance, end traditional Medicare and most of Medicaid, and terminate the Childrens Health Insurance Program. The plan would replace these health programs with a system of vouchers whose value would erode over time and thus would purchase health insurance that would cover fewer health care services as the years went by. [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 7/5/10] Ryan Accused The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Of Partisan Demagoguery After Is Oppose His Roadmap Plan. According to the Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, We are quite disappointed that, in 37

responding to our analysis of his budget plan, Rep. Paul Ryan accuses the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities of partisan demagoguery as well as factual errors and misleading statements. Quite the contrary, we applied the same rigorous analytical process to Rep. Ryans Roadmap for Americas Future that we do to every issue we study. We worked for more than a month on our analysis, and we believe that, if anything, we bent over backwards to make sure we were fair to the Congressman and his plan. Frankly, based on the attack on our analysis that Rep. Ryan issued yesterday, we took his plan far more seriously than he took our analysis of it. Rep. Ryan accuses us of partisanship, but we relied on the best nonpartisan sources available. The Tax Policy Center, on whose revenue estimates we relied heavily, is a highly respected, nonpartisan institution whose co-director, Rosanne Altshuler, was senior economist for President George W. Bushs Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform in 2005. [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 3/12/10]

Ryan-Wyden Proposal
Ryan Co-Sponsored A Bill With Senator Wyden For Changes In The Medicare FFS Program, Would Create An Exchange, Retain Existing Medicare Insurance Rules, An Institutional Framework For Consumer Protection, And Medicare Spending Would Be Put On A Budget In 2023. According to the Heritage Foundation, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) have also outlined a major Medicare reform based on premium support. [ 43] Their plan differs in significant respects from the Ryan proposal embodied in last years House Budget Resolution. [44] Traditional Medicare. Like other major proposals, the Wyden-Ryan plan calls for changes in the traditional Medicare FFS program. It would, for example, create a new catastrophic benefit and reform existing cost sharing in Medicare Parts A and B by providing for a uniform deductible. They also call for the replacement of SGR with a new physician-payment-update formula. Ryan and Wyden are not specific, however, beyond these basic descriptions... First, Wyden-Ryan would create a Medicare exchange, a new arena for health plan competition Second, Wyden-Ryan would retain existing Medicare insurance rules, meaning guaranteed issue of coverage, renewability and community rating, and it would greatly expand coverage options Third, Wyden and Ryan establish an institutional framework for consumer protection and plan competition Finally, Medicare spending, no longer on automatic pilot, would be put on a budget, effective in 2023. [Heritage Foundation, 4/4/12] Ryans Second Budget Had The Options For Individuals To Buy A Traditional Fee For-Service Medicare Policy. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, In last years GOP budget, people would use those premium subsidies to buy insurance in the private market. In the version unveiled Tuesday, they could also use those premium subsidies to buy a traditional fee-for-service Medicare policy, an approach that borrows from a plan Ryan recently crafted with a Democratic senator from Oregon, Ron Wyden. But those recipients choosing the traditional Medicare option would still be subject to the caps Ryan is proposing on the governments Medicare spending, meaning they might have to pay a lot more down the road than seniors do now for that traditional policy. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 3/21/12] Op-Ed: The Wyden-Ryan Plan Allowed Companies With Fewer Than 100 Employees The Options Of Giving Their Workers Vouchers On What They Would Have Instead Spent On Their Healthcare And Called For An Exchange Type Of System Which Sounded Similar To Obamacare. According to Matt Miller of the Washington Post, In this new plan, Mr. Wyden gets Mr. Ryan to sign onto a key component of that earlier reform, although it has nothing to do with Medicare. Wyden-Ryan would allow firms with fewer than 100 employees the option of giving their workers (on a taxadvantaged basis) the cash the firms would have spent on their health coverage; with this, employees can buy, voucher-style, other policies. Since most small firms offer just one health plan, this is a huge victory for choice. It means that as many as a third of U.S. workers could use the new health-care exchanges -- a fantastic expansion of access that was perversely killed by both big business and big labor in the Affordable Care Act endgame. But theres more. With this new plan, Mr. Ryan has signed onto the idea of subsidizing people to buy coverage from well-regulated health exchanges that must take all comers and charge them similar premiums regardless of health status (provisions that did not exist in Mr. Ryans previous plan). If that framework sounds familiar, it should -- it basically describes the dreaded Obamacare! [Matt Miller, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 12/16/11] The Wyden-Ryan Plan Kept Medicare But Allowed Seniors To Choose Private Insurance Programs. According to Politico, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan on Thursday plan to introduce a new Medicare reform plan that would allow seniors to choose between traditional Medicare and new private insurance programs. The plan has some key differences from the Ryan blueprint that Republicans had rallied around earlier this year and which Democrats had been united in pummeling in Congress and on the campaign trail as the beginning of the end of 38

Medicare. The biggest difference is that seniors would have a choice between staying in traditional Medicare, or opting into new private plan alternatives, the two lawmakers said in an interview with POLITICO. Wyden is the first Democrat on Capitol Hill to so strongly embrace a variant of Ryans approach. And Ryan has accepted more flexibility than the Medicare approach in the House budget. Wyden insists the plan would be designed in ways that would preserve the safety net for the elderly. [Politico, 12/14/11]

MEDICAID
Democrats Claimed Ryans Budget Proposal Would Cut Medicare By $800 Billion. According to Markey News International, Van Hollen, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, scorched the Ryan budget, saying it represents a return to the failed economic policies that got America into this mess in the first place. We need to come up with a credible plan, to cut deficits, Van Hollen said. Such a plan, he declared, should be balanced with both spending cuts and revenue increases. The House Republican budget would renew costly tax cuts for the wealthy and would deform Medicare, Van Hollen charged. The Ryan budget, he said, takes a hatchet to Medicare by cutting it by more than $800 billion over a decade. [Market News International, 3/28/12]

SOCIAL SECURITY
Ryan Praised Both Rick Perrys Assertion That Social Security Was A Ponzi Scheme And Mitt Romneys Opposition To The Statement, Said The System Was Not Working. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a front-runner for the Republican nomination for president in 2012, rocked the race on Sept. 7 when, during a nationally televised GOP debate, he called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, another front-runner for the Republican nomination, quickly contradicted Perry and has attacked him for equating Social Security with an investment fraud. The debate was still crackling on Sept. 20 when conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham asked House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) where he stood. What about the Social Security description of Rick Perry calling it a Ponzi scheme? Are you closer to what he has to say on that, or closer to Romneys stance on that? Ingraham asked Ryan. No, theyre both right, I would say - which is, it is not working, Ryan said. It is going bankrupt and current seniors will be jeopardized the most by the status quo. And so, if you take a look at the technicality of Ponzi - its not a criminal enterprise, but its a pay-as-you-go system where earlier investors or - say, taxpayers - get a positive rate of return and the most recent investors - or, taxpayers - get a negative rate of return. Since the Social Security-Ponzi comparison has come up before, we thought we would provide some perspective on it and see where Ryan stands. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/29/11] However, Ryan Believed Social Security Was Not A Criminal Enterprise But Operated Like A Ponzi Scheme. According to CNN, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not backed away from his comments calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, said he and Ryan talked recently about the program and the need to reform it. Speaking at an Iowa event, Perry said he told Ryan, Thank you for having the courage to stand up and being, talking about this, and I said, I am proud to join you in this discussion with America for clearly calling the Social Security program that we have in place today broken. Last week on Laura Ingrahams radio show, Ryan said he didnt think the program is a criminal enterprise but is operating like a Ponzi scheme. Its a pay-as-you-go system where earlier investors, or, say, taxpayers, get a positive rate of return... and later investors, or taxpayers, get a negative rate of return, he said, according to a partial transcript. And so ... that is how those schemes work. The point is, unless you fix this problem, its going to get much worse. [CNN, 9/26/11]

Ryan Would Make Social Security Sustainable By Gradually Raising the Eligibility Age, Trying The Benefits For Wealthy Recipients To Inflation And Offering Workers Under the Age Of 55 To Invest Some Of Their Taxes Into Personal Retirement Accounts. According to CNN, And how would Ryan make Social Security financially sustainable? By gradually raising the eligibility age, tying the benefits for more wealthy recipients to inflation and offering workers under the age of 55 the option of investing some of their taxes into personal retirement accounts. [CNN, 9/26/11] Ryan Said He Didnt Put Forth A Social Security Plan Because It Would Be Just Too Tempting For The Democrats To Attack. According to a transcript of a speech Ryan gave at the American Enterprise Institute that was obtained via Fair Disclosure Wire, Ryan was asked, Do you -- have you begun your own plan to address Social Security 39

reform or is it just waiting on others proposals? Ryan responded, You know, we went back and forth on this and, number one, we thought that, if we put one out there, it would be just too tempting for the Democrats to attack, and that will set us away from actually coming together to talk about this. [Fair Disclosure Wire, 4/5/11]

SPENDING PROGRAMS
Ryan Said Pell Grants Have Grown At Unsustainable Rates. According to a transcript of the E21 Event obtained via States News Service, Ryan said, Let me go onto Pell Grants. Pell is a program that has grown at unsustainable rates, and we need to bring that program back to sustainabilityBut what weve learned through things like Pell is every time you crank up Pell, what happens is tuition just goes up. So were feeding tuition increases, were giving more money to education bureaucracies, and so the student is getting money in one pocket, only to lose it in the other pocket. And the taxpayer is worse off. [States News Service, 4/14/11] Ryan: Social Safety Net Spending Grows Every Year Under This Budget. According to a transcript of Meet the Press obtained via States News Service, Ryan said, With respect to the safety net, our goal is to repair the safety net, make it more sustainable. Safety net spending grows every year under this budget. Medicare, Medicaid spending grows every year under this budget. What were trying to do here is save Medicare and Medicaid so that theyre sustainable. But also, the safety net is tearing apart at the seams. We want to fix the safety net. [States News Service, 4/10/11] Ryans Budget Reduced Discretionary Non-Security Spending To 2006 Levels. According to CQ Weekly, Under Ryans plan, $360 billion would be allocated for non-security spending, which includes all discretionary spending outside of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. The total would equal non-security spending in fiscal 2006, Budget staff said. [CQ Weekly, 4/9/11] Ryans Budget Cut Food Stamps By $127 Billion Over Ten Years. According to CQ Weekly, The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, would be turned into state block grants and cut by $127 billion over 10 years. New eligibility and job-training or work requirements would be established by 2015, when Ryan projects that the U.S. economy will have recovered from the recession. [CQ Weekly, 4/9/11] Two-Thirds Of The Budget Cuts Detailed In The Ryan Plan Came From Programs For Low And Mid-Income People. According to a transcript of MSNBC Live with Cenk Uygur, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities President Robert Greenstein said, The two thirds is a conservative estimates, probably more than two thirds of Ryan`s cuts come from programs that are targeted on lower, moderate- income people. Let`s just right there in the budget. Medicaid alone takes a $1.4 trillion hit, hundreds of millions more taken away from subsidies to help modest income people by health insurance. [MSNBC, MSNBC Live with Cenk Uygur, 4/6/11] Robert Greenstein: Ryan Makes Jesse Helms Look Like A Liberal By Comparison. According to a transcript of MSNBC Live with Cenk Uygur, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities President Robert Greenstein said, And we learned just this afternoon that he has a $127 billion cut in the food stamp program. I remember when the big food stamp opponent was Jesse Helms. This would make Jesse Helm looks like a liberal by comparison. The cuts in those areas are huge. [MSNBC, MSNBC Live with Cenk Uygur, 4/6/11]

TAXES
PolitiFact: Ryans Budget Kept The Bush Tax Cuts And Cut The Top Individual Rate From 35 Percent To 25 Percent. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Ryans plan would keep Bush tax cuts otherwise slated to expire in 2012, reduce the number of tax brackets, and cut the top individual rate from 35 percent to 25 percent, according to the Path to Prosperity. [St. Petersburg Times, PolitiFact, 9/7/11] PolitiFact: The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Highlighted That The Wealthy Would Benefit The Most Under The Ryan Plan, Including His Estate Tax Proposal Which Would Allow People To Inherit The Frist $10 Million In Estate Value Entirely Tax Free. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Meanwhile, the New Republic piece cites conservative defense of Ryans tax changes as self-funding - once you assume the Bush tax cut extensions arent a cut - in 40

the Weekly Standard (twice), National Review and Washington Post. The think tank argues that for the wealthy, Ryans proposals are pure gold: - A typical hedge fund manager would benefit from Ryans extension of the Bush tax cuts for highincome people; the average person making at least $1 million a year would get $125,000 a year in tax breaks. - Heirs to multimillion-dollar estates would benefit from Ryans estate tax proposal, which would let them inherit the first $10 million in estate value entirely tax-free. - High-income investors would benefit from Ryans elimination of Medicare taxes on their investment income. - And large numbers of high earners would benefit from Ryans call to cut the top rate to 25 percent, the lowest in 80 years. [St. Petersburg Times, PolitiFact, 9/7/11] Ryan Claimed His Budget Didnt Cut Taxes. According to a transcript of Charlie Rose obtained via Finance Wire, Ryan was asked, And then finally, [Obama] says This vision that says even though Americans can`t afford to invest in education and clean energy, even though we can`t afford to care for seniors and children, we can somehow afford more than $1 trillion in new tax breaks for the wealthy. He said That`s not right and it`s not going to happen. Is that the core issue? Ryan responded, I don`t know what to say about that. First of all, were not talking about cutting taxes. Were talking about keeping tax revenues where they are and cleaning up all the junk in the tax code and getting a fairer and simpler tax system. So were not talking about cutting taxes. Were just not talking about raising taxes like he is imposing. [Finance Wire, 4/14/11] Ryans Budget Cut The Top Income Tax Rate To 25%; Offset By Eliminating Tax Breaks. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The plan calls for lowering the top tax rates to 25% on businesses and wealthier Americans and stripping many deductions and tax breaks. But its impact on the taxes people pay across income levels is hard to analyze because it doesnt constitute a detailed tax proposal. As a general matter, Ryan has argued that the tax system should be both simpler and less progressive, contending that lower rates on upper earners and corporations fuel economic growth. Critics argued Tuesday that if his plan is revenue neutral, any tax cuts on wealthier Americans would have to be offset by tax increases on the middle class. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/6/11] Ryan: When You Broaden The Base, You Have To Get Rid Of Some Loopholes And Deductions, And So Were Going To Go Through A Bunch Of Hearings To Figure Out Exactly And Precisely How To Do All Of That. According to a transcript of a speech Ryan gave at the American Enterprise Institute that was obtained via Fair Disclosure Wire, Ryan said, Now, clearly, when you broaden the base, you have to get rid of some loopholes and deductions, and so were going to go through a bunch of hearings to figure out exactly and precisely how to do all of that. So you will see a broader tax base with lower rates on that. The key driving point of tax reform is to not raise taxes on capital, not raise taxes on investment, because we want more of that; we want more capital stock because you get higher wages and more job creation and to have a broader tax base with lower rates. [Fair Disclosure Wire, 4/5/11]

Ryan Claimed His Road Map Maintained A Progressive Tax Code. According to a transcript of Political Capital with Al Hunt that was obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, We should have a tax code that maximizes competitiveness, job creation, economic growth, and raises the proper amount of revenue for the government. And I do maintain a progressive tax code for individuals; I just dont do it as much as what we have right now, because I think its hurting growth. And we have a very internationally uncompetitive tax system. [Analyst Wire, 12/10/10]

Other Budget Plans


Ryan Said His Vote Against The House Republican Study Committee Budget Was A Mistake. According to the Philadelphia Tribune, On the other side of the Hill are some House Republicans joining their vocal Tea Party brethren in the Senate, with the Republican Study Committee proposing deeper cuts than Ryans in a frenzied contest over who could eliminate more of the federal budget faster. RSC wants the budget completely balanced in 10 years Ryan, who claims he was lost in a swirl of House floor amendments, ended up being one of 26 Republicans to vote against it. It was a mistake hes hoping to make up for in another vote on the bill in the near future. Many Republican colleagues, however, werent buying the see what-had-happened-was mea culpa. They accused Ryan of wanting to have it both ways, charging its a political way to soften any union backlash against him in Wisconsin where there is trench warfare between Gov. Scott Walker and state employees. If hes not sticking his neck out for them, why should they do the same for him? [Philadelphia Tribune, 4/17/11] Ryan Claimed Non-Security Discretionary Spending Increased 84% During Obamas First Two Years In Office. According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, Because of health care, because of failure to address entitlements, because of a 24 percent increase in base domestic discretionary spending over the last two 41

years. You throw stimulus on top, it went up 84 percent. So the president has turned the spending spigot on and he has yet to really turn it off. [Analyst Wire, 2/8/11]

2007 BUDGET ALTERNATIVE


2007: Ryan Budget Alternative Preserved Bush Tax Cuts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, As top Republican on the House budget panel, Janesvilles Paul Ryan submitted the GOP alternative to the five-year Democratic spending plan passed by the House on Thursday. Among other things, the Ryan budget preserved President Bushs tax cuts (scheduled to lapse in the coming years), called for cuts in the projected growth of entitlement spending, ratified the increases in defense spending Bush has called for, and froze discretionary spending that isnt related to security. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/1/07] 2007 Ryan Budget Alternative Left Spending Exceptions Where He Would Spend More Money. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , Ryan also carved out three exceptions to that freeze, where hed spend more money, not less: cancer research, Community Development Block Grants and basic research done by places such as the National Science Foundation. Our bottom line as Republicans is we wont raise taxes, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/1/07] House Rejected Ryans 2007 Budget Alternative. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The House rejected Ryans budget alternative 160-268. All but one Democrat voted against the Ryan plan, as did 40 mostly moderate Republicans, including Tom Petri of Fond du Lac. Those Republicans also voted against the Democratic budget. We still have some in our party not willing to do what it takes to pay for the tax cuts, said Ryan, whose comment wasnt directed specifically at Petri. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/1/07] 2007 Ryan Alternative Budget Cut $279 Billion From Medicare And Medicaid, Extended Bush Tax Cuts At A Cost Of $450 Billion. According to the Sun Sentinel, Republicans countered with an alternative plan cutting $279 billion from federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid over the next five years, far greater cuts than proposed by Bush in February. The plan, written by Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, would fully extend the 2001 and 2003 rounds of tax cuts, at a cost of about $450 billion. But Ryans plan lost by a sweeping 160-268 vote. Ryan warned his colleagues that the looming retirement of the Baby Boom generation threatens to swamp the budget because of the spiraling costs of Medicare and Social Security. If we dont get a handle on our fiscal situation, if we dont recognize the fact that if all we do is raise taxes to balance the budget in 2012, youre going to go right back into deficits soon thereafter if we dont control spending, if we dont reform government, Ryan said. [Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), 3/30/07]

42

ETHICS AND STYLE


Personal
Paul Ryans Inspiration Was Ayn Rand, Has Reread Atlas Shrugged Several Times. According to New York Magazine, In 2005, Ryan spoke at a gathering of Ayn Rand enthusiasts, where he declared, The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand. Ryan has listed Rands manifesto, Atlas Shrugged, as one of his three most often reread books, and in 2003, he told The Weekly Standard he tries to make his interns read it. Rand is a useful touchstone to understand Ryans public philosophy. She centered libertarian philosophy around a defense of capitalism in general and, in particular, a conception of politics as a class war pitting virtuous producers against parasites who illegitimately use the power of the state to seize their wealth. Ludwig von Mises, whom Ryan has also cited as an influence, once summed up Rands philosophy in a letter to her: You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: You are inferior and all the improvements in your condition which you simply take for granted you owe to the effort of men who are better than you. [New York Magazine, 5/7/12] But Ryan Hinted That He Did Not Adore The Political Theorists And Author Of Atlas Shrugged As Some Suggest. According to the Janesville Gazette, Ryan fielded the Ayn Rand question, saying he does not adore the political theorist and author of Atlas Shrugged as some suggest. Aaron Aegerter of Janesville said Rand was a foundation of Ryans political philosophy and that she was an outspoken atheist, said altruism is evil, supported abortion and condemned Christianity for advocating compassion for the poor. Ryan said the accusation is an urban legend. He said he, like many others, read Atlas Shrugged when he was young. The book inspired him to shift his career goals from medicine to economics, and it was a great book, Ryan said. Just because you like someones novels doesnt mean you agree with their entire world-view philosophy, and she has a world-view philosophy which is completely antithetical to mine. She is an atheist philosopher. So just because you like a persons novel on economic freedom and liberty doesnt mean you are an atheist. Thats really kind of ridiculous. [Janesville Gazette, 5/5/12]

Ryans Wife Was The Cousin Of Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren. According to the New York Times, Aside from the occasional night at his sister-in-laws house in Bethesda, Md., Mr. Ryan sleeps in his office when in Washington. It makes it easier to keep working. Mr. Ryan married into Oklahoma Democratic royalty -- his wife, Janna Little, is a cousin of Representative Dan Boren, the son of a former senator, David Boren. Mr. Ryan admired Ms. Little from afar and asked Mr. Neuman to introduce them. Her sister Dana was throwing her a birthday party, but Mr. Ryan, sick with the flu, almost begged off. Im introducing you to the woman who is going to have your children, Mr. Neuman recalled scolding him. [New York Times, 4/30/12] Ryan Said The Republican Party Had A Moral Responsibility To Offer Alternatives To The Way Government Was Run In Washington. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Republican Party has a moral responsibility to offer alternatives to the way government is conducted in Washington, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan said Friday. Speaking to members of the Journal Sentinel editorial board, as well as reporters and editors, the Janesville Republican said that the country is in a precarious state economically and that its not enough to just win an election. I dont like the direction the president is taking, Ryan said. I should criticize those. I also should offer alternatives. Its not enough to run against somebody. We have a moral responsibility to offer alternatives. Our country is in a very precarious moment. Ryans comments came a day after a speech in Washington before the Conservative Political Action Conference in which he sounded the same theme of encouraging conservatives to be bolder and more ambitious. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/12/12] Bill Bennett Said That Ryan Was The Domestic Churchill Of Our Time. According to Human Events, Paul Ryan is our domestic Churchill today. He has alerted the American people of the gathering economic storm longer than most, even at the young age of 41. If enacted, his House budget plan, along with his Ryan-Wyden Medicare proposal, may save America from continuing down its current path to economic disaster. - Bill Bennett, Radio show host and former Reagan administration official. [Human Events, 12/22/11] Ryan Was Named The Human Events Online 2011 Conservative Of The Year. According to Human Events Online, The editors of HUMAN EVENTS are proud to name Rep. Paul Ryan as Conservative of the Year for 2011, and many conservative leaders have stepped forward to congratulate Rep. Ryan and add their own special words of recognition, which 43

we present below. Paul Ryan has three qualities that make him central to the definition of conservatism in America today. [Human Events, 12/11/11] Larry Kudlow: Ryan Had An Old-Fashioned American Vision That Was Much Different Than Obamas. According to Creators Syndicate, Larry Kudlow wrote, In other words, Rep. Paul Ryan is offering a completely different vision than the one Obama outlined in his Osawatomie, Kan., campaign speech in early December. Ryan wants the right to rise, not a third wave of liberal progressivism. He wants to stop Obamas attempt to add to the New Deal/Great Society with the statist universal health care program called Obamacare and an effective nationalization of the energy and financial sectors. And he completely rejects Obamas divisive, big-government, punish-wealth, tax-the-rich leftist populism. A ruling system of big business, big government and big-government unions does violence to the notion of entrepreneurial capitalism, Ryan told me. Whether its TARP, Fannie or Freddie, cap-and-trade, or Obamacare, this must be stopped. Ryan stands against what he calls the moral endgame to equalize outcomes. He says: No consolidation of power into a permanent political class. Equality of opportunity, not result. [Creators Syndicate, Larry Kudlow, 12/21/11] Signs Indicated That Ryan Was Worried About His 2012 Reelection Chances As He Called On Congressman Kind To Support A Congressional Map That Would Shore Up Their Districts. According to Politico, Ryan recently called Democratic Rep. Ron Kind to his office and floated the idea of both congressmen throwing their support to a redistricting proposal that would strengthen their districts while also providing support to the northern Wisconsin district held by vulnerable freshman GOP Rep. Sean Duffy, according to two Democratic sources familiar with the exchange. Kind returned with a counteroffer, according to one of the sources, proposing a map that would leave both congressmen safer but that wouldnt shore up Duffy. Ryans response: thanks, but no thanks. [Politico, 7/18/11] Ryan Ordered A $300 Bottle Of Wine While He Was Dining With Economists. According to Gawker, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), a leading advocate of shrinking entitlement spending and the architect of the plan to privatize Medicare, spent Wednesday evening sipping $350 wine with two like-minded conservative economists at the swanky Capitol Hill eatery Bistro Bis. It was the same night reports started trickling out about President Obama pressing Congressional leaders to consider changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for GOP support for targeted tax increases Ryan does not dispute most of the details of Feinbergs account, although he told TPM the two men are economists, not lobbyists, and characterized Feinberg as crazy and possibly drunk. For her part, Feinberg said she believes the economist at the table who got out his seat to challenge her was the one intoxicated. [Gawker, 7/8/11] Ryan And Van Hollen Forged A Solid Working Relationship. According to the Hill, Ryan and Van Hollen, rising stars in their respective parties, have forged a solid working relationship on the Budget Committee that has withstood the partisan and occasionally personal acrimony surrounding the battle over spending. Doing so has been a challenge for both men. Ryan, the panels chairman, has had to manage a group of feisty conservative freshmen whose denunciations of Van Hollen and other Democrats have at times crossed the lines of decorum. And Van Hollen has had to make the transition from his partys top attack dog to policy wonk, even as the White House and other Democrats have made Ryans blueprint their No. 1 target. [The Hill, 6/22/11] Former Senator Bob Kasten Called Ryan The Most Important Leader In The GOP. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, But theres a reason columnists and colleagues in Washington say the First District Republican from Janesville deserves serious consideration for vice president. He, right now, is probably the most influential young leader in the Republican Congress, Bob Kasten, the former Wisconsin senator and now a Washington consultant, said of Ryan, who once briefly worked for Kasten. When the Republican Party is clearly struggling in the House and the Senate, Paul is emerging as the most important leader. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryan Was An Economic And Fiscal Advisor To McCain In 2008. According to the Wisconsin State Journal in 2008 Ryan, Become an informal adviser to McCains campaign on economic and fiscal policy and on Wisconsins electorate. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08] Ryan Was Placed On The House Budget Committee At The Age Of 28. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan was just 28 when he joined Congress. Despite his youth, Republican leaders placed him on the powerful House Budget Committee, which sets spending policy for the government but doesnt allocate dollars. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/22/08]

44

Ethical Issues
Ryan Was Confronted At Washington D.C. Restaurant Over $700 Wine Purchase. According to Gawker, Susan Feinberg, an associate business professor at Rutgers, was at Bistro Bis celebrating her birthday with her husband that night. When she saw the label on the bottle of Jayer-Gilles 2004 Echezeaux Grand Cru Ryans table had ordered, she quickly looked it up on the wine list and saw that it sold for an eye-popping $350, the most expensive wine in the house along with one other with the same price tag. Feinberg, an economist by training, was even more appalled when the table ordered a second bottle. She quickly did the math and figured out that the $700 in wine the trio consumed over the course of 90 minutes amounted to more than the entire weekly income of a couple making minimum wage. [] After ending their meal and paying the check, Feinberg decided to give Ryan a piece of her mind. She approached the table and asked Ryan how he could live with himself sipping expensive wine while advocating for cuts to programs for seniors and the poor. Some verbal jousting between Feinberg and the other two men ensued. One of the two men said he had ordered the wine, was drinking it and paying for it. In hearing how much the wine cost, Ryan said only: Is that how much it was? The clash became especially heated when Feinberg asked the men if they were lobbyists. F her, one of them replied and stood up in a menacing way, according to Feinbergs account. [Gawker, 7/8/11] Ryan Said The Heckler Was Crazy And Possibly Drunk, And Claimed He Did Not Order The Wine Or Know How Much It Cost. According to Gawker, Ryan does not dispute most of the details of Feinbergs account, although he told TPM the two men are economists, not lobbyists, and characterized Feinberg as crazy and possibly drunk. For her part, Feinberg said she believes the economist at the table who got out his seat to challenge her was the one intoxicated. Ryan said the discussion focused on monetary policy and QE2, the Federal Reserves second round of quantitative easing, i.e. efforts to bolster the economy through the purchase of $600 billion in long-term U.S. Treasury bonds. TPM caught up with Ryan after a vote outside of the Speakers lobby. In further explaining his side of the story, Ryan said he only had one glass of wine out of the two bottles but decided when it came time to pay the bill that he should pay for one of the bottles of wine out of an abundance of caution. He even produced the receipt for the meal, which you can view here. The receipt shows a charge to Ryans credit card for $472; $392 for his meal and the bottle of wine and a generous $80 tip. I didnt order - they ordered, Ryan told TPM. I had one glass, uh, with my water, and when [Feinberg] was talking about how expensive it was, I didnt even know [the price]. [Gawker, 7/8/11] Ryan Said He Thought It Was Stupid To Spend That Much On A Bottle Of Wine Under Any Circumstance. According to Gawker, When asked more directly whether he thought it was appropriate to be ordering $350 wine while pushing for cuts to benefits for seniors and the poor, Ryan conceded that its stupid to pay that much for a bottle of wine and said he wouldnt do so again. Heres a partial transcript of the interview. TPM: ...she was saying, is it appropriate for you guys to be ordering that kind of wine $350 dollars-a-bottle? Ryan: A.) I didnt order it. B.) I had no idea what it would cost, and C.) ...I bought one of these bottles even though I drank a glass, and I always pull my own weight for my meals. TPM: That was very smart. ... But do you think its appropriate now that you know how much the wine cost to be drinking [such expensive wine] when youre advocating cuts for seniors? Ryan: I think its stupid to pick up that much for a bottle of wine under any circumstance. TPM: But you had to pay for it... Ryan: Yeah, I was like this is ridiculous. Who buys wine that expensive? It surprised me, and I think its stupid under any circumstance to pay anything close to 100 dollars for a bottle of wine. [Gawker, 7/8/11]

PRIVATE TRAVEL
Ryan Banned His Staff From Accepting Private Travel But Still Accepted It For Himself. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville has grounded staffers - but not himself. This year, when it appeared clear that there were going to be congressional reforms, he banned aides from accepting private travel, spokeswoman Kate Matus said. Ryans private travel total for the period: nearly $24,000, second after Sensenbrenner. Ryan and his wife went to Israel, Aspen, Colo., Fort Lauderdale and Naples, Fla., and Baltimore. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/20/06] Ryan Flew To PAC Fundraiser In Corporate Jet Owned By Pfizer, Campaign Paid $1,150. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rep. Paul Ryan boarded a Gulfstream jet last September, flying to a fund-raiser in Los Angeles to benefit his political action committee, the Prosperity PAC. The Janesville Republican flew aboard a corporate jet owned by Pfizer Inc., the New York City-based pharmaceutical giant, and Pfizer had representatives aboard for the trip, according to Jeff 45

Livingston, the treasurer of Ryans PAC. The committee later reimbursed the drug company $1,150 for the flight. Ryan flew commercial back to Wisconsin. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/12/06]

TROHA FEE DEAL


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Father Of Ryan Aide Signed Troha Fee Deal. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Willems - Clete to his friends and colleagues - currently works for U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan on the House Budget Committee minority staff and previously was Ryans legislative director. That made him one of the Wisconsin congressmans top aides, the guy tracking legislation for the office and a good person to know if you wanted Ryans ear. The aides father is Cletus Willems Jr., natch. The elder Willems, as anybody in Kenosha can tell you, is the executive vice president and general counsel for trucking conglomerate JHT Holdings. But few know this about the father: He is the guy who signed, on behalf of the company, the secret deal to pay former JHT owner and now-indicted Kenosha powerbroker Dennis Troha on the side through 2010 if Congress passed legislation that benefited the firm by easing federal truck-hauling regulations. Ryan then leaned on fellow congressmen and federal officials in support of this measure. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Ryan Was Aware Of Ties Aide Had To JHT Trucking. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But was Ryan aware that one of his top aides was so closely tied to a top JHT exec? Apparently. In response to a series of questions posed on this issue, Ryans office issued a statement Friday that says he has known the elder Willems since 1998, when he was a partner at a Kenosha law firm and before he joined JHT. Campaign records show the Kenosha lawyer, who did not return calls, has given eight contributions totaling $3,750 to Ryan - most recently chipping in $1,250 in 2005. At that time, the younger Willems was working as Ryans legislative director. In that job, he kept tabs on the progress of the trucking measure sought by his fathers firm. Now theres a son going about his fathers business. Clete Willems monitored the issue, along with all other legislative issues, as part of his overall responsibilities, the Ryan statement said. According to House Ethics Rules, there was no conflict of interest in him having this role. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Trohas Father Signed A Non-Compete Clause That Hinged On Congress Passing Beneficial Legislation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, What few knew at the time, however, was that Troha and the aides father signed a non-compete agreement on Feb. 18, 2005, under which JHT would pay T Group Consulting, a firm solely owned by Troha, two separate annual fees until June 2010 if Congress passed the trucking measure. Just weeks later, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported out a huge highway bill with the Troha provision. The bill became law in August, and records show that JHT made two wire transfers totaling more than $107,000 to T Group on Sept. 30, 2005. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07]

Ryans Office Denied That He Urged The Bills Passage Because Of Influence By Aides Father. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In 2005, Ryan had the lead signature on a letter urging two other congressmen to fight for the Troha provision in a conference committee. Last year, Ryan wrote then-Acting Transportation Secretary Maria Cino urging her agency to adopt rules based on the legislation that were favored by JHT. But Ryans office said he was not acting in response to his aide or his aides father - just as he earlier said he wasnt influenced by Trohas cash. This relationship had no bearing on Congressman Ryans decision on these issues, the statement said, pointing out that many staffers come from the district and have relatives working for Wisconsin businesses. According to the House Ethics Rules, these family ties to the District and the work Congressman Ryan does to serve his constituents are not a conflict of interest. So Ryan was not pushing special-interest legislation that helped a firm tied to a major donor and the father of a staffer. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Ryan Said He Wrote Letter As Routine And Appropriate Constituent Service. According to the Capital Times, Ryan described his role as providing routine and appropriate constituent service to a large employer in my district. Im as frustrated as anyone to learn that some individuals did not disclose their personal interests, which were unbeknown to me at all. He said that he and several colleagues decided to write the letter to the committee in 2005 because they believed the change would be good public policy. Ryan argued that it will improve safety and reduce fuel consumption. [Capital Times, 3/20/07] Ryan Gave Equivalent Of Troha Donations To Local Boys And Girls Club. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) said Tuesday that he would donate all funds contributed to his campaign by the family of indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha to the Kenosha Boys & Girls Club. Troha faces federal charges accusing him of illegally funneling at least $100,000 in contributions through his children to the campaign of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. Trohas family has contributed $58,802 to Ryans campaign fund since 1998, the year he was first elected, Ryan 46

spokeswoman Susan Jacobson said. Those contributions are not subject to the Troha indictment. Troha had spearheaded efforts for an $808 million Indian casino proposed for a location in Ryans district. Members of Trohas family gave Ryan $31,700 in 2005, and the congressman has acknowledged contacting federal regulators about the progress of the casinos application. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/7/07] Ryan Pledge To Take Appropriate Action In Troha Investigation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Overall, Ryan, who has gone to bat for the Kenosha casino proposal with federal regulators, has received more than $50,000 from the family since 2001. The recent indictments surrounding the Troha family contributions to another campaign are very troubling, Ryan said in a statement. I am anxious to learn the results of this investigation. Once all of the facts become available, if any contribution to the Ryan for Congress campaign is found to be legally in question, I will take appropriate and corrective action. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/2/07]

Influence
New York Times: Ryan Perhaps The Most Influential Policy Maker In The GOP. According to the National Journals Hotline, New York Times Weisman profiles Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), writing: Ryan has become perhaps the most influential policy maker in the GOP, its de facto head of economic policy, intent on a fundamental transformation of the federal govt. Outside of Romney, Ryan may be the partys most important figure, said William Bennett, the conservative luminary and a mentor of Ryans going back to Ryans early 20s. Some conservatives say Bennett might have the reality reversed. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK): Paul Ryan effectively captured the Republican presidential candidates. Ryan has not yet made clear whether he has an interest in compromising or whether his sole goal is a GOP victory that is sweeping enough to enact his own vision. Regardless, he is likely to remain near the center of the political tussle. He is among the handful of people most often mentioned as both a 2012 VP nominee and a future presidential candidate. Ryan: What I hope happens is we go to the country with a positive agenda to show how we will prevent a debt crisis, how we will get this economy growing again, then win the House, Senate and the White House, and then be magnanimous in that victory and include reformers from the other side of the aisle into a coalition to fix these problems. Ryan likes to dispel two urban legends around him. First, he said, he is not a disciple of Ayn Rand, the strident libertarian. Second, he never drove the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. ...As for the Wienermobile, one summer as he was pressing Oscar Mayer Lunchables and turkey bacon on meat buyers in rural Minnesota, two very nice young ladies who were driving the hotdog-shaped vehicle did let him take it for a spin, he confessed (4/29). [National Journal, 4/30/12] TIME Magazine Named Ryan One Of The Most Influential American Politicians. According to The Janesville Gazette, Time named Ryan one of four runners-up for its annual person of the year, along with Kate Middleton, who married a prince; Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei; and Adm. William McRaven, who helped plan the assault that led to Osama bin Ladens death. Times person of the year is a composite person: the protester. Time calls Ryan the most influential American politician in a year when Congress was in gridlock and its approval ratings were rock bottom. Rep. Ryan is the brains behind the Republican focus on the nations debt this year, although hes been working on economic policy since before voters in Wisconsins 1st District elected him to Congress in 1998. [The Janesville Gazette, 12/15/11] The Capital Times: Ryan Was Distracted From District Concerns By National Limelight. According to The Capital Times, Ryan likes the limelight, and he devotes plenty of time to chasing it. Far more time, it appears, than he does to worrying about the communities he represents in southeast Wisconsin, a region where major auto plants and auto-parts facilities have been closing on a regular basis in recent years. Racine and Janesville - Ryans hometown - have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state. And, with few jobs in the offing, southeastern Wisconsinites whose names are on the unemployment rolls are particularly vulnerable. Many of them are among the 800,000 Americans whose unemployment benefits were set to expire at the end of November unless Congress acted to extend those benefits. That number would grow to 2 million by the end of the year. Remarkably, Ryan was not among the 21 Republicans who voted to extend the benefits. He couldnt be bothered to worry about out-of-work Wisconsinites. Television stars dont have time for working families in towns like Racine and Janesville. [The Capital Times, 12/1/10] As Budget Chairman Ryan Faced Being In The Center Of The Storm And Would Be The Most Single Important Member Of Congress In The First Six Months. According to CQ Weekly, Its not your ordinary Budget Committee, though. Its the Budget Committee amid blaring alarms and dire prophecies about a national debt that simply cant continue. Its a committee with the potential to be a field of battle only partly about numbers and more about philosophy of 47

government, as Ryan says -- about what kind of country you want to have in the 21st century. That a high-profile Democrat such as Marylands Rep. Chris Van Hollen wants to be the top Democrat on the committee attests to its importance. Its a central front in this national conversation about how to accelerate job creation and economic growth, he wrote in a letter to colleagues, the arena for a debate about who we are and the future direction of our country. So if the Budget Committee will be the center, Ryan will be at the center of the center -- the center of the storm, in the words of former Rep. Bill Frenzel. My guess is, in the first six months, hes going to be the single most important member of Congress, the one we see most often, the one who will be spreading the policies on the board, trying to move programs, trying to convince people to move this way or that, says Frenzel, a Minnesota Republican who is now a budget expert at the Brookings Institution. [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 11/13/10] Union Leader: Ryan Was Newt Gingrich For The New Century. According to Union Leader editorial, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is giving members of the GOP leadership in Washington indigestion. And they de-serve it. Ryan is a sort of Newt Gingrich for the new century. Hes intellectual and energetic, full of ideas about how to improve the country, but hes squeaky clean and carries none of the baggage that weighs down Gingrich. Probably because of all that, he is upsetting his own partys leadership. They want him to stop talking about reforming entitlement programs and eliminating the national debt. [Union Leader, 8/3/10] Ryan Was Speculated As A Replacement For Josh Bolten As Director Of The Office Of Management And Budget. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville is being mentioned as a possible candidate to lead the powerful Office of Management and Budget. Ryan, 36, who is in his fourth term in Congress, insisted Tuesday that he is staying put. I was flattered to be mentioned, but I love my current job serving the First District, and my family and I love living in Janesville, he said. That should put this speculation to rest. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/5/06] Lawrence Kudlow: Ryan Would Be A Grand Slam Home Run Pick To Lead OMB. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, On his Kudlows Money Politic$ blog March 30, he wrote that a senior White House source suggested to me that the Bush administration may be looking at supply-side Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) to replace Josh Bolten. Kudlow, the host of CNBCs Kudlow & Company, said Ryans appointment would be a grand slam home run. He said Ryans pro-growth, tough-on-spending, tax-cutting attitude would send the right signals to Congress, the rest of Washington and Wall Street. Ryan, a conservative considered a rising GOP star, sits on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and is running for his fifth term in the House. Meantime, he is vying to become chairman of the House Budget Committee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/5/06]

2005 Poll Said Ryan Was A Potential Future President. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville shows up in National Journal as one of the political figures with the most potential to be president 20 years from now. With 4% of the vote, he trailed fellow Republicans George P. Bush (presidential nephew), U.S. Trade Rep. Rob Portman and Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Democrats Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee. Ryan tied with Baltimore Mayor Martin OMalley, a Democrat. The poll sought views from members of Congress, political strategists and journalists. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/27/05] Capital Times Editorial: Ryan Is A Rigid Ideologue Who Put His Brain On Hold When He Went To Washington. According to a Capital Times editorial, Rep. Paul Ryan, a cookie-cutter conservative who has represented southeastern Wisconsin in the U.S. House since 1999, could not be bothered to deviate from peddling Washington-insider spin even when his own hometown was facing what could yet turn out to be a serious economic threat. Its not that Ryan is a bad guy; indeed, he is one of the nicest people in Wisconsins congressional delegation. And it is certainly not that he lacks love for Janesville, a community where his family has lived for generations. The problem is that Ryan is a rigid ideologue who put his brain on hold when he went to Washington. He votes exactly as the Bush White House and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay instruct. And he devotes his free time to promoting the agenda of the K Street lobbyists, who set the tone for the inside-the-Beltway Republican Party. As such, he is on precisely the wrong side of the debates that matter to Janesville. For instance, Ryan is the states most resolute supporter of a free-trade agenda that has devastated U.S. manufacturing -- especially in states like Wisconsin. While most of the rest of Wisconsins congressional delegation is expected to vote against the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement, Ryan is seen as the most likely supporter. [Capital Times, 6/9/05] Chicago Sun-Times Described Ryan As A Protg Of Jack Kemp. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, A former protg of Jack Kemp, Ryan is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the leading supply-sider in the House. [Chicago Sun-Times, 12/26/04] 48

2004: Dick Armey Said Ryan Was A Leader In The New Progressive Conservatism. According to an opinion piece in the Wisconsin State Journal by Dick Armey, Indeed, a group of political leaders in Wisconsin continues to build on the states progressive tradition with innovative public policy. Wisconsin figures like U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan are out in front of the national debate with new ideas that reinvent the way we think about government and how policy affects our economy and our society. My colleague Jack Kemp calls this general movement progressive conservatism and it is at the heart of the great intellectual revolution of our time. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/19/04]

Rhetoric
Ryan Said That Obama Was Using Class Warfare Arguments. According to The Fox News, Ryan said, You know, its really disappointing, actually. I dont enjoy doing this because he gave us a message of hope three years ago of uniting and not dividing. And what were getting now are class warfare arguments. Were getting very polarizing rhetoric that pits class against class, pits people against one another and I would simply say sowing social unrest and class resentment does not make America stronger, it makes America weaker. [Fox News, 10/26/11] Ryan Said That The Partisan Political Was Not His Natural Tendency And That He Was A Policy Guy. According to Politico, Of the partisan political game, Ryan confessed, Its not my natural tendency. Im a policy guy. I was always a think tank guy before, so Ive always been a policy guy and have always seen myself as basically just a policymaker. Thats what I wanted to do when I ran for Congress. So Ive just come to accept the role for what it is, and if it gives me the opportunity to talk about ideas and solutions, then all the better. [Politico, 10/2/11] Ryan Said House Should Have Thrown Out Bad Apples In GOP Sooner After Losing Control Of The House In 2006. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, GOP lawmaker Paul Ryan of Janesville contended that the election was not a repudiation of Republican ideas but a repudiation of the fact that Republicans didnt act and implement their ideas. That puts Ryan in the camp of those who say the partys failure was not in overreaching but in failing to truly advance its principles. We as a party governed by the weakest among us, by our weakest link. We governed at the lowest common denominator on policies and principles, said Ryan, who also said the GOP failed to act quickly enough on misconduct by members. We didnt throw the bad apples out soon enough in our caucus, said Ryan, who supports a change in the House GOP leadership. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/9/06] Ryan: The Ultimate Reform For Washington Is To Get Money Back To The States. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The ideological divide: Some conservatives argue that the root cause of political corruption in Washington is the size and power of the federal government. As Gingrich put it, as long as the government is as big as it is, no law or regulation can hold back the tide of corrupting influences. According to that logic, the final remedy is something Republicans have been unable to do while in power: reduce the size of government. The ultimate reform to clean up Washington is to send power and money out of that city and back to states and individuals, Ryan says. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/23/06] Ryan Called Gridlock In Congress Frustrating. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan acknowledges that todays Congress is a very frustrating place. There are so many things (to do): energy, welfare, intelligence reform, Social Security reform, fiscal reform, fiscal restraint. Its frustrating when you work so hard on these issues and you fall prey to gridlock, because we have to start from scratch next year. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/29/04]

Ideology
Ryan, Who Denied Being Influenced By Atheist Philosopher Ayn Rand, Once Described Rand As The Single Most Influential Philosopher And Required His Staff To Read Rands Books. According to the Telegraph Herald, Recently, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, author of the Republican plan to abolish Medicare, denied that he has been influenced by the atheistic philosophy of Ayn Rand. The Atlas Society (named after Rands most famous novel) released a tape of Ryan saying that Rand was the single most influential thinker in his life and that Rand makes the moral case for capitalism. Ryan requires his staff to read Rands books, including The Fountainhead. [Telegraph Herald, 5/5/12] 49

Ryan: We Want Society That Directs Its Finite Resources To Those Who Need It The Most And Not To Those Who Need It The Least. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, And I think thats more of a caricature narrative. I think thats totally false. And its a narrative of shared scarcity. And we want to have growth. We want an upward mobile society. We want to promote equal opportunity. And we want society that directs its finite resources to those who need it the most and not to those who need it the least. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryan Claimed His Budget Provided A Safety Net Thats Sustainable And A Focus On Equal Opportunity, Not Equal Outcomes. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, If you look at what were trying to achieve here, it is a safety net thats sustainable, thats retooled for the 21st century, and then the money we will spend in our government should be more directed toward those at the bottom end of the income scale. Its a different opinion on what the role of government is. We believe - as I see it. Granted, Im giving you my opinion. We believe we should focus on upper mobility and equal opportunity, not an equalization of outcomes. So equal opportunity, not equal outcomes. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Asked If Income Inequality Was A Problem, Ryan Said Sure; He Added, I Think Lets Focus Less On The Gap And Focus On Bringing The Bottom Up. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, Is income inequality a problem? Ryan responded, Sure I think - I think lets focus less on the gap and focus on bringing the bottom up. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryan Claimed That Removing The Shackles And The Barriers To GrowthThe Disincentives Toward Upward Mobility Would Increase Income Mobility. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, Its more difficult for someone in the bottom quintile to move to the upper quintile And - and more difficult for somebody born into the top quintile to fall to the bottom quintile. So how do you fix that? Is that a problem? And how do you fix that? Ryan responded, I do. That is a problem, I think. I think the lack of upward mobility or the static nature of income mobility is what ought to be addressed. And it is not through Washington trying to figure out how to redistribute mobility. It is through removing the shackles and the barriers for growth. It is for removing the disincentives toward upward mobility. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryans College Professor Richard Hart Said Ryan Was Attracted To Ayn Rand As A Student. According to the Chicago Tribune, He was 28 when he entered Congress in 1999, a former House and Senate aide with a degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. One of his economics professors, Richard Hart, said even as a student Ryan was drawn to adherents of free-wheeling capitalism, Ayn Rand and Friedrich Hayek, and believed the markets, not government, held better solutions. [Chicago Tribune, 4/17/11] Ryan Said The Presidents 2012 Budget Request Included So-Called Investments. According to a transcript of Fox News Sunday, Ryan said, Well see the details of this budget tomorrow, but it looks like to me that it is going to be very small on spending discipline and a lot of new spending so-called investments. [Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 2/13/11] Ryan Said He Was Deeply Committed To Capitalism And Free Market Choice. According to States News Service, in a press release, Rep. Ryan wrote I write as an unswerving proponent of both free market choice and the natural right to life. [...]I am deeply committed to capitalism, the system of natural liberty, as Adam Smith called it. []As a champion of capitalism, I strongly support every persons right to make these economic choices and to fight against government efforts to limit them. Freedom and the choice it implies are moral rights which Americans are granted, not from government but from the principles that have made this a great and prosperous society. [States News Service, 9/20/10] Ryan Said He Would Endorse A Fiscally Conservative Democrat. According to the Janesville Gazette, Asked if he might endorse a fiscally conservative Democrat, Ryan responded: Sure, but I havent found one yet. The problem with Democrats is that the first thing theyll do is vote for Nancy Pelosi to continue as House speaker, and Pelosi, as Ryan sees it, has overseen unprecedented growth in spending, exceeding even that under wartime President George W. Bush. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/22/10] Ryan Acknowledged Increased Spending, Earmarks, And Corruption Occurred Under Republicans. According to The Janesville Gazette, Ryan admits Republicans have been big spenders. Under our watch, spending got out of control. Now in the whole scheme of things, we were amateurs com-pared to the big spenders of today, he said. But ...spending, earmarks, corruption ... we need to acknowledge that happened. Asked whether he regrets not opposing any spending 50

measures during the years Republicans held sway in Congress or the White House, Ryan would not go there. But he did say that a legislator has to learn from the past to do better in the future. I fought a lot of this stuff, but obviously not effectively enough, Ryan said, mentioning his proposals on earmarking and the line-item veto and his opposition to omnibus spending bills. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/22/10] Ryan Said The U.S. Reached A Tipping Point Where The Majority Of Americans Were Receiving Government Aid. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, Ryan said he worried about that the U.S. was on a Road to Serfdom. Ryan: I think were reaching a tipping point in this country where a majority of Americans are getting their benefits and the livelihoods from the Federal government and from themselves. Were they more worried about their material support from government than they are about their own liberties? And so yes, I am concerned about this It is serfdom because were moving from a position in the society where the goal of government is not equalize opportunity but to equalize the results of our lives. And so, the more we ask government to do for us, the more government can take from us. Look, already, fully, according to the tax foundation, 60 percent of Americans get more benefits than dollar value from the Federal government than they even pay in taxes. So, we are reaching this point where the government is doing so much in our lives that we have less freedom to govern ourselves. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10] Ryan Said He Thought The Majority Of Americans Did Not Want Government To Take Care Of Them. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, John Stossel said I think people want mommy government to take care of them. Congressman Ryan, do you agree Ryan replied No. I think, generally speaking, people believe in the American idea. And the American idea is our rights dont come from government, according to Declaration of Independence, our rights come from nature and natures God. And so, we do not want a government where they give us our rights and therefore they redistribute, regulate and ration our rightsI think the majority -- and take care of us. I think the majority of Americans from doing town halls all across Wisconsin, they dont want this, they dont want government to do this. I think, you know, time is of the essence here. And I think, we have one more opportunity in this country with this choice of two futures given our fiscal situation, given the agenda in Washington right now. Where it is not too late to revive and re-apply the American idea but there will come a point where that moment might pass us. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10] Ryan Said The U.S. On A Road To Serfdom Would Cause High Unemployment And Inferior Standards Of Living. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, John Stossel asked Road to Serfdom and what is that mean? Ryan responded: The consequences are this: chronically higher unemployment, lower standards of living, we will bequeath to the next generation and inferior standard of living. We already know were doing that now statistically and youll have a stagnant society where people arent really getting up and going, taking risks, reaching their potential, making the most of their lives where they are more complacent and worried about their dependencies and government than really reaching their potential. That I think is the practical outcome of that kind of a society. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10]

Ryan Said The U.S. Was On A Path To Soft Despotism, Where The Government Would Keep Everyone In A Happy State Of Childhood. According to the Enid News & Eagle, during address for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs 2010 citizen dinner, Ryan said if the United States keeps going down the road it is on, everyone will be living in soft despotism, where everyone is dependent on government to keep them happy. Soft despotism is kind and sympathetic, its not cruel or mean, Ryan said. He continued to characterize it as the governments attempt to keep everyone in a happy state of child-hood, where the government becomes the sole supplier of everyones happiness. [Enid News & Eagle, 3/31/10] Ryan Said The Affordable Care Act Signaled False View That Government Created Rights Instead Of God. According to The Oklahoman, During Sundays debate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., looked beyond health cares details to question where it may lead. The Founders believed rights came from nature and natures God, not government, Ryan said, while Obamacare signals a view that government creates rights and rations them. We are fast approaching a tipping point where more Americans depend upon the federal government than on themselves for their livelihoods, Ryan warned. He said the country is at a point where we, the American people, trade in our commitment and our concern for individual liberties in exchange for government benefits and dependencies. This is not who we are or who we should become. [The Oklahoman, 3/25/10] Ryan Said Democrats Philosophy On Health Care Reform Was Paternalistic And So Arrogant. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Transcript of 51

Congressman Ryans closing remarks in opposition of the Majoritys health care bill: Do we believe that the goal of government is to promote equal opportunity for all Americans to make the most of their lives - or do we now believe that governments role is to equalize the results of peoples lives? The philosophy advanced on the floor by the Majority today is so paternalistic, and so arrogant. Its condescending. And it tramples upon the principles that have made America so exceptional. My friends, we are fast approaching a tipping point where more Americans depend on the federal government than on themselves for their livelihoods - a point where we, the American people, trade in our commitment and our concern for our individual liberties in exchange for government benefits and dependencies. [States News Service, 5/21/10] Ryan Believed Health Care Reform Debate Was Less About Policy And More About Ideology. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on MSNBCs The Dylan Ratigan Show, Ryan was asked: whether its you or Ron Wyden, why do you think plans like that have basically been pushed into the ditch? Ryan responded, Because I think this is less about health-care policy and more about ideology. I really believe this. And its just the conclusion that I have reluctantly come to, which is they could have had good bipartisan deals with many of us to address cost and quality and health insurance for the uninsured, and those are the pre-existing conditions. We could have done that before August. I believe this is really more about political philosophy and agenda, which is an ideological idea to have the government take this whole system over. And that to me is something that is basically having the American idea of promoting equal opportunity being replaced with more of a Western European cradle-to-grave social democracy, welfare state, where the goal of government isnt promoting equal opportunity but to equalize the results of our lives. And I just think thats the ideology that dominates the White House and the people running Congress right now. [Federal News Service, 3/10/10] Ryan Said Robert LaFollette And Progressives Helped Create The Paramount Political Problem Of Our Time: Centralized Administration. According to Milwaukee State Journal, Rep. Paul Ryan knocked Robert Fighting Bob LaFollette and his progressive ideas during a speech Wednesday at a health care forum sponsored by Hillsdale College. Speaking at the Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill, Ryan said Wisconsins Lafollette and other progressive thinkers sowed the seeds for the paramount political problem of our time: centralized administration. The progressives program came in on two great waves: the 1930s New Deal and the Great Society of the 1960s, the Janesville Republican said. President (Barack) Obama often invokes progressivism and plans to generate its third, and greatest, wave. Ryan called health care reform progressivism in action and suggested that the debate over health care is an ideological crusade by Democrats against the American idea. [Milwaukee State Journal, 1/17/10] On Income Inequality, Ryan Said Republicans Wanted To Lower The Barriers For Americans And Make Upward Mobility Easier. According to Mediaite, On the issue of income inequality, Ryan argued that the Republican position is to lower the barriers for Americans who want to rise and make upward mobility easier for everyone, instead of adding new barriers. He argued that taxing the wealthy doesnt just put a higher burden on millionaires and movie stars, but on people who run small businesses. He was not opposed to looking into subsidies on the wealthy and dealing with corporate welfare, but dismissed the idea of pitting Americans against Americans in a class war of sorts. [] Ryan claimed that he personally isnt concerned with people who are already rich, but how to make middle-class people richer by removing the economic barriers he referenced earlier. [Mediaite, 10/10/11] Ryan Described Himself As A Second Generation Supply Sider. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan describes himself as a second-generation supply-sider, saying the original supply-siders were focused on incentives, but were agnostic about deficits and the size of government - and Im not. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/09] Ryan Developed His Political Philosophy From Ayn Rand And Milton Friedman. According to the American Spectator, A native of Janesville, Wisconsin, Paul Ryan developed his political philosophy reading the works of free market authors including Milton Friedman, F. A. Hayek, and Ayn Rand. [American Spectator, April 2010] When Elected To The U.S. House In 1988, Ryan Feared His Young Age Would Be A Liability. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Now the sixth youngest member of the House, Paul Ryan worried when he was elected in 1998 that he'd be seen as a young punk. A Democrat was in the White House then, the economy sizzled, and Osama bin Laden was not a household name. []As the Ryans world has turned, and in the aftermath of Sept. 11, the countrys as well, the lawmaker has won notice from party elders. Now 34, he still cant shake the adjective young. Ryan says his age has proved an asset, not the liability he initially feared. Older Republicans embraced him as a rare post-baby boomer in Congress with a life marked by, as he remembers, Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, peace-through-strength and stagflation. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/4/04] 52

Ryan Said He Believed In Individualism Vs. Collectivism. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Today, Ryan, once merely a Capitol Hill staffer, is embracing challenges no smaller than revising the way the U.S. budget is drawn up, salvaging Social Security and trying to alter the tax code to stave off manufacturing job losses. He is a disciple of supply side economics, a deficit hawk and champion of capitalism and free enterprise. His philosophy? I believe in individualism versus collectivism, is how he puts it. The individual is the nucleus of our society and our economy, not the government. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/4/04] Ryan: Money Follows Power. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan, 32, recognizes that incumbency has benefits. People know me, they know what I stand for, they know my track record. If youre not well-known, its harder to get contributions. Moreover, he doesnt disagree with those -- such as Matt Keller, legislative director of the citizens lobby Common Cause -- who say incumbents have a knack for raising the big bucks because money follows power. From Ryan: I would say money does follow power, and so long as you have such a strong, central government in Washington making so many decisions in our lives, the money will follow. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/20/02] Ryan Promised That He Would Not Become A Professional Political. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan swears hell not become one of these detached professional politicians who loses sight of the needs of his district. In fact, hes not going to really even live in Washington, he says. Ill get some cheap efficiency apartment, he says. I plan to stay right here in the district in my house as much as I can. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/9/98]

OCCUPY WALL STREET


Ryan Defended Occupy Wall Street Protestors Rights To Protest Government. According to Mediaite, On Meet the Press earlier today, Congressman Paul Ryan defended the legitimate rights of the Occupy Wall Street protestors to air their grievances about the government, but criticized President Obama for dividing the country by class with proposals to increase taxes on millionaires. []David Gregory played a clip of presidential candidate Herman Cain disparaging the protestors, and asked Ryan if this was the official position of the Republican party on the protests, given statements made by fellow Republicans in recent days. Ryan surprisingly bucked the trend and did not immediately take the bait. I dont disparage anybody who protests their government, for better government, no matter what perspective they come from. Look, I come from Wisconsin, thats a state where protests are sort of the new normal and I think were going to see a lot of it from now through the 2012 election. [Mediaite, 10/10/11]

53

ISSUES ABORTION
Ryan Called Pro-Choice Liberals Deeply Pessimistic And Accused Them Of Denigrating Life And Promoting Fear. According to the States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote, At the core, todays pro-choice liberals are deeply pessimistic. They denigrate life and offer fear of the present and the future-fear of too many choices and too many children. Rather than seeing children and human beings as a benefit, the pro-choice position implies that they are a burden. Despite the pro-choice label, liberals stance on this subject actually diminishes choices, lowers goals, and leads us to live with less. That includes reducing the number of human beings who can make choices. [States News Service, 9/20/10] Ryan Said Pro-Life Conservatives Were Natural Optimists. According to the States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote, pro-life conservatives are natural optimists. On balance, we see human beings as assets, not liabilities. All conservatives should find it easy to agree that government must uphold every persons right to make choices regarding their lives and that every persons right to live must be secured before he or she can exercise that right of choice. In the state of nature-the law of the jungle-the determination of who qualifies as a human being is left to private individuals or chosen groups. In a justly organized community, however, government exists to secure the right to life and the other human rights that follow from that primary right. [States News Service, 9/20/10] Ryan Said He Would Support Young Guns Candidates Who Were Pro-Choice. According to The Janesville Gazette, Young Guns might differ on social issues, Ryan said. He has endorsed candidates who are pro-choice on abortion, while Ryan is pro-life. The only litmus test is whether theyre going to take on this debt and deficits and entitlement spending when they get here, or are they going to buckle when pressure occurs? he said. Were just going to agree to disagree on those issues like abortion, and well do so with mutual respect, he said. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/22/10]

Access
Ryan Supported Criminalizing Transport of a Minor Across State Lines for an Abortion. In 2006, Rehberg voted in favor of making it a crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion without parental consent. The bill allowed for a fine and up to one year in prison. Also, parents would have been allowed to sue people who helped their daughters across the border. The bill did allow an exception if the abortion was necessary to save the life of the minor. The bill passed 264-153. [Roll Call 479, S 403, 09/26/2006; CQ Today, 9/26/06] Ryan Supported Restricting Access to Abortion for Military Personnel. Ryan voted against an amendment to the annual Defense Department authorization bill to allow overseas troops and their relatives to get abortions at military hospitals and clinics. The amendment was defeated 194-233 [Roll Call 216, H 1815, 05/25/2005] Ryan Opposed Choice and Family Planning for Federal Employees. Ryan voted against an amendment to allow women covered by the federal employee health benefit program to receive abortion services. The amendment was defeated 184-230 [Roll Call 422, H 4871, 07/20/2000] Ryan Opposed Choice and Family Planning for Federal Employees. Ryan voted in favor of a spending bill that continued the ban on federal employee health insurance from covering abortions and allowed for religious health plans to be exempt from requiring prescription drug coverage to include contraceptives. The measure passed on a vote of 210-209 [Roll Call 305, H 2490, 07/15/1999] Ryan Supported Restricting Access to Abortion for Military Personnel. Ryan voted against an amendment to allow privately funded abortions in overseas military hospitals. The amendment was rejected, 203-225 [Roll Call 184, H 1401, 06/09/1999]

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Ryan Opposed Providing OTC Status for Morning-After Pill. Ryan has been a strong opponent of efforts to legalize the morning after pill. Blunt has voted three times to prevent the Food and Drug Administration from approving the drug for use in the United States. In 2000, Blunt voted in favor of an amendment that would prohibit the Food and Drug Administration from using funds to test, develop or approve any drug for the chemical inducement of abortion. In 1999, Blunt voted in favor of an amendment to prohibit the use of any funding for Food and Drug Administration to test, develop, or approve any drugs for the chemical inducement of abortion. In 1998, Blunt voted in favor of an amendment to prohibit the Food and Drug Administration from using funds appropriated in the bill to test, develop or approve any drug for chemically induced abortions. [Roll Call 173, H 1906, 06/08/1999] Ryan Voted To Prohibit FDA From Using Funds To Test Or Approve Morning After Pill. Ryan voted in favor of an amendment aimed at the morning after pill that would prohibit the Food and Drug Administration from using funds to test, develop or approve any drug for the chemical inducement of abortion. [Roll Call 173, H 1906, 06/08/1999]

Contraception Mandate
Ryan Said Health And Human Services Mandate Of The Affordable Care Act Was An Affront To Religious Liberty And A Teachable Moment For President Obama. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Laura Ingraham: Joining us now to talk about his speech at CPAC and also Congressional approval rating and the Presidents bump up in the polls with not really an economic agenda to show for it, but nevertheless thats where it is, Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. [] Congressman Ryan: As you know, you and I are both Catholics. This to quote the President is a teachable moment. I would say it is not quite the lesson the President is hoping we would learn before the election. It is a lesson of what happens when you apply the progressive philosophy of government. You have ObamaCare and it is a philosophy that believes we now have government-granted rights and that the governments job is to grant us our rights. When those government-granted rights collide or conflict with our constitutional rights, well such is the sacrifice needed in the name of progress. So you have this new government granted right, health care, in collision with our First Amendment right of religious freedom and guess what is winning? It kind of surprises me that they are shocked at this backlash because the President and the Administration spoke to Catholic leaders, about this. I remember having long talks with Bart Stupak and other Catholic Democrats back when they were passing this bill about this very issue. [States News Service, 2/9/12]

Criminalization
Ryan Denied Advocating Jail For Doctors Who Perform Abortions Or Women Who Get Them, But Added If Its Illegal, Its Illegal. According to the Associated Press, Ryan, 28, a former congressional aide from Janesville, denied specifically recommending jail for physicians and women, but he added if it's illegal, it's illegal. He also accused Spottswood of altering her position on partial-birth abortion to appear politically moderate. [Associated Press, 9/26/98]

Federal Funding Ban


Ryan Voted to Bar the Use of Federal Funds to Purchase Insurance Plans that Cover Abortion. On October 13, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to bar the use of federal funds to purchase insurance plans that cover abortion services. The bill also would require that insurance companies offering plans on state exchanges that cover abortion services also offer identical plans that do not cover abortion services. Finally, it would bar federal agencies and state or local entities that receive funding under the health care overhaul law from discriminating against health care entities that refuse to provide abortions or training related to abortions. According to the Orlando Sentinel, The bill passed 251-172, with 15 Democrats joining the GOP in favor and two Republicans opposed to the Protect Life Act, which also offers legal protection for hospitals that refuse to perform abortions. The Senate blocked similar legislation passed in May and is likely to do the same to this bill. President Barack Obama also threatened to veto any such bill. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, DCalif., called the legislation savage and a waste of time when Americans are more concerned about jobs. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, noted that the legislation was promised in the GOPs Pledge to America in 2010. Weve done four to five jobs bills this week, Boehner said. [Roll Call 789, H 358, 10/13/2011; Orlando Sentinel, 10/14/11] 55

Paul Ryan Voted To Bar Use of Federal Funds To Pay For Health Insurance That Includes Abortion Coverage. Paul Ryan voted for the Stupak (D-MI) amendment that would bar the use of federal funds authorized in the health care bill to pay for an abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes abortion coverage, unless the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or if the woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury or illness that would, as certified by a physician, endanger the womans life. Individuals with subsidized policies who also want abortion coverage would have to purchase it separately, using their own money. [Roll Call 884, H 3962, 11/07/2009] Ryan Voted to Prohibit Federal Funding for Abortion Services. On May 04, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would prohibit federal funding for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest or when the womans life is endangered. It would modify tax breaks given for health insurance coverage to exclude coverage for abortion, prohibit federal medical facilities from providing abortion services and establish conscience protections for health care providers who object to providing abortion services. According to the Washington Post, The bill would bar women from deducting abortion-related medical expenses from their taxable income. The bill also would bar tax credits that employers receive for the cost of providing employee medical insurance if the insurance covers abortion services. Additionally, the bill makes the Hyde Amendment permanent law rather than one that needs annual renewal [] which bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in cases of rape or incest or to protect a womans life. [Roll Call 292, H 3, 05/04/2011; Washington Post 05/12/2011] Ryan Supported A Block On Aid To The United Nations Population Fund, Which Supported Family Planning And Womens Reproductive Health Programs In 140 Countries. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, The House on July 15 voted, 216 for and 211 against, to block U.S. aid to the United Nations Population Fund, which supports programs in 140-plus countries on family planning and women's reproductive health. This removed $50 million for the fund from a $32.2 billion foreign affairs budget (HR 1950) for fiscal 2004, which awaits Senate action. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Voted Against Treasury-Postal Service Appropriations Bill, Prohibit Payments Under Federal Employee Health Plans For Abortions. On July 24, 2002, Ryan voted against a Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill. Specifically the bill would provide $35.1 billion in fiscal 2003 for the Treasury Department, U.S. Postal Service, various offices of the Executive Office of the President and certain independent agencies, a $1.1 billion increase over fiscal 2002 spending. The total includes $9.9 billion for the Internal Revenue Service and $3.1 billion for the Customs Service. The measure provides that all federal employees would receive a 4.1 percent pay raise. It also would ban bankers from serving as real estate agents. It would prohibit payments under federal employee health plans for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or when the womans life is endangered. The bill would provide funds for anti- drug programs, election administration reform, and $24 million for the Office of Homeland Security. [Roll Call 341, H 5120, 07/24/2002] Ryan Voted To Block Federal Funds For Groups That Offer Abortion Services Overseas. Ryan voted to block funding for overseas groups that offer abortion services. Ryan voted for the adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $15.4 billion in fiscal 2002 for foreign operations, $403 million more than fiscal 2001. The bill would continue a Bush administration policy blocking federal funds to groups that use their own money to offer abortion services overseas. [Roll Call 505, H 2506, 12/19/2001]

Fetal Protection
Ryan Voted Expand The Rights Of A Fetus Over Those Of The Mother. In 2004, Ryan voted to pass the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which makes it a federal crime to harm a fetus during an attack on its mother and establishes unprecedented rights to the fetus. In 2002 Peter Rubin, Georgetown University Professor of constitutional law, said, To suggest in federal law thata one-cell zygote is a full human being is at variance with the American legal tradition and does ultimately present a threat to womens reproductive rights -- and not just abortion, but also contraception. [Roll Call 31, H 1997, 02/26/2004] Paul Ryan Voted for Fetal Protection Act. On February 26, 2004, Paul Ryan voted for HR 1997, legislation making it a criminal offense to injure or kill a fetus during the commission of a violent crime. The bill established criminal penalties, equal to those that would apply if the injury or death occurred to the pregnant woman, of those who harmed the fetus. The bill included a statement that its provisions not be interpreted to apply to consensual abortion or to a womans actions with 56

respect to her pregnancy. Pro-choice activists and many Democrats opposed the bill because it recognized embryos and fetuses as distinct legal entities. They said the bill could be used to undermine abortion rights as outlined in Roe v. Wade by putting the legal rights of fetuses on par with those of pregnant women. [Roll Call 31, H 1997, 02/26/2004] Ryan Voted to Establish Criminal Penalties for Harming a Fetus. On April 26, 2001, Ryan voted for establishing criminal penalties for harming a fetus while committing a crime against a pregnant woman. According to the New York Times, Its supporters called it an anti-violence measure intended to ensure that criminals who attack a pregnant woman are charged with murder or manslaughter if the woman survives but her fetus perishes. While the bill says specifically that it does not apply to abortion, opponents said the legislation was a thinly disguised effort to undermine abortion rights by granting a new legal protection to a fetus. The bill, called the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, is one of a series of measures put forward by abortion opponents in recent years that sidestep a direct confrontation over the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights. [] The bill approved by the House today establishes criminal punishment for someone who in the course of committing any one of 68 federal crimes causes death or injury to a child who is in utero at the time the conduct takes place. [] It would not, however, allow the death penalty to be imposed. [Roll Call 89, H 503, 04/26/2001; New York Times, 04/27/01] Ryan Said He Couldnt Believe People Defended The Notion That An Unborn Human Being Had No Rights. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote, after America has won the last centurys hard-fought struggles against unequal human rights in the forms of totalitarianism abroad and segregation at home, I cannot believe any official or citizen can still defend the notion that an unborn human being has no rights that an older person is bound to respect. I do know that we cannot go on forever feigning agnosticism about who is human. [States News Service, 9/20/10] Ryan Said The Freedom To Choose Was Pointless For An Unborn Child Who Didnt Have The Right To Live. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote, As Thomas Jefferson wrote, The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. The freedom to choose is pointless for someone who does not have the freedom to live. So the right of choice of one human being cannot trump the right to life of another. How long can we sustain our commitment to freedom if we continue to deny the very foundation of freedom-life-for the most vulnerable human beings? [States News Service, 9/20/10]

Funding
Ryan Voted for Government Funding Continuing Resolution, Barring DC from Funding Abortions. On April 09, 2011 Ryan voted to advance a bill that would provide continuing appropriations for all government agencies through April 15, 2011. Most spending levels would be based on fiscal 2010 levels, less certain eliminations and reductions totaling $2 billion. According to the Virginia Pilot, the bill would fund the military through Sept. 30 while funding the rest of the government through April 15 with $12 billion in spending cuts. The bill also barred the District of Columbia from using its own revenue to fund abortions. [Roll Call 253, H 1363, 04/09/2011; Virginia Pilot 4/11/11]

Notification
Paul Ryan Voted for Requiring Women Seeking Abortions Be Informed of Fetal Pain During Procedure. On December 6, 2006, Paul Ryan voted for the bill that would require women who are at least 20 weeks pregnant and seeking an abortion to be informed that there is substantial evidence that the fetus would experience pain during the procedure. The abortion provider would be required to inform women that they can request anesthesia for the fetus. The bill, which required a two-thirds majority, failed 250-162. [Roll Call 526, H 6099, 12/06/2006] Ryan Voted In Favor of Parental Notification Law. On September 26, 2006, Paul Ryan voted for a bill that would make it a federal crime to take a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion in order to circumvent state parental notification and consent laws. It would provide an exception for cases in which an abortion is necessary to save the life of the minor. Physicians who perform an abortion on an out-of-state minor would have to provide at least 24 hours notice to the minors parent. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison. The bill passed 264-153. [Roll Call 479, S 403, 09/26/2006] 57

Ryan Supported Parental Notification Law. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of a parental notification law. The law would have made it a federal crime to knowingly transport a minor across state lines with the intent of circumventing parental consent laws. The law would have also required physicians, who perform abortions on minors and reside in other states, to provide 24 hours notice to the pregnant girls parents. Critics of the legislation said it was an assault on abortion rights that could endanger vulnerable girls who fear for their safety if they must first get a parents permission or who are the victims of incest. The bill passed, 270-157 [Roll Call 144, H 748, 04/27/2005; Detroit Free Press, 4/28/05]

Partial Birth Abortion


Ryan Supported Partial Birth Abortion Ban. Ryan voted in favor of a bill to prohibit the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion. The bill passed 281-142 [Roll Call 530, S 3, 10/02/2003] Ryan Supported Partial Birth Abortion Ban. Ryan voted in favor of a bill to ban the procedure that opponents refer to as partial birth abortion. It would have allowed the procedure only when it was necessary to save a womans life. Those who performed the procedure for other reasons would face fines and up to two years in prison, although the woman would not be criminally liable. The bill also included congressional findings that established the constitutionality of the measure. The bill passed, 248-177. [Roll Call 104, H 3660, 04/05/2000] Ryan Eventually Voted for GOP Ban on Partial Birth Abortions. Ryan voted in favor of the GOP bill that would ban a certain late-term abortion procedure, in which the physician partially delivers the fetus before completing the abortion. Anyone convicted of performing such an abortion would be subject to a fine and up to two years in prison. The bill allows the father, if hes married to the mother, or maternal grandparents, if the mother is under 18, to file a civil lawsuit against the doctor for monetary damages. The penalties would not apply if the abortion were necessary to save the womans life. [Roll Call 104, H 3660, 04/05/2000] Ryan Opposed Abortion And Believed Any Exceptions To A Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Would Make That Ban Meaningless. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said he opposes abortion, period. He said any exceptions to a partial-birth abortion ban would make that ban meaningless. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/8/98]

Planned Parenthood
Ryan Voted To De-Fund Planned Parenthood. On February 18, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of the Pence, R-Ind., amendment to a fiscal year 2011 continuing appropriations bill that would prohibit any funds in the bill from being made available to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or its affiliates. [Roll Call 93, H 1, 02/18/2011]

Roe v Wade
Ryan Compared Roe v. Wade Decision To Dred Scott v. Sandford, Which Denied Africans And Descendants Human Rights. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote Twice in the past the U.S. Supreme Courtcharged with being the guardian of rights-has failed so drastically in making this crucial determination that it disqualified a whole category of human beings, with profoundly tragic results. The first time was in the 1857 case, Dred Scott v. Sandford. The second time the Court failed in a case regarding the definition of human was in Roe v. Wade in 1973, when the Supreme Court made virtually the identical mistake. Like the Dred Scott decision, this opinion has wounded America and solved nothing. It has set good people on all sides against each other, fueled a culture war, split churches, soured politics, and greatly strained civil dialogue. [States News Service, 9/20/10] Ryan Said The Supreme Court Did Not Err On The Side Of Caution In Its Decision To Prohibit States Abortion Restrictions. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote, Since the Court decided there was no consensus on when fetuses become human persons, it struck down abortion restrictions in all 50 states that 58

thought they had reached a consensus. Only those already born qualified for protection. Moreover, the already born were empowered to deny, at will, the rights of persons still in the womb. The Court did not say that, given the lack of consensus, the matter ought to be left to the states. It did not choose to err on the side of caution, since human lives might be at stake. Nor did it choose not to rule on the matter. These options would seem to be rational courses in light of the Courts stated agnosticism. Instead, the Court used the lack of consensus to justify prohibiting states from protecting the life of the unborn. [States News Service, 9/20/10]

Stupak Amendment
Paul Ryan Supported Stupak Amendment to Bar Federal Funds in Health Care Bill to Pay for any Abortion Services. In 2009, Paul Ryan supported Congressman Bart Stupaks (D-MI) amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act that banned federal funds authorized in the bill from being used to pay for an abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that included abortion coverage. This excluded elective abortion coverage from the public option and an individual using a subsidy to purchase a private plan cannot purchase one that covers elective abortion. Insurers would be allowed to cover abortions that result from rape or incest or when a pregnancy threatens a mothers life. An individual with a subsidized policy from the bill would have to purchase coverage for elective abortion separately with their own money. [Roll Call 884, H 3962, 11/07/2009]

Stem Cell Research


Capital Times Editorial: Ryan Played Political Games With Stem Cell Research Votes. According to a Capital Times editorial, Unfortunately, three members of Wisconsins House delegation did, indeed, vote no. Reps. Paul Ryan, Tom Petri and Jim Sensenbrenner are not fools. So we have to assume that they are cynics. Ryan, Petri and Sensenbrenner choose to play political games rather than join the vast mainstream - including conservative Republicans with strong anti-abortion records - in voting to fund essential stem cell research. [Capital Times (Madison, WI), 6/14/07] Paul Ryan Voted Against Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research. On June 7, 2007, Paul Ryan voted against allowing federal funding of stem cell research. It would lift some restrictions on funding that President Bush put in place on Aug. 9, 2001, and allow research funding on stem cells from surplus embryos discarded by fertility clinics. The bill passed, 247-176. [Roll Call 443, S 5, 06/07/2007; CQ Weekly, 6/11/07] Ryan Opposed Ban On Human Cloning. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to prohibit reproductive human cloning and transporting human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology intended for human cloning. Under the bill, violators would be subject to fines of up to $10 million and up to 10 years in prison. The bills sponsor, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) argued that there is no federal law preventing irresponsible individuals from conducting research in an attempt to achieve human reproductive cloning. The most effective way to prevent human reproductive cloning in the United States is to pass a federal prohibition on this practice and impose severe penalties for doing so, DeGette said of the bill. Our bill would make it illegal to use cloning technology to initiate a pregnancy and thereby create a cloned human being. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, Anti-abortion groups opposed the bill because it would not extend the ban to include cloning of human embryos for research purposes. They believe that life begins at conception, which in the case of cloning would occur before the embryos placement in a uterus. The National Right to Life Committee said DeGettes bill would allow the creation and destruction of embryos for research purposes, a process that opponents equate with abortion. The White House issued a policy statement before the June 6 vote that said President Bush strongly opposed the bill and warned that he would veto it. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (278 in this case) was required for passage under suspension of the rules. The measure was defeated 204-213. [Roll Call 439, H 2560, 06/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 6/9/07; Congresswoman Diana DeGette press release, 6/6/07] Paul Ryan Voted Against Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research. On January 11, 2007, Paul Ryan voted against bill that would allow the use of federal funds in research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos at in-vitro fertilization clinics, but only if donors give their consent and are not paid for the embryos. The bill would authorize the Health and Human Services Department to conduct and support research involving human embryonic stem cells that meet certain 59

criteria, regardless of when stem cells were derived from a human embryo. The bill passed 253-174. [Roll Call 20, H 3, 01/11/2007] Ryan Voted Against Overriding Veto of Bill to Expand Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research. In 2006, Ryan voted against an attempt to override President Bushs veto of a bill that would expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The bill would authorize federal funds to be used for research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos at in vitro fertilization clinics that would otherwise be discarded. Current policy allows federal funds to be used for research only on those stem cell lines that existed when President Bush issued an executive order on August 9, 2001. This bill attempted to lift that restriction. According to a USA Today editorial, The bill Congress sent to Bush wouldnt create embryos solely to destroy them. Rather, it simply would allow federal research on embryos from fertility clinics that would otherwise be discarded. The families that donated the embryos have given their consent to use them for researchThe price of Bushs threatened veto might well be paid in the suffering of millions of people. Its hard to believe that he, and those in Congress who support his stance, consider this to be the pro-life position. The attempt to override the veto, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, was defeated 235-193. [Roll Call 388, H 810, 07/19/2006; Leadership Document, Congress Should Override the Presidents Veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, 7/19/06] Ryan Voted in Favor of Research into Creating Stem Cell Lines without Destroying Human Embryos. On July 18, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act. According to the Washington Post, It would have promoted efforts to conduct stem cell research without destroying human embryos. Bush called it an important piece of legislation, but several Democrats called it a political fig leaf intended to distract attention from his veto of the long-debated funding measure for embryonic stem cells. Bush has threatened vetoes on numerous issues over the years, but he and the Republican-controlled Congress had always worked out their differences. On stem cells, however, the president drew a sharp line during his first nationally televised address, on Aug. 9, 2001, banning government funding for research using human embryonic stem cell colonies created after that date. [Roll Call 380, S 2754, 07/18/2006; Washington Post, 07/20/06] Paul Ryan Voted Against Easing Restrictions on Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research. On May 24, 2005, Paul Ryan voted against HR 810, a bill that would allow federal funds to be used in research on embryonic stem cell lines derived from surplus embryos at in-vitro fertilization clinics, but only if donors give their consent and if they are not paid for the embryos. The bill would authorize the Health and Human Services Department to conduct and support research involving human embryonic stem cells that meet certain criteria, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. The House passed the bill 238-194. [Roll Call 204, H 810, 05/24/2005] Ryan Supported Ban on Stem Cell Research for Medical Purposes. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill banning human cloning and punished violators with up to 10 years in prison and fines of at least $1 million. The bill prohibited cloning, and attempts at cloning, for both medical research and reproductive purposes. The bill passed 241-155. [Roll Call 39, H 534, 02/27/2003] Ryan Opposed Stem Cell Research in 2001. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to prohibit human cloning for either medical research or reproductive purposes. The bill would make it illegal for any person or organization to perform, attempt or participate in human cloning. It also would ban receiving, shipping or importing cloned embryos or products made from them. The bill includes civil and criminal penalties including up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of more than $1 million. While there was virtual agreement in the House that cloning human cells for the purposes of reproducing whole human beings should be outlawed, the bill alarmed scientists, who said the ban would interfere with progress on stem cell research, which involves human embryos. Embryonic stem cell research involves using human or animal embryos to grow various kinds of cells. The cells could then be used to help repair human tissue or aid in finding cures for cancer, Alzheimers, Lou Gehrigs and other fatal or disabling diseases. The legislation would impose a fine of at least $1 million and a prison sentence of up to 10 years on anyone who participates in human cloning. The bill did not specifically ban stem cell research, but would prohibit the cloning of human embryos for use in stem cell experiments. The bill passed, 265-162 [Roll Call 304, H 2505, 07/31/2001; Boston Globe, 8/02/01; Boston Globe, 8/01/01; AP, 8/01/01]

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AGRICULTURE
Childrens Food
Ryan Voted to Strengthen And Improve Child Nutrition Assistance. On March 24, 2004 Ryan voted for the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act. The bill amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide children with access to food and nutrition assistance, simplify program operations, improve childrens nutritional health and restore the integrity of child nutrition programs. The bill passed 419-5. [Roll Call 82, H 3873, 03/24/2004; Tulsa World, 3/28/04]

Disaster Relief
Ryan Opposed $3.7 Billion in Agriculture Disaster Relief. In 2007, Ryan voted against giving $3.7 billion in agriculture disaster relief. The bill passed 218 212 [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07]

Farm Bill
Ryan Voted in Lockstep with Bush on Farm Bill Veto. In 2008, Ryan voted to support Bushs veto of the Farm Bill reauthorization. The bill authorized a $10 billion increase for nutrition programs, cut direct payment subsidies overall by $313 million, and authorized $1.3 billion to enroll new acreage in the Wetlands Reserve Program and reduce the Conservation Reserve Program to 32 million acres. The bill also required country-of-origin labels for all meat by September, 2008, extended the Milk Income Loss Contract program through fiscal 2012 and provided a subsidy for the purchase of excess sugar in the U.S. market to make sugar-based ethanol. Most of the bill was enacted in May 2008, when both the House and Senate easily overrode Bushs first veto of the legislation. But 34 pages of the bill that would extend foreign aid programs were mistakenly missing from the parchment copy Congress sent to the White House, so that section had not yet become law. Bush said the bill included too many subsidies for wealthy farmers and budget gimmicks to hide its most egregious spending. [Roll Call 417, H 6124, 06/18/2008; Associated Press, 6/18/08; New York Times, 5/15/08] Ryan Voted against Override of Veto of Farm Bill Reauthorization. In 2008, Ryan voted to sustain President Bushs veto of the Farm bill. Among other benefits, the bill authorized a $10 billion increase for nutrition programs, cut direct payment subsidies overall by $313 million, and authorized $1.3 billion to enroll new acreage in the Wetlands Reserve Program and reduce the Conservation Reserve Program to 32 million acres. The legislation made historic new investments in food, farm and conservation programs and was supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition. The House Agriculture Committee heralded the passage, saying while no one got everything they wanted in this Farm Bill, we struck a balance that meets the pressing needs of working American families struggling with high food prices and that supports Americas farmers and ranchers as they continue to provide a safe, abundant, homegrown supply of food and fiber while protecting our natural resources and developing new sources of renewable energy. In his message to Congress, President Bush defended his decision to veto the bill saying that among his concerns were that it contained a wide range of objectionable provisions, including a limitation on the ability of the U.S. to redirect food aid dollars for emergency use. Some provisions in the bill also raised serious constitutional concerns for the President. The bill was passed, the objections of the President not withstanding. [Roll Call 346, H 2419, 05/21/2008; House Agriculture Committee Release, 5/22/08; White House Release, 5/21/08] Ryan Voted against Reauthorization of Farm Bill. In 2008, Ryan voted against the Farm bill conference report. The bill authorized a $10 billion increase for nutrition programs, cut direct payment subsidies overall by $313 million, and authorized $1.3 billion to enroll new acreage in the Wetlands Reserve Program and reduce the Conservation Reserve Program to 32 million acres. The bill also required country-of-origin labels for all meat by September, 2008, extended the Milk Income Loss Contract program through fiscal 2012 and provided a subsidy for the purchase of excess sugar in the U.S. market to make sugar-based ethanol. President Bush threatened to veto the legislation to sharply limit government subsidies to farmers at a time of near-record commodity prices and soaring global demand for grain. Critics of the bill countered that it lacked needed reform. The conference report passed, 318-106. [Roll Call 315, H 2419, 05/14/2008; New York Times, 5/15/08] 61

Paul Ryan Voted for Wasteful Farm Bill: Washington Post Says $1.3 Billion Went to Americans Who Dont Farm. On May 2, 2002, Paul Ryan voted for the conference report on HR 2646, legislation reauthorizing federal agriculture programs for six years. The legislation re- established programs that supplied payments to farmers when commodity prices fell below a specified level. It raised mandatory and direct farm program spending by $73.5 billion over 10 years, provided $243 billion for food stamps, restored benefits for legal immigrants and increased conservation spending to $17.1 billion. The legislation lowered the total limit on payments to individual farmers to $360,000 and authorized a new $1 billion dairy program for three and a half years. Finally, the legislation required certain goods to be labeled by country origin within two years. The House adopted the report 280-141. [Roll Call 123, H 2646, 05/02/2002; Washington Post, 06/24/2007] Ryan Supported 2002 Farm Bill. In 2002, Ryan voted in favor of a final version of the new farm bill, which reauthorized federal agriculture programs for six years. The bill included the following major provisions: Re-established programs that supply payments to farmers when commodity prices fall below specified levels, raised mandatory and direct farm program spending by $73.5 billion over 10 years, provided $243 billion for food stamps and restore benefits for legal immigrants, increased conservation spending to $17.1 billion, after two years, required certain goods to be labeled by country origin, lowered the total limit on payments to individual farmers to $360,000, and authorized a new $1 billion dairy program for three and a half years. The bill passed, 280-141. [Roll Call 123, H 2646, 05/02/2002] Ryan Supported 2002 Farm Bill. In 2002, Ryan voted in favor of a final version of the new farm bill, which reauthorized federal agriculture programs for six years. The bill included the following major provisions: Re-established programs that supply payments to farmers when commodity prices fall below specified levels, raised mandatory and direct farm program spending by $73.5 billion over 10 years, provided $243 billion for food stamps and restore benefits for legal immigrants, increased conservation spending to $17.1 billion, after two years, required certain goods to be labeled by country origin, lowered the total limit on payments to individual farmers to $360,000, and authorized a new $1 billion dairy program for three and a half years. The bill passed, 280-141. [Roll Call 123, H 2646, 05/02/2002] Ryan Voted Against House Farm Bill Which Failed To Include Country-of-Origin Labeling for Meat. Ryan voted against passage of the House farm bill, which did not include country-of-origin labeling for meat. [Roll Call 371, H 2646, 10/05/2001] Ryan Was Frustrated that GOP Leaders Supported A Dairy Policy That Was Anathema To Wisconsin Farmers. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, For two freshman Republicans from Wisconsin, the great dairy wars have left a sour taste. Two months ago, Green Bays Mark Green and Janesvilles Paul Ryan helped win what they thought was a key delay on the dairy issue from their own GOP House leadership. But the victory was only temporary, and House leaders eventually struck a budget deal with dairy provisions that are anathema to Wisconsin farmers. Green and Ryan said Thursday that GOP leaders had honored their specific promises to them on the issue. Instead, the two directed their criticism at colleagues for supporting an anti-market dairy system and at the White House for not fighting hard enough for its own reform plans, supported by Wisconsin lawmakers. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/19/99]

Farm Subsidies
Ryan Offered Amendment To Reduce Farming Subsidies, Would Cap Subsidies Per Farmer. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Direct subsidy payments to farmers would be gradually reduced over a five-year period in an amendment unveiled Tuesday by Wisconsin Reps. Ron Kind and Paul Ryan and a coalition of lawmakers who want to reform the farm bill. Also under the measure, the amount of subsidy money that farmers receive annually would be limited to $250,000 a person, and the counter-cyclical system would be replaced by a safety net that protects farmers against drops in income rather than drops in crop prices. Counter-cyclical subsidy programs provide special payments to farmers when commodity prices are below target levels. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/25/07] Ryan Wanted To Eliminate Subsidies To Hobby Farmers. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said, We should be giving true help to family farmers and not huge payoffs to hobby farmers. The House farm bill is being held together by gimmicks. Not only is it shallow reform, it also breaks the budget. My number one job is to protect and watch over taxpayer money. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/25/07] 62

FDA
Ryan Voted Against the Food Safety Modernization Act. On December 21, 2010, Ryan voted against increasing reporting and recordkeeping requirements for food facilities. The measure would expand the Food and Drug Administrations oversight authority by increasing the number of required inspections, boosting access to the records of food processors and providing authority to issue mandatory recalls. It also would increase the FDAs ability to inspect imported foods and create a foreign facility inspection program. According to the Chicago Daily Herald, The Food Safety Modernization Act is expected to transform the Food and Drug Administration, increasing inspections and giving the agency the power to recall certain foods. Previously, it could only request a voluntary recall. The number of required FDA inspections at all food facilities will be increased, and a national strategy to better protect the countrys food supply from terrorist threats and rapidly respond to food emergencies will be established. The law also requires importers to verify the safety of foreign suppliers and imported food. The FDA will now be able to deny entry to a food that lacks certification or that is from a foreign facility that has refused U.S. inspectors. [Roll Call 661, H 2751, 12/21/2010; Chicago Daily Herald, 12/22/10] Ryan Voted Against Prohibiting the FDA from Preventing the Importation of Drugs It Approved and Against Prohibiting the USDA from Paying for Country-of-Origin Meat Labeling Program. On July 14, 2003, Ryan voted against a bill that would provide $77.4 billion in total spending for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2004. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the bill would prohibit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from using funds to prevent the importation of drugs approved by the FDA and prohibit the Agriculture Department from using funds to implement country-of-origin labels for meat and meat products. Congressional Quarterly Today also reported that, Farm groups and other supporters say labeling would better inform Americans about where their food is grown and help protect them from imports. []Despite administration opposition, no amendments were offered on the House floor to strike language that would bar the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from enforcing a ban on the importation of drugs that the agency itself had approved. The White House said it strongly opposes the language. This provision could result in unsafe, unapproved, or counterfeit drugs being imported into the United States, its policy statement said. [Roll Call 358, H 2673, 07/14/2003; Congressional Quarterly Today, 07/17/03; Congressional Quarterly Today, 07/18/03]

Food Safety
Paul Ryan Voted Against A Measure To Make Food Safer. Paul Ryan voted against an overhaul of the Food and Drug Administration to make food safer by establishing risk-based inspection schedules for food facilities and impose criminal and civil penalties for violations. The bill required all facilities that served customers to register with the FDA and pay a registration fee. [Roll Call 680, H 2749, 07/30/2009] Ryan Opposed Country of Origin Labeling. In 2008, Ryan voted against the Farm bill conference report. The bill authorized a $10 billion increase for nutrition programs, cut direct payment subsidies overall by $313 million, and authorized $1.3 billion to enroll new acreage in the Wetlands Reserve Program and reduce the Conservation Reserve Program to 32 million acres. Farm Bill ensures that consumers will be able to know where the foods they feed their families come from. Specifically, country-of-origin labeling will be provided for fruits, vegetables and peanuts. President Bush threatened to veto the legislation to sharply limit government subsidies to farmers at a time of near-record commodity prices and soaring global demand for grain. Critics of the bill countered that it lacked needed reform. The conference report passed, 318-106. [Roll Call 315, H 2419, 05/14/2008; New York Times, 5/15/08; Rep. Salazar Release, 5/14/08] Ryan Voted Against Banning the Slaughter of Horses for Meat. On September 7, 2006 Ryan voted against the bill that would ban the transport and sale of horses to be slaughtered for food. The bill also authorized the Department of Agriculture to detain horses that maybe slaughtered. Congressional Quarterly Weekly, the American appetite for horse meat is small, but the U.S. plants that slaughter horses for food often send the meat overseas. The issue has stirred an emotional debate on Capitol Hill. Opponents claim that keeping unwanted horses is expensive and that owners should be able to send their horses to slaughter if they want to. Proponents say it is inhumane to kill animals that have been a rich part of American history. [Roll Call 433, H 503, 09/07/2006; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 9/8/06]

63

Ryan Voted For National Food Safety Warning Label Standards, Weakened State Control Of Safety Regulations. In 2006, Ryan voted to establish national standards for food safety warning labeling, effectively preventing states from adding warnings that go beyond federal rules. The vote was for final passage of the National Uniformity for Food Act, a bill which sets national standards for food safety warning labels. Under the bill, the Food and Drug Administration would establish national standards for determining when warnings would be required on packaging, on store shelves and in advertising. States would be prohibited from imposing different rules without federal approval. Attorneys general from about 40 states oppose the measure, as do consumer advocacy groups, because they believe that the measure would weaken pre-existing state laws governing food safety warnings. [Roll Call 32, H 4167, 03/08/2006; Los Angeles Times, 3/9/06] Ryan Supported Bill to Weaken Food Safety. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of the National Uniformity for Food Act, a bill that set national standards for food safety warning labels. Under the bill, the Food and Drug Administration would establish national standards for determining when warnings would be required on packaging, on store shelves and in advertising. States would be prohibited from imposing different rules without federal approval. Attorneys General from about 40 states opposed the measure, as did consumer advocacy groups; because they believed that the measure would weaken preexisting state laws governing food safety warnings. Opponents of the measure, including the Consumers Union, said that bill would undermine food safety laws. Proponents of the legislation have been characterizing H.R. 4167 as a pro-consumer bill, the Consumers Union said. This simply is not true. The bill could lead to increased food-borne illnesses by handcuffing local and state food safety inspectors and wiping out at least 200 state labeling and food safety laws without guaranteeing strong federal protections. The bill passed 283-139. [Roll Call 32, H 4167, 03/08/2006; Consumers Union, Myths vs. Truths about H.R. 4167, National Uniformity for Food Act; Los Angeles Times, 3/09/06] Ryan Voted for Cheeseburger Bill. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to prohibit lawsuits in federal or state courts against restaurants, food manufacturers and distributors based on claims that the food contributed to the plaintiffs obesity or weight gain. The bill would allow suits if the defendant knowingly and willfully violated federal or state laws governing the labeling, advertising or selling of food products. Any party bringing a suit, as permitted by the bill, would be required to state the particular federal and state statutes allegedly violated and the facts alleged to have caused the injury claimed. The bill passed 306-120. [Roll Call 533, H 554, 10/19/2005] Ryan Supported Bill Protecting Fast-Food Industry From Government Claims That Its Meals Caused Obesity And Illness. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 276 for and 139 against, the House passed a bill to shield the fastfood industry against state and federal claims that its meals cause obesity and illnesses related to weight gain. The bill, which awaits Senate action, affects present and future claims. It would allow obesity-related suits only when the defendant has broken the law or violated a contract or warranty. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 3/14/04] Ryan Supported Legal Protection To Restaurants That Sold Beef Of Downed Cows, Most Likely To Have Mad Cow Disease. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 141 for and 276 against, the House refused to deny legal protection under the bill above to restaurants that sell beef from the downed cattle most likely to have mad cow disease. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 3/14/04] Ryan Opposed Amendment To Deny Protection To Restaurants That Failed To Disclose Genetically Altered Ingredients. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 129 for and 285 against, the House rejected an amendment to the bill above concerning genetically altered ingredients such as the cornmeal used in some taco shells. The amendment sought to deny the bill's protection to restaurants that fail to disclose the fact that a food item has been altered and the exact nature of the scientific change. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 3/14/04] Ryan Opposed Amendment That Would Prevent Federal Government Involvement, But Allow States The Rights To Decide Obesity-Related Lawsuits. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 158 for and 261 against, the House rejected an amendment to limit the bill above to federal cases, leaving with states the right to determine whether to allow obesity-related lawsuits. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 3/14/04]

Ryan Voted To Prohibit Lawsuits Based On Health Issues Resulting From Food Consumption. On March 10, 2004 Ryan voted to pass the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act. The act prohibited new and dismisses pending 64

civil actions by any person against a manufacturer or seller of food or a trade association for any injury resulting from a persons consumption of food and weight gain, obesity, or any associated health condition. The bill passed 276-139. [Roll Call 54, H 339, 03/10/2004] Ryan Opposed Mandate That U.S. Meat Products Be Labeled By Country Of Origin. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 193 for and 208 against, the House on July 14 defeated a bid to require meat sold in the U.S. to be labeled by country of origin, just as fruits and vegetables may be labeled starting next year. This vote occurred as the House passed the fiscal 2004 agricultural appropriations bill (HR 2673), which awaits Senate action. A yes vote backed mandatory meat labeling. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03]

Food Stamps
Ryan Voted Against Farm Bill that Expanded Food Stamps, Increased Price Guarantees and Closed Tax Loophole. On July 27, 2007, Ryan voted against a $286 billion farm authorization bill that expanded the food stamps program, increased price guarantees for wheat, soybeans and sugar, and closed a tax loophole for U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies. According to the Washington Post, The House yesterday passed a far-reaching new farm bill that preserves the existing system of subsidies for commercial farmers and adds billions of dollars for conservation, nutrition and new agricultural sectors. [] The bill, which has a price tag of almost $286 billion, boosts spending on preservation of grasslands and wildlife habitat, and mandates a major study of the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a first step to restoring the bay by reducing agricultural and other wastes. The measure updates the food stamp program, indexing benefits to inflation, increasing the minimum benefit and raising the standard deduction. Youth obesity is addressed by a program to introduce healthful snacks in schools, and more money is authorized for famine relief abroad. In an important victory for consumer organizations, imported meat, including hamburger made from multiple animals, will be labeled by its country of origin starting in October 2008. Pelosi also cited the bills emphasis on credits and loan guarantees for new forms of biofuel produced from grasses and biomass. Future farm bills will never look the same, she said. [Roll Call 756, H 2419, 07/27/2007; Washington Post, 07/28/07]

Funding
Ryan Voted Against $121.2 Billion in Agriculture Appropriations for FY 2010. On October 07, 2009, Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $121.2 billion in fiscal 2010 for the Agriculture Department and related agencies, including $23.4 billion in discretionary funding. The bill would provide $20.9 billion in discretionary spending for the Agriculture Department and $2.4 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, excluding user fees. It would fund the food stamp program at $58.3 billion and the child nutrition program at $17 billion. It would provide $7.3 billion for the Women, Infants and Children program and $1.7 billion for the Food for Peace program. It also would repeal a ban on Chinese poultry if the products meet U.S. safety standards. [Roll Call 761, H 2997, 10/07/2009] Ryan Voted Against $96.3 Billion Agriculture Appropriations Bill. In 2006, Ryan voted against the $93.6 billion agriculture appropriations bill. The bill included $17.8 billion in discretionary spending and funds for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Money in the bill was also to go towards entitlement programs such as food stamps and crop subsidies. [Roll Call 193, H 5384, 05/23/2006] Ryan Voted Against the 2005 Agriculture Spending Bill. On October 28, 2005, Ryan voted against the conference report on the 2006 Agriculture spending bill. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that President Bush is expected to sign a $101 billion fiscal 2006 Agriculture spending bill that would provide about $849 million more than he requested. The bill -which funds the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and rural development programs -would boost spending by $15.4 billion over the fiscal 2005 law. The increase is due almost entirely to growth in mandatory programs such as food stamps and crop subsidies. [] The final bill delays until 2008 an Agriculture Department rule for country-of-origin labeling of meat, produce and peanuts -- a victory for meatpackers and retailers who complained the labeling would cost too much money with little benefit for consumers. [Roll Call 555, H 2744, 10/28/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 12/5/05] 65

Paul Ryan Voted for Agriculture Appropriation FY05. On July 13, 2004 Paul Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would appropriate $83.7 billion for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2005, including $33.6 billion for food stamp programs, $16.5 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation, $11.4 billion for child nutrition programs, $2.4 billion for rural development programs and $1.5 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It would prohibit the FDA from using funds to prevent the importation of drugs approved by the FDA. The bill, as amended, also would block funds from being used to implement a federal buyout of tobacco farmers. The House passed the bill 389-31. [Roll Call 370, H 4766, 07/13/2004; Environmental Working Group, Compiled from USDA data, 2003-2004; Environmental Working Group, Compiled from USDA data, numbers reflect 2003-2004 average] Ryan Voted for Funding for Agriculture and Health Programs in 2006. On June 8, 2005, Ryan voted for the bill that would provide $100.3 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Department of Agriculture and related agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill would fund the food stamp program at $40.7 billion and child nutrition program at $12.4 billion. It would provide $25.7 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation, $5.3 billion for the Women, Infants and Children program and $1.5 billion for the FDA. According to Roll Call, the bill prohibited outside experts with financial conflicts of interest from sitting on panels that advise the Food and Drug Administration on the safety of drugs and medical devices. [Roll Call 238, H 2744, 06/08/2005; Roll Call 06/12/2005] Ryan voted against the 2002 Agriculture Appropriations bill. On November 13, 2001, Ryan voted against the Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would provide $75.9 billion, including $16 billion in discretionary funds, in fiscal 2002 for agriculture programs, rural development and nutrition programs. The agreement would include $23 billion for the food stamp program, $10.1 billion for child nutrition programs and $1 billion for the Agricultural Research Service. It also would provide $75 million for apple growers hurt by bad weather. [Roll Call 436, H 2330, 11/13/2001]

66

ARTS AND HUMANITIES


Ryan Voted to Defund National Public Radio (NPR). On March 17, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of defunding National Public Radio (NPR). According to the Washington Post, After a contentious debate and over procedural objections from Democrats, the House voted Thursday to prevent federal funds from going to National Public Radio, the latest move by the Republican majority to target the broadcaster. [] The measure would ban any federal money from going to NPR, including funding through competitive grants from federal agencies and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. NPR receives about $5 million annually in such funds. The bill would also prohibit NPRs roughly 600 member stations from using federal funds to purchase programming from NPR or to pay station dues. [Roll Call 192, H 1076, 03/17/2011; Washington Post, 03/18/11] Ryan Voted Against Increasing the Interior Budget and Arts Spending. On July 17, 2002, Ryan voted against a $19.8 billion dollar Interior appropriations bill that increased arts spending. According to the New York Times, After a brief rebellion by conservative Republicans, the House [] approved a $19.8 billion spending measure for public lands and cultural programs after increasing spending for a once-divisive arts programs. [] That came after lawmakers agreed [] to give $126 million to the National Endowment for the Arts, a $10 million increase, and $131 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities, an increase of $5 million. [] Consideration of the spending measure to finance the Interior Department and other agencies -- the third of 13 spending measures that will be considered in the House -- was slowed on Tuesday by resistance from conservative Republicans. They were seeking to cut up to $775 million from the measure, saying they did not want it to exceed the requests of President Bush. The group sought to make its point procedurally by offering amendments to cut spending, beginning with a reduction of $162 million for the Bureau of Land Management. [] The bill contains almost $520 million more than last year for the Interior Department and appropriates $2.4 billion for the National Park Service, $39 million more than sought by the president. It also includes $700 million in emergency money for fighting wildfires. [Roll Call 318, H 5093, 07/17/2002; New York Times, 07/18/02] Ryan Opposed Restoring $100 Million in Cuts to Public Broadcasting Like Sesame Street. In 2005, Ryan voted against an amendment to restore $100 million in proposed cuts to public television and radio, softening a measure that public broadcasters had warned could cripple small stations. The cuts were made to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. While some funding was restored, an additional $102.4 million that had been shorn from separate public broadcasting programs was not restored. That money underwrote the production of such PBS childrens programs as Sesame Street, Arthur and Postcards From Buster. The amendment passed 284-140. [Roll Call 305, H 3010, 06/23/2005; Washington Post, 6/24/05]

67

AUTO INDUSTRY
Auto Bailout
Ryan Criticized Obamas Claim That The Auto Bailout Saved Auto Workers Jobs. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, After President Obamas Town Hall meeting in Racine, WI, First District Congressman Paul Ryan offered the following reaction to the visit: []The President told Wisconsinites that if the Federal government hadnt taken over two auto companies, workers at Chrysler and General Motors would have lost their jobs. These comments are hardly a comfort to the thousands of former auto workers in Janesville, Kenosha, and Oak Creek. The disconnect between Wisconsin and Washington couldnt be wider. [Congressional Documents And Publications, 6/30/10] Ryan Said He Supported The Auto Bailout To Prevent Auto Companies From Receiving TARP Funds. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, John Stossel asked whether there was a disconnect between Ryans criticism on increased federal aid and his vote in favor of TARP and the auto bailout. Ryan said, . The auto bail-out, the reason I supported that was because the money that was already spent from this auto companies from the EPA, I said cut those environmental strings, give them that money instead of giving them TARP money. The whole purpose of voting for that auto bill was to prevent the auto companies from getting TARP dollars. What happened? It didnt get that money and President Bush, followed by President Obama gave them tarp and now TARP has become this revolving government slush fund, never was it was in, never intended to be in the first place. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10] Ryan Said The Government Should Not Have Bailed Out Auto Companies. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, host John Stossel asked: in your ideal world, should government have bailed out the auto company? Ryan replied No. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10] Ryan Challenged Claim That General Motors Paid Off Federal Bailout Loan. According to The Janesville Gazette, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-1st District, issued a statement last week, challenging the claim by General Motors and the Obama administration that GM has paid off its bailout loan from the federal government. The $6.7 billion payment leaves about $43 billion of the $50 billion bailout package unpaid, according to news reports. The government holds GM stock--a 61 percent share in GM--to account for the rest of the money. The fact is: The federal government still owns GM, Ryan said. The government remains deeply entrenched in the auto industry, and the American people deserve to have transparent information on the financial health of GM. [The Janesville Gazette, 5/3/10] Ryan Voted in Favor of $14 Billion Auto Bailout. On December 10, 2008, Ryan voted in favor of the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act. According to the Washington Post, The House last night approved an emergency plan to prevent the collapse of the nations domestic automobile industry, but the measure faces serious opposition in the Senate, where Republicans are revolting against a White House-brokered deal to speed $14 billion to cash-starved General Motors and Chrysler. [] The measure would speed up to $14 billion in emergency loans to the Detroit automakers, enough to keep GM and Chrysler in business through the end of March. [] In exchange for the cash, the automakers would be required to give the government warrants for stock worth 20 percent of the value of the loans. [] The companies also would be required to submit to the authority of a car czar, who would seek to facilitate an agreement for long-term viability in talks with the car companies and their employees, retirees, unions, creditors, suppliers, dealers and shareholders. []The measure contains a variety of taxpayer protections, including audits of the car companies by the Government Accountability Office and government veto power over transactions worth more than $100 million, a provision intended to block investment overseas. [Roll Call 690, H 7321, 12/10/2008; Washington Post, 12/11/08]

Alternative Fuels
Ryan Voted Against Expanding Use of Ethanol. In 2007, Ryan voted against comprehensive energy legislation that would expand the use of ethanol sevenfold to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 with 21 billion gallons coming from cellulosic feedstock such as wood chips and prairie grass. The bill would raise automobile fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 32 years and require increased use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity. Democrats characterized the legislation 68

as a new direction in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. The motion was agreed to 235-181. [Roll Call 1140, H 6, 12/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly; Associated Press, 12/06/07] Ryan Voted Against Energy Bill That Would Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels. In 2007, Ryan voted against comprehensive energy legislation that would raise automobile fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 32 years and require increased use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity. Democrats characterized the legislation as a new direction in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. The bill would boost corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards by 40 percent, to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first such action since 1975, when Congress first enacted the federal auto fuel economy requirements. The bill would expand the use of ethanol sevenfold to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 with 21 billion gallons coming from cellulosic feedstock such as wood chips and prairie grass. The bill would require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020 and direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency standards for appliances and building construction. It also would eliminate or reduce $13 billion in subsidies and tax breaks for the five major oil and gas companies to be used for tax incentives for development of renewable energy sources like ethanol from grasses and wood chips and biodiesel and for energy efficiency programs and conservation. The motion was agreed to 235-181. [Roll Call 1140, H 6, 12/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly; Associated Press, 12/06/07]

Cash for Clunkers


Ryan Voted Against the 2009 Cash for Clunkers Program. On June 09, 2009, Ryan voted against suspending the rules and passes the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act. The bill would authorize $4 billion for the Transportation Department to establish a one-year program to allow individuals to turn certain vehicles over to the government in exchange for vouchers of up to $4,500 for more fuel efficient ones. Trade-ins would be required to have a fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon or less and be manufactured after model year 1982, with a suggested retail price of less than $45,000 and in drivable condition. Vouchers would be issued for vehicles with a fuel economy of at least 22 miles per gallon for passenger cars, 18 miles per gallon for trucks with a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or less, and 15 miles per gallon for trucks with a gross weight of between 6,000-10,000 pounds. Individuals could receive a $3,500 voucher for a new passenger vehicle with a fuel economy at least 4 miles per gallon higher than their trade-in and $4,500 for one at least 10 miles per gallon higher. Individuals could receive a $3,500 voucher for a new truck or SUV with a value of at least 2 miles per gallon higher than their trade-in and $4,500 for one at least 5 miles per gallon more. According to The Hill, The House gave new momentum this week to the cash-for-clunkers bill, but concerns over its cost and differences in the Senate between auto-state senators and backers of environmental legislation could scuttle or weaken the bill. Car companies and the United Auto Workers union are pushing a version that passed the House on Tuesday as a way to spur auto sales that have plunged as the economy has fallen into a deep recession. [Roll Call 314, H 2751, 06/09/2009; Hill, 06/11/2009] Paul Ryan Voted Against Cash For Clunkers. Paul Ryan voted against HR 3435 which established a $2 billion vehicle trade-in program. It offered vouchers up to $4,500 towards purchase of a new vehicle for consumers who trade in older, less efficient vehicles. [Roll Call 682, H 3435, 07/31/2009]

Fuel Standards
Ryan Voted Against Raising Fuel Economy Standards. In 2007, Ryan voted against comprehensive energy legislation that would raise automobile fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 32 years and require increased use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity. The bill would boost corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards by 40 percent, to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first such action since 1975, when Congress first enacted the federal auto fuel economy requirements. Democrats characterized the legislation as a new direction in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. The motion was agreed to 235-181. [Roll Call 1140, H 6, 12/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly; Associated Press, 12/06/07] Ryan Voted Against New CAFE Standards. On December 18, 2007 Ryan voted against requiring new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards of 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, and requires 36 billion gallons of biofuels to be produced and used domestically by 2022. It also would direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency 69

standards. It would include a $2.1 billion tax package to cover the cost of the new CAFE standards. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The bill (HR 6), which the House cleared on Tuesday, 314-100, would mandate a 40 percent increase in industry wide fuel efficiency by 2020 and require billions more gallons of biofuels to be blended into gasoline over the next 15 years. [Roll Call 1177, H 6, 12/18/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/18/07] Ryan Voted Against CAFE Standards for Cars, including SUVs. Ryan voted against an amendment that would require a combined corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE) standard for passenger automobiles and light trucks, including sport utility vehicles, of 26 miles per gallon in 2005 and 2006 and of 27.5 miles per gallon in 2007 and beyond. It also would offer incentives for alternative fuel vehicles and require the secretary of Transportation to use his authority to ensure automobile and truck safety. [Roll Call 311, H 4, 08/01/2001]

Gas
Ryan Voted in Favor of $19.1 Billion Dollars in Interior Spending, Including Over $600 million in Fossil Fuel Subsidies. On October 17, 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the $19.1 billion dollar Interior Appropriations Bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The nominal opposition came largely from conservatives who found the spending too generous -- it is $1 billion more than President Bush requested -- or who opposed certain riders in the bill. [] The bill drew some criticism for its subsidies to energy producers. Environmental lobbying groups, for instance, complained about the $150 million appropriation for a clean coal initiative championed by Byrd. The government and industry will each provide half the funds for research into new coal technologies. Overall, funding in the bill for fossil energy research and development totals $616.5 million. [Roll Call 393, H 2217, 10/17/2001; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 10/19/01]

70

BANKING AND FINANCE


Bailouts
Ryan Voted to Prevent the Release of the Second Half of the $700 Billion Bailout. In 2009, Ryan voted for the prevention of the release of the second half of the $700 billion provided under the 2008 financial industry bailout law. The resolution was largely a symbolic vote, the Senate rejected its version of the joint resolution previously on January 15th, therefore allowing the Obama administration to tap the S350 billion. [Roll Call 27, S 3, 01/22/2009; CQ Weekly Report, 1/26/09] Ryan Voted For Controversial $700 Billion Bailout For Banking Industry. In October 2008, Ryan sided with Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in voting for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). The bill passed 263-171. [Roll Call 681, H 1424, 10/03/2008]

Banking
Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank. On May 9, 2012, Ryan voted against extending the ExportImport bank through September 30, 2014. According to the New York Times, The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to extend the life of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, siding with business groups over conservative activists who wanted Republicans to let the banks charter lapse at the end of May. Representative Eric Cantor, Republican of Virginia, the House majority leader, and Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland, the House minority whip, negotiated a compromise for a three-year reauthorization that would raise the banks lending limit to $140 billion over three years, a 40 percent increase from the current $100 billion limit that the bank has almost reached. The agreement also would mandate a series of government audits and report requirements that critics say is necessary to ensure the institution is not exposing taxpayers to great risk, and it requires the Treasury secretary to begin multilateral negotiations with finance ministers around the world aimed at ending government export subsidies internationally. [Roll Call 224, H 2072, 05/09/2012; New York Times, 5/10/12] Ryan Believed That A Major Congressional Accomplishment Was A Banking Reform Measure That Would Ease Consumers Access To Financial Service And Helped Smaller Community Banks. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, He considers one of the Congress most important accomplishments of the session to be a banking reform measure that will ease consumers' access to financial services and help smaller community banks. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/22/99]

Dodd Frank
Ryan Said Dodd-Frank Was A Terrible Law And He Would Support Repealing It. According to CQ Transcriptions, during an interview with David Asman of Fox Business Network, Ryan was asked Ryan if he supported repealing Dodd Frank Law, which Asman claimed used racial profiling. Ryan replied, Oh, yes. This was a terrible law. I really think what the finreg bill is going to do is make credit tighter. And what it will do is it will privilege the large established, interconnected financial firms at the expense of all the smaller and medium financial firms. What I call it is crony capitalism. You basically have big government setting up all these rules and regulations and taxes and dictates which large firms can absorb. They will be deemed systemically risky. Therefore, theyll get cheaper money because theyll be bailed out if things go down, at the expense of everybody elseWere erecting barriers to entry in the financial services market against the new competitors, against the small guy who wants to become a big guy one day. [CQ Transcriptions, 7/29/10]

Executive Pay
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Ryan Voted Against Certain Advertising To Disclose Compensation Severance Packages Established For Executive Officers. On November 3, 2011, Ryan voted against a Miller, D-N.C., amendment that would require advertising legalized under the bill to contain disclosures of any bonus compensation structure or golden parachute severance package established for executive officers, directors or other principals. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House rejected 190-234 an amendment by Brad Miller, D-N.C., that would require those issuers to disclose bonus compensation and severance agreements arrangements in its advertisements. The underlying legislation would allow the use of general advertisements to solicit investors for non-publicly traded securities without having to register with the SEC as long as issuers market to accredited investors. Under SEC rules, potential investors must have an existing relationship with the company in order to purchase non-publicly traded securities. Under current law, accredited investors include banks, insurance companies, registered investment companies, corporations and charitable organizations with more that $5 million in assets, and wealthy individuals. [Roll Call 826, H 2940, 11/03/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/3/11]

Committee Chairman
Badger Democracy: Statements Of Economic Interest From Ryan Showed That His Influence On The Budget Process, So Did His Stake Through His Wife In Oklahoma Mining Interests. According to Badger Democracy, Statements of Economic Interest (SEI) recently released by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), when compared to previous years SEI show a clear pattern the more influence he has on the Congressional Budget process, the more stake he (through his wife Janna (nee Little)) has gained in Oklahoma mining interests. This family interest is led by Ryan s father-inlaw, Dan Little; and is currently making millions leasing rights to energy giants engaging in extensive natural gas shale fracking. The financial conflicts at work here are direct. Ryan s budget gives $43 Billion in tax breaks to the companies and processes the Little family (and Ryan) profit from. The policy conflict is the expansion of fracking, which the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is promoting through powerful Legislators like Ryan. Ryan s 2011 SEI shows his most significant interests are in four companies, all owned by his father-in-law, Dan Little (according to Oklahoma Secretary of State corporate registration). Little is a prominent oil industry attorney (who refused comment to Badger Democracy). The total value of these interests are $350K $800K, with annual profit of $40K $130K. [Badger Democracy, 7/6/12]

COMMITTEE HEARINGS
Ryan Held A Congressional Hearing On Government-Induced Barriers To Upward Mobility. According to House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, I welcome all to the House Budget Committee for this hearing on one of the key threats posed to our free enterprise system: the growing cronyism in Washington and government-imposed barriers to upward mobility. While were dealing with tough economic times, Americans still live in the most prosperous and dynamic country in the world. Our free enterprise system has lifted millions from the grips of poverty, a record of success that is increasingly challenged by the corrosive influence of Washingtons misguided policies. Over the years, both political parties have pursued deficit- driven spending aimed at favored companies, tax carve-outs for the well-connected and regulatory barriers that stack the deck against the average citizen. This creates a rigged game, where success is too often determined not by the quality of service or products that a business provides but by the relationships with those in power in Washington. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 6/1/12] Ryan Held A Congressional Hearing In Which He Discussed How The Budget Committee Passed A Line Item Veto Bill And Other Budget Reform Acts. According to a House Budget Committee hearing transcript, Ryan said, A budget process reform alone is not a substitute for the political courage and leadership required to address our core spending and entitlement challenges. I dont think theres any doubt about the failure of the federal budget process, but there are big differences in opinion on how to tackle these challenges, on how to address these failures. Despite these differences, the ranking member and I were able to work out, on a bipartisan basis, to report out of this committee and pass on the floor, the Expedited Legislative Line Item Veto and Rescissions Act. This committee has also advanced baseline budget reform, the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act, the Pro-growth Budgeting Act and today, we continue the committees efforts to bring greater transparency to the budget process. Mandatory spending, or what we consider autopilot spending, accounts for 60 percent of the federal budget. Through the Budget Control Act, passed last summer, Congress has established statutory limits on discretionary spending with enforceable spending caps. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 5/31/12] 72

Ryan Held A Budget Committee Hearing On The Defense FY 2013 Budget. According to a congressional hearing, Ryan said, The failure by the administration to deal honestly with the drivers of debt, specifically when it comes to government spending on health care, is a failure that imperils our economic security and now our national security. With his calls for crushing levels of debt and the crowding out of defense by entitlement spending, the presidents budget, in my personal opinion, charts a path to decline. In addition to examining the steep defense reductions in the presidents budget, I hope todays hearing informs us of the consequences to our security that would result from the disproportionate cuts to defense spending under the Budget Control Act sequester. Congress has a solemn obligation to ensure our troops fighting overseas have the resources that they need to successfully complete their missions and to adhere to our commitment to their service upon their return. Every citizen owes a debt of gratitude to the military families that continue to make untold sacrifices for our security and for the freedoms that we cherish. We are in deep gratitude. We want to make sure that we honor them with the right kind of priorities, with the right kind of defense policy. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 2/29/12] Ryan Held A House Budget Hearing On The FY 2013 Budget Revenue And Economic Policy Proposals, Asked Geithner Why Obama Ducked Away From The Drivers Of Out Debt. According to a House Budget Committee hearing, Ryan said to, Today, were facing the most predictable crisis in our nations history and yet for a fourth year in a row, you brought us this. This is no plan. This is no plan to restrain spending, to grow the economy and most of all, its no plan to save us from a debt fueled crisis, which would be an economic disaster for all of us. If plan beats no plan, then why is the president once again decided to duck from the drivers of our debt? Why, once again, given us more broken promises instead of leadership, excuses instead of accountability? Instead of cooperation where agreement is possible and wed like to think there is some of that, why have we seen the president turn his back on the bipartisan solutions that have been percolating out there? Why has he decided to base his reelection strategy and dividing Americans for political gain in our estimation? After House Republicans put forward a serious solution in our budget last year, the president had an opportunity to advance plans for meeting our challenges, to advance alternatives, so they didnt compromise. And if in fact there is a growing bipartisan consensus for the reforms that are needed. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 2/16/12] Ryan Held A House Budget Hearing On Obamas FY 2013 Budget, Blasted The Budget Because It Did Not Reign In On Government Growth. According to a House Budget Committee hearing, Ryan said to Jeffrey Zients, Acting OMB Director, The Associated Press -- accurately, in my view -- quotes this budget as, quote, takes a pass on reining in government growth. Instead, it leaves the drivers of the debt -- namely, the unsustainable growth in entitlement programs -largely unchecked. It takes a pass on real reform even though the looming bankruptcy of these programs threatens to end the guarantee of security that they provide for our nations seniors. And it breaks the presidents promise to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. As ABC News reported, This budget does not come close. Weve heard a lot of excuses from this administration for why the president broke his promise, but what we have not heard is any semblance of accountability. To the best of my knowledge, no one in the White House has taken responsibility for this failure. Instead, we get a blame game that does not stand up to scrutiny. Jack Lew, your former boss, claimed that the reason the Senate Democrats havent passed a budget in over a thousand days is because Republicans had threatened a filibuster. Look, this is simply false. We all know, as I am sure Mr. Lew knows, that budget resolutions cannot be filibustered. They can be passed with a simple majority vote. Its that the Senate Democrats chose not to do so. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 2/15/12] Ryan Held A House Budget Hearing That Discussed The State Of The US Economy With Ben Bernanke, Was Disillusioned With The Federal Reserves Role In Promoting Employment. According to a House Budget Committee hearing, Ryan said, The prospect of all three is adding to uncertainty and holding our economy back in many of our judgments. And I fear that normalizing monetary policy when the time comes will be incredibly difficult -- not just technically difficult, but politically difficult as well. For instance, I was greatly concerned to hear that the Fed recently announced that it would be willing to accept higher-than- desired inflation in order to focus on the other side of its dual mandate, which is promoting employment. This is not because unemployment is a lesser concern, far from it. It is because the Feds tools for promoting employment are limited, imprecise and could have highly undesirable, unintended consequences. By contrast, the Fed is uniquely positioned to protect the currency, the value of our money. And I would find it very disturbing if that role were to be diminished; the inflation dynamic that can be quick to materialize and painful to eradicate once it takes hold. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 2/2/12] Ryan Held A Hearing Regarding CBOs Outlook On The Budget And Economy, Their Report Showed That 2012 Marked the Fourth Straight Years Of Trillion-Dollar Deficits. According to a House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, There is no question about it, this -- our fiscal and economic outlook is grim. According to CBOs Outlook, 2012 will mark the fourth straight year of trillion-dollar deficits. Trillions more dollars will be added to the debt in the years ahead, 73

putting a chilling effect on job creation today, and committing the next generation to a diminished future. CBO projects economic growth to remain sluggish and the unemployment rate to hover near 9 percent through 2014. This report confirms what too many Americans already painfully are aware of: President Obamas economic policies simply are not working. The president and his partys leaders successfully enacted much of their agenda, but they have failed to advance policies that get our economy growing. They have failed to advance solutions that get our fiscal house in order. In the Senate, they have failed to pass a budget in over 1,000 days. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 2/1/12] After The Debt Ceiling Debate Of 2011, Ryan Held A Budget Committee Hearing On The Broken Budget Process. According to a House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, After a request from the president to increase the debt limit, Congress was seemingly faced with basically two impossible choices -- either hand the president a blank check to continue these unsustainable spending policies or let America default. Fortunately, Congress was able to chart a middle course that coupled immediate spending restraints with a process to cut at least a dollars worth of spending for every dollar increase in the debt limit. But it should not have gotten to this point, and that is the point. Congress created a budget process that was intended to prevent this kind of ad hoc policy making. Clearly, the process isnt working. The budget proposed by the president in February offered no plan to deal with what he has since acknowledged are the nations growing fiscal challenges. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 9/21/11] Ryan Held A Budget Committee Hearing On Pro Growth Tax Reform, Advocated For Closing Tax Loopholes And Simplifying The Tax Code. According to a House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, We should extend these reforms to the entire U.S. tax code. A world-class tax system should be fair, simple, and competitive. And right now, the U.S. tax code fails miserably on all three counts. The World Economic Forum recently downgraded the United States from fourth to fifth in its annual competitiveness rankings. The reason? Under the section titled, Most problematic factors for doing business, our unfair, complex, and uncompetitive tax code was right at the very top. We need to close loopholes that distort economic activity and those loopholes also reward the politically well-connected at the expense of the hard-working small businessmen and women of America. We need to simplify the tax code by reducing the number of brackets, so that people spend less time and money figuring out how to comply with the tax code. And we need to lower rates, to encourage economic activity, to allow our businesses to compete on a level playing field against those in countries where the corporate rates are much lower. Unfortunately, that list includes every developed country except for Japan. [Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee Hearing, 9/14/11] Ryan Held A Budget Committee Hearing About Medicare And Social Securitys Fiscal Sustainability, Said That In Order For Programs To Be Saved They Must Be Reformed. According to a House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, We need a clean break from the politics of the past, and that begins with a shared consensus on the facts. So todays hearing is an effort to unpack the fiscal facts on Medicare and Social Security, two critical programs that represent a solemn commitment to Americas seniors. This is a commitment that cannot be kept unless reforms are made. To help us get our arms around the magnitude of these two programs financial health, I can think of no better witnesses than the ones we have today. It is just this simple: These are the most important programs in the federal government, right here, these two. Millions of people rely on them. Theyre going bankrupt. They have to be reformed in order to be saved. And it is crystal clear to anybody who looks at these numbers that the sooner we act to shore these programs up, the better off everybody is going to be, the less disruption that occurs in the lives of the people who rely on them the most. [House Budget Committee Hearing, 7/11/11] Ryan Held A House Budget Hearing On Budgeting For Americas National Security, Said That Defense Spending Was Not Driving Out Unsustainable Fiscal Path, Blamed It On Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid. According to a House Budget Committee Hearing, Ryan said, Our fiscal crisis is, above all, a spending crisis driven by the growth of our major entitlement programs -- Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid -- critical programs that help provide health and retirement security for millions of Americans. In 1970, these programs consumed about 20 percent of the federal budget. These autopilot spending programs now consume about 40 percent of the federal budget. Over the same period, defense spending has shrunk as a share of the federal budget from about 39 percent to 19 percent, even as we conduct an ambitious global war on terrorism. Clearly, defense spending is not driving our unsustainable fiscal path. There is, of course, considerable waste and inefficiencies at the Pentagon, which Secretary Gates did a great job of identifying. The Housepassed budget builds upon this effort, devoting 100 billion (dollars) of savings to higher-priority defense programs and 78 billions (dollars) of savings to defense -- to deficit reduction. [House Budget Committee Hearing, 7/7/11] Ryan Held A Budget Committee Hearing About The CBOs Report On The Long Term Budget Outlook, Stated That The National Debt Would Eclipse The Entire Size Of The U.S. Economy In 2011. According to a House Budget 74

Hearing, Ryan said, Yesterday the CBO released its long-term budget outlook. This report throws harsh light on the challenges we face and it sounds an alarm that too many in Washington have been ignoring for far too long. The federal government will race across a dangerous tipping point this year. According to CBO, total U.S. debt will reach 100 percent of GDP. Our debt will have eclipsed the size of our entire economy. Economists who have studied sovereign debt tell us that letting total debt rise above 90 percent of GDP creates a drag on economic growth and intensifies the risk of a debt-fueled economic crisis. The CBO is candid about the increasing likelihood of this crisis, and the report states, quote, Such a crisis would confront policy makers with extremely difficult choices and probably have a very significant negative impact on the country, unquote. [House Budget Committee Hearing, 6/23/11]

Consumer Protection
Ryan Voted to Limit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus Power. On July 21, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would replace the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus director with a five-member commission. It also would lower the vote threshold required for the Financial Stability Oversight Council to override Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules from two-thirds to a simple majority and allow the council to override regulations that threaten the stability of individual institutions. According to the Washington Post, the bill would make it easier to block the new Consumer Finance Protection Bureaus regulation of banking and other sectors of the financial-services industry. Under the bill, the Financial Stability Oversight Council in the Treasury Department could stay or veto the bureaus proposed regulations by simple majority vote rather than the two-thirds majority now required. [Roll Call 621, H 1315, 07/21/2011; Washington Post, 7/28/11] Paul Ryan Voted Against The Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Paul Ryan voted against HR 4173, which established a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. This agency would implement and enforce federal consumer financial laws to ensure consumers have access to fair, transparent, and competitive markets for consumer financial products and services. [Roll Call 413, H 4173, 06/30/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against The Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Paul Ryan voted against HR 4173, which established a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. This agency would implement and enforce federal consumer financial laws to ensure consumers have access to fair, transparent, and competitive markets for consumer financial products and services. [Roll Call 968, H 4173, 12/11/2009] Ryan Supported Bankruptcy Bill Weakening Consumers Rights. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation intended to make it harder for consumers to wipe out debt through bankruptcy. Its passage by Congress, marking the most significant changes to bankruptcy law since 1978, was a victory for executives in the credit card, retail and auto financing industries who had pushed it for nearly a decade. The central feature was to take away much of the discretion bankruptcy judges had in deciding who was eligible to wipe out substantial portions of debt by filing under Chapter 7 and who should be forced into filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which required some repayment of obligations over several years. While supporters argued the bill would force those able to pay debts to pay them, opponents noted that 45 percent of those filing for bankruptcy had skipped a needed doctors visit, 25 percent had utilities shut off, and nearly 20 percent went without food. While bankruptcy filings increased 17 percent in the previous eight years, credit card profits increased more than 160 percent, from $11 billion to more than $30 billion. There were 5 billion credit card solicitations a year, many targeted at teenagers with no jobs, no income, and no visible means of support to pay credit card bills. The bill passed 302-126 [Roll Call 108, S 256, 04/14/2005; Washington Post, 4/15/05; Statement by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 109th Congressional Record, 4/14/05] Ryan Supported Class Action Reform that Protects Big Business. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of a legal reform bill that would move more class action lawsuits from state to federal courts where judges have been more conservative with decisions and damages. Specifically, the bill gave federal courts jurisdiction over class action cases involving at least 100 plaintiffs if at least $5 million was at stake and two-thirds of the plaintiffs lived in different states. The nations largest bank, Citicorp, admitted, The practical effect [of the bill] will be that many cases will never be heard. Federal judges, facing overburdened dockets and ambiguities about applying state laws in federal court, often refuse to grant standing to class-action plaintiffs. The bill passed 279-149. [Roll Call 38, S 5, 02/17/2005; House Committee on Judiciary Minority Press Release, 2/17/05; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2/18/05] Ryan Supported Bankruptcy Reform in 2004. In 2004, Ryan also voted in favor of the bankruptcy reform measure. The bill was aimed at making it more difficult for Americans to erase debts owed to credit card companies and other 75

businesses. The bill set a higher standard for debtors, requiring those who have median incomes to repay their debts according to a court-approved plan. The bill passed 265-99. [Roll Call 10, S 1920, 01/28/2004; Las Vegas Review Journal, 2/1/04] Ryan Voted To Approve Conference Report Bill Which Sought Prevention Of Abuse In Collection Of Personal Financial Information. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 379 for and 49 against, the House on Nov. 21 approved the conference report on renewal of a 1996 law that sets uniform national rules for handling personal financial information. The bill seeks to prevent abuses in the way businesses collect and distribute credit histories, financial records and medical information on individuals. But it drew criticism over its pre-emption of state laws that are more protective of privacy rights. A yes vote was to approve the conference report. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03] Ryan Co-Sponsored A Bill That Would Force Financial Institutions To Quickly Notify Customers When Their Personal Information Have Been Stolen. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, At the same time, two members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation -- Rep. Jerry Kleczka (D-Wis.) of Milwaukee and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) of Janesville have teamed up to sponsor legislation that would force financial institutions to quickly notify customers when their personal information has been stolen. Their effort stems from a case this year in which about 250 customers of Bank One were not notified for eight months after their personal information had been stolen by an employee of the banks Pewaukee branch. All this bill does is say, Look, if your security system has been penetrated, either through a hacker hacking from the outside into your bank records or from an employee stealing personal identity and financial information and selling it, youve got to tell the customers who are involved what has happened, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/21/02] Ryan Voted to Repeal Depression-Era Prohibitions on the Banking Industry Coupled with Consumer Privacy Measures. Ryan voted for a financial services overhaul bill that would give people the right to block banks and other financial companies from sharing their personal data with outside firms. The measure was attached to what the Associated Press called sweeping legislation that would allow banks, securities firms and insurance companies to merge. The overall bill, which would overturn Depression-era prohibitions on the banking industry, was passed late Thursday with a veto-proof vote, 343-86. Consumer Activists, including Ralph Nader criticized the financial overhaul heavily. Nader called the overhaul a sellout to the banking and financial services industry, which wants to use the private information of consumers to carry out wide-ranging cross-marketing schemes. [Roll Call 276, H 10, 07/01/1999; Associated Press, 7/2/99; Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 7/2/99]

Credit Cards
Ryan Voted Against Bill to Reform Credit Card Billing Practices. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would prohibit credit card companies from retroactively increasing interest rates and finance charges. The bill sought to outlaw several credit card practices deemed unfair and deceptive by federal regulators. We see this as truly a historic vote, Consumer Federation of America Legislative Director Travis Plunkett said. The credit card industry has been able to stop proposals to rein them in for over a decade. The bill passed 312-112. [Roll Call 623, H 5244, 09/23/2008; CQ Today, 9/23/08]

Monetary Policy And The Federal Reserve


Ryan Said He Was Concerned The Federal Reserves Quantitative Easing Program Would Create A Massive Balance-Sheet Expansion. According to a transcript of a House Budget Committee hearing that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, The Federal Reserve is undertaking another round of quantitative easing, purchasing Treasury bonds in an attempt to lower borrowing costs and stimulate the economy. My concern is that the cost of the Feds current monetary policy, the money creation and massive balance- sheet expansion, will come to outweigh the perceived short-term benefits. I hope thats not the case. [Federal News Service, 2/9/11] Ryan Warned That The Inflation Dynamic Can Be Quick To Materialize. According to a transcript of a House Budget Committee hearing that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, We are already witnessing a sharp rise in a variety of key global commodity and basic material prices, and we know that some producers and manufacturers here in the United States are starting to feel the cost pressure as a result. According to the core price indexes that the Fed closely watches, 76

these cost pressures have not been yet passed along to consumers, but the inflation dynamic can be quick to materialize and painful to eradicate once it takes hold. [Federal News Service, 2/9/11] Ryan Said The Federal Reserve Was Printing Money Out Of Thin Air And Was Worried It Wouldnt Preempt Inflation. According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, First of all, I`d like to get more insight into where theyre - - they think they`re going. Were halfway through QE2. They had a unanimous FOMC meeting. I thought there would be some dissension. There is no dissension. So it looks like they`re going to keep, you know, printing money out of thin air, money creation. I think the yield curve yesterday was fairly interesting. Its starting to steepen. Some people would say under normal circumstances, under a routine economy in a cyclical problem, its a good thing. I don`t think our problems are routine. Theyre extraordinary. And theyre structural And so Im worried theyre not going to preempt inflation. Im worried that theyre gonna theyre gonna theyre gonna see it too late, and then we`re going to have a problem. [Analyst Wire, 2/8/11] Ryan Said The Federal Reserves Monetary Policy Was Likely To Be Excessive And Too Loose. According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, Look, right now, the deficits we`re running here are basically deferred tax increases. Its bad for jobs. Its bad for growth. And I think monetary policy is trying to bail out really bad fiscal policy. Let`s get our fiscal policy fixed so we don`t have to lean on this excessive monetary policy, which I think at the end of the day will be excessive and too loose. [Analyst Wire, 2/8/11] Ryan: The Federal Focus Should Be Solely Focused On Price Stability, Not All This Other Stuff. According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked about ending the Federal Reserves dual mandate on inflation and employment. Ryan said, I think we need to have sound money, very transparent and accountable Federal Reserve system, solely focused on price stability, not all this other stuff. That`s what other government agencies and fiscal policy authorities in the legislative branch are in charge of. They`ve just got to make sure that our money maintains its reliable store of value and that, in my opinion, is being compromised. [Analyst Wire, 2/8/11] Ryan Suggested That The Federal Reserve Increase Interest Rates: Even If We Go To 1%, We Would Still Be Very Loose In Our Monetary Policy. According to According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, It sounds like you youd be happy if [Ben Bernanke] said, You guys need to cut spending, and I`ll be over here busy raising rates. Is that right? Ryan responded, Yes, I mean we`re near zero. And Im more of a Hoenig, the last Fed guy who went off from Kansas City, who went off. Im not talking about high interest rates. Im talking about just not zero. Even if we go to 1 percent, we would still be very loose on our monetary policy. [Analyst Wire, 2/8/11] Ryan Said The Federal Reserve Had No Business Cheapening The Nations Currency. According to the National Journal, Rep. Paul Ryan(R-WI) says that the Fed has no business cheapening the nations currency even if a weaker dollar might provide a short-term elixir for struggling industries in his district. Ryan: Inflation is a killer of wealth. It wipes out the middle class. It eviscerates the standard of living for people who have retired or are living on fixed incomes. Name me a nation in history that has prospered by devaluing its currency I wont dispute that a cheaper dollar can help boost exports in the short term. But I dont think its a good tradeoff to do so at the expense of inflation. [National Journal, 11/22/10] Ryan Accused The Federal Reserve Of Debasing The Currency And Said The U.S. Needed Sound And Honest Money To Spur Economic Growth. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview with Joe Kernen, Ryan said The foundations for growth are not there. And we need low tax rates that are predictable. We need sound and honest money. Were not getting that right now. We need regulations that are predictable, fair, transparent, reasonable. And we need to cut spending. We need to reform spending and control it. And were not doing any of those things. Those are the basic foundations we need for economic growth in this country. And were tearing apart at each and everyone of those foundations. We have crony capitalism when it comes to regulations. We have spending that is out of control. Weve got the Fed debasing the currency. And weve got very much tax on -- look, even if we get these tax breaks now, we have a whole another slug of tax increases coming in 2013. So I would simply argue that the basic macroeconomic foundations are going the wrong direction. And that puts us on this path of managed decline where we manage our decline as a superpower, as a growing economy. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] Ryan Said He Met With Chairman Greenspan To Discuss His Budget Proposal. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview with Joe Kernen, Ryan said I was pretty impressed with Chairman Greenspan. He called me like two years ago after I first put this roadmap out there, I wanted to talk about, I went over to his office for breakfast. He had the bill which is 77

like this thick, all documented (ph), page marked, little notations in it. We went through the actually legislative text. And he was asking me, why did you write it this way? Why did you -- he was really into this. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] Ryan Argued That Core Inflation Index Used By The Federal Reserve Under-Measured Inflation. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview, Ryan said you look at the dollar, look at the yield curve, look at commodities; those are what I would call the post-cyclical indicators of inflation. But the Fed, they dont look at that as much. The Fed looks at core inflation. And core inflation, I would argue, has historically undermeasured inflation. That`s what they looked at in the 03 to 06 period when we had excessively loose monetary policy which, I would argue, helped fuel the inflation that the asset bubble. Were doing the same thing again. People like me are very concerned that we`re coming untethered with our sound money roots. So I would probably disagree with Alice [Rivlin] on the quantitative easing thing. The upside is very low, but the downside is severe. And this is why people like me are very critical. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] Ryan Accused The Obama Administration Of Pressuring The Federal Reserve To Debase The U.S. Dollar. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview, Ryan said The most insidious way a government can cheat its people is by debasing its currency. Were the worlds reserved currency. It`s an exorbitant privilege which I think the goal (ph) said were risking that. And so let`s stop having the monetary authority bail out the fiscal authorities. If you worry about the independence of the Federal Reserve being compromised, this does that because what I would argue, you have our fiscal authorities, the administration pressuring the Fed to basically fill the void. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] Ryan Called Fiscal Policy Terrible And The Wrong Direction. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview Ryan said Fiscal policy is terrible. It`s going in the wrong direction. Theyve shot all their bullets. It didnt work. All this demand side stuff didnt work. So theyre now trying to get the monetary authorities to overcompensate. And it is putting our monetary policy on a collision course. Fiscal policy, the wrong way to go. We need to get back to our roots of sound and honest money. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] Ryan Said He Would Get Rid Of The Federal Reserves Dual Mandate, In Favor Of A Single Mandate. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview, Ryan said to stabilize commodity prices and fix U.S. monetary policy he would get rid of the dual mandate, The dual mandate is a problem and it compromises the independence of the Fed. And were to have this single mandate. ECB is a single mandate -- a single mandate which is price stability. The necessary precondition for economic growth is sound and stable money. Let`s protect the value of the dollar and then have the fiscal policy to do the right thing and get growth. And let`s get the basics -- let`s get low and stable and predictable tax rates. Let`s get regulators stop this crony capitalism. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10]

Regulation
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Measure To Exempt Derivatives Transactions By Small Banks And Credit Unions. According to Wisconsin State Journal, Financial deregulation: Members on Wednesday voted, 312-111, to exempt derivatives transactions by credit unions, small banks and rural lenders from transparency and collateral rules set by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law. A yes vote was to waive the regulations on grounds that they raise the cost of credit for small businesses and that small banks do not create systemic risk when their deals go bad. (HR 3336) Voting yes: Paul Ryan, R-1; Ron Kind, D-3; Gwen Moore, D-4; James Sensenbrenner, R-5; Tom Petri, R-6; Sean Duffy, R-7; Reid Ribble, R-8 [Wisconsin State Journal, 4/28/12] Ryan Voted To Allow Crowdfunding To Finance New Businesses Up To $1 Million Without Registering With The SEC. On November 3, 2011, Ryan voted to allow Crowdfunding to finance new businesses up to $1 million without registering with the SEC. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The House on Thursday passed two bills to make it easier for small companies to raise capital to grow their businesses. Supporters say the bills would give smaller companies access to a realm of capital that has been out of their reach. The House voted 407-17 to pass a bill (HR 2930) that would permit crowdfunding to finance new businesses by allowing companies to accept and pool securities issuances up to $1 million without registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It would allow pools of up to $2 million if the issuer provides potential investors with audited financial statements. The bill would limit individual contributions to the lesser of $10,000 or 10 percent of their annual income. As amended by the House, it would call on the SEC to adjust the individual investment cap and the amounts of securities issuances exempted from registration for inflation In lieu of SEC registration, it would require SEC notification of offerings, including contact information for the issuer and its target offering amount. The 78

House adopted by voice vote an amendment by McHenry that would require the issuer to state a deadline to reach the target offering amount. It also would require issuers to notify the SEC once the offering is completed of the aggregate amount and number of purchasers. The bill also would require the SEC to make rules to disqualify individuals convicted of violating federal or state securities laws from issuing unregistered securities under the exemption. McHenrys amendment also would revise the provision to disqualify issuers and intermediaries from the exemption if their predecessors, affiliates, officers, or directors have a history of committing securities fraud. The House also adopted, by voice vote, an amendment by Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter to preserve a states right to enforce securities laws on fraud, deceit or unlawful conduct. The amendment would clarify that the bills pre-emption provisions apply only to state registration, documentation and offering requirements. [Roll Call 825, H 2930, 11/03/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/3/2011] Ryan Voted Against Requiring Intermediaries in Crowdfunding Security Transactions to Disclose Compensation Structure. On November 3, 2011, Ryan voted against a Velazquez, D-N.Y amendment that would require intermediaries in crowdfunding security transactions to disclose the compensation structure in place for their participation in the offering. The underlying legislation would provide exemptions from Securities and Exchange Commission registration requirements for certain crowdfunded securities, or those financed with small amounts of money from numerous investors. The bill would exempt annual sales of up to $1 million, or $2 million if the company provided audited financial statements, from registration requirements. Individual investors would be limited to total annual purchases of $10,000 or 10 percent of their income, whichever is less. As amended, the thresholds would be indexed to inflation. The bill would require intermediaries or issuers in such transactions to disclose certain warnings to investors about the risks involved. As amended, the bill would pre-empt statelevel registration requirements but would clarify that such pre-emption does not apply to fraud or other malfeasance. [Roll Call 823, H 2930, 11/03/2011] Ryan Voted Against Regulating Wall Street After Financial Crisis. On June 30, 2010, Ryan voted against the conference report of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. In an attempt to avoid a future financial crisis, the bill would establish a procedure for dissolving financial institutions that pose systematic risk to the economy, create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, establish a national standard for mortgages, and authorize $4 billion of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds for housing relief. It also creates a clearinghouse for the previously unregulated financial derivatives market, requires registration of all credit rating firms, and creates a registry of private capital investment advisers. [Roll Call 413, H 4173, 06/30/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Regulating Wall Street After Financial Crisis. Paul Ryan voted against HR 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. In an attempt to avoid a future financial crisis, the bill established a procedure for dissolving financial institutions that pose systematic risk to the economy, created a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, established a national standard for mortgages, and authorized $4 billion of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds for housing relief. It also created a clearinghouse for the previously unregulated financial derivatives market, required registration of all credit rating firms, and created a registry of private capital investment advisers. Finally, the bill allowed the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to overrule state consumer financial laws if they impair nation bank business. [Roll Call 968, H 4173, 12/11/2009] Ryan Voted To Ease Financial Regulations. On March 18, 2004 Ryan voted for the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004. The bill eases dozens of banking regulations, including expanding the ability of banks and thrifts to open new branches or merge with other institutions. It would provide banks with greater flexibility to manage their operations, such as providing greater leeway in the calculation of dividend payments. The bill, as amended, would ban any company with less than 85 percent of its business in financial services from using an industrial loan company to branch across state lines. It also would allow credit unions to expand their investment opportunities and their service offerings, such as wire transfers, while streamlining merger procedures. The bill passed 392-25. [Roll Call 69, H 1375, 03/18/2004; CQ Vote Summary, 3/18/04] Ryan Voted to Delay Commodity Futures Trading Commissions Regulation of Derivatives by One Year. In June 2011, Ryan voted to prohibit the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from using funds to promulgate block-trade and real-time reporting rules under the 2010 financial regulatory overhaul until one year after the promulgation of final swap transaction data-reporting rules. According to the Virginian-Pilot, Voting 231-189, the House on Thursday amended HR2112 (above) to delay for at least one year the Commodity Futures Trading Commissions regulation of derivatives trades on Wall Street. Under the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law, the CFTC is drafting what would be the first regulation of the $600 trillion derivatives industry, whose collapse in 2008 helped cause that years Wall Street bailout and the 4-year-old U.S. financial crisis. This amendment dealt mainly with rules for block trades and the public reporting of data on derivatives swaps. [Roll Call 446, H 2112, 06/16/2011] 79

Ryan Voted in Favor of Giving the SEC Oversight of Credit Rating Agencies and Promoting Competition Among Them. On July 12, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of the Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act of 2006. According to the Washington Post, The House approved legislation yesterday intended to encourage more companies to enter the industry that rates the creditworthiness of corporations and their debt, an arena now dominated by two firms. The bill, [] would also require credit-rating companies to give investors more information about how credit risk is calculated. And it would give the Securities and Exchange Commission oversight of the industry for the first time. [] The SEC requires companies that file financial statements with the agency to have their credit-risk assessed by an independent third party. In theory, that should mean any credit-rating firm could perform the task. In practice, credit-rating providers that carry an SEC designation of being nationally recognized get most of the business. Only five of the 130 credit-rating agencies carry that designation, and among those, Moodys and S&P have an overwhelming market share, rating 99 percent of the debt registered with the SEC, Fitzpatrick said. Under the proposed legislation, the SEC designation would go to any firm that has been in business for three years, registers with the SEC, and publicly discloses its method of weighing credit risk and any potential conflicts of interest. The SEC would have to oversee registrants to ensure each company keeps proper records and makes full and adequate disclosures. [Roll Call 368, H 2990, 07/12/2006; Washington Post, 07/13/06]

Stock Market
Ryan Opposed Government Investment In The Stock Market, Saying He Didnt Think We Should Take Any Of The Surplus And Have The Government Own Private Shares Of Corporations. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Republicans in the Wisconsin delegation also object to the government investing in the stock market. I dont think we should take any of the surplus and have the government own private shares of corporations, said Ryan, of Janesville. [Wisconsin State Journal, 3/14/99]

TARP
Ryan Said He Didnt Regret His Vote In Favor Of TARP. According to a transcript of a speech Ryan gave at the American Enterprise Institute that was obtained via Fair Disclosure Wire, Ryan was asked, Do you regret your vote on TARP? He responded, No, I mean, obviously I hate TARP. It was a bad episode. I dont regret it because I do -- I do believe we were probably on the cusp of a deflationary spiral. There just -- its too unknown, and I believe, if we went into a deflationary spiral, we would have -- we would have seen much, much pain and suffering. We would have seen lots of businesses go down, lots of bank go down. We would have seen a lot more job losses. [Fair Disclosure Wire, 4/5/11] Ryan Said He Voted For TARP To Prevent The Economy From Collapsing. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview on Fox Business Network, John Stossel asked whether there was a disconnect between Ryans criticism on increased federal aid and his vote in favor of TARP and the auto bailout. Ryan responded: I voted for TARP because I believe we will going to fall into a deflationary spiral, meaning the economy was going to collapse and I really believe that, that would have swept in a whole new usher of more government on new deal part threeThe whole purpose of voting for that auto bill was to prevent the auto companies from getting TARP dollars. What happened? It didnt get that money and President Bush, followed by President Obama gave them tarp and now TARP has become this revolving government slush fund, never was it was in, never intended to be in the first place. [CQ Transcriptions, 6/3/10] Ryan Voted to Tax 90 Percent of Employee Bonuses at Companies that Received TARP Money. In 2009, Ryan voted to impose a 90 percent tax on employee bonuses paid in 2009 by companies that received more than $5 billion in federal aid. The bill did not affect bonus recipients with households adjusted gross income below $250,000, $125,000 for individuals or married people who file separately. Executives could avoid the tax by waiving any rights to the bonuses or returning the money by the end of the year. The bill was in response to the outrage over the reported bonuses to executives at AIG. [Roll Call 143, H 1586, 03/19/2009; CQ Today, 3/19/09] Ryan Voted Against the TARP Reform and Accountability Act. In 2009, Ryan voted against placing new strict requirements on banks and other financial institutions that accept government assistance under the Treasury Departments $700 billion financial rescue program. The House measure included requiring recipients of government money to prove they 80

are using the money to increase lending to consumers and small businesses, limit the ability to use the money to finance mergers, and bar them from paying bonuses to top executives until the money is repaid. The measure also would require the President to dedicate at least $40 billion to help distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure. Homeowners in part would be helped by the creation of a safe harbor that would protect loan servicers that modify troubled mortgages from lawsuits by investors in the mortgages. The reform also allowed for funds to be used to assist the domestic auto industry. [Roll Call 26, H 384, 01/21/2009; Washington Post, 1/22/09]

81

BUDGET
2006: Ryan Was Named Top Republican On House Budget Committee At The Age Of 36. According to the Associated Press, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin won his long-shot bid Thursday to become the top Republican on the House Budget Committee next year, putting him in a position to become chairman of the panel if Republicans retake the House down the road. But two other Wisconsin lawmakers lost their bids for top GOP committee assignments: Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner for the Science Committee, and Rep. Tom Petri for the Transportation Committee. The selections were made by the House GOP steering committee. Ryan, 36, beat out Florida Rep. Ander Crenshaw for the Budget post. In a telephone interview, Ryan said he was surprised he won the spot, given his low seniority. Ive been very clear we need to become more fiscally responsible, Ryan said. We need to make sure our party reclaims the banner of fiscal responsibility. [Associated Press, 12/8/06] 2005: Ryan Was Named To Second Stint On Budget Committee. According to the Associated Press, Rep. Paul Ryan was appointed to the House Budget Committee, adding a second assignment to his spot on the Ways and Means Committee. I want to fully engage in the fight to control spending and this assignment on the Budget Committee helps me do just that, said Ryan, R-Wis., one of the Houses fiscal hawks. Ryan served on the Budget Committee through 2000 but gave up the seat when he landed a spot on the more powerful Ways and Means Committee. Republican leadership announced Ryans appointment to the Budget Committee on Thursday. [Associated Press, 1/6/05] In His First Term In Congress Ryan Was On The Banking, Budget, And Government Reform And Oversight, Was Also The Vice Chair Of The National Economic Growth, Natural Resources And Regulator y Affairs Subcommittee. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan is starting out his term in Congress with a full plate. He has been appointed to three committees -- Banking, Budget and Government Reform and Oversight. He was asked to serve as vice chairman of the National Economic Growth, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs subcommittee, in addition to working on panels devoted to the Census, domestic and international monetary policy and several other issues. After a long day of committee and caucus meetings, Ryan returned late this week to his office consumed with President Clintons proposed budget for fiscal year 2000. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/6/99]

Balanced Budget Amendment


Ryan Voted Against a Balanced-Budget Amendment to The Constitution. On November 18, 2011, Ryan voted against balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House rejected a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution on Friday afternoon, disappointing fiscal conservatives in the first House vote on the issue in 16 years. The proposed constitutional amendment (H J Res 2) would require that total federal outlays in any given year not exceed the total amount of revenue taken in unless Congress votes with a three-fifths majority to allow it. It would allow Congress to waive the balanced-budget requirement with a simple majority vote in years when a declaration of war was in effect. The proposed change to the Constitution also would institute a three-fifths majority requirement for raising the debt limit. [Roll Call 858, S 2, 11/18/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/18/11]

Bowles-Simpson Fiscal Commission


Ryan Said He Was A Huge Fan Of Erskine Bowles And Alan Simpson: I Think Theyve Done This Country A Great Service. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, A couple of things, because I served on the fiscal commission. I thought it was a great exercise. I am a huge fan of Erskine and Alan. I think theyve done this country a great service. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryan Attacked Obama For Disavow[ing] The Fiscal Commission, Even Though Ryan Voted Against The Commissions Findings. According to a transcript of Surveillance Monday, Ryan said, You know, I think its a little strange that the President created the fiscal commission in the first place. It came up with a report. We put dozens of their conclusions in our budget. The President disavowed it. And the President gave us a budget that didnt do anything to fix the 82

problem. Then he said have the iPad cut Medicare a little bit more and create another fiscal commission - this one run by Vice President Biden. [Bloomberg, Surveillance Monday, 4/29/11] Ryan Said He Didnt Support The Fiscal Commission Because It Didnt Address Health Care; Said, Youre Whistling Past The Graveyard. Youre Ignoring The Problem. According to a transcript of the E21 Event obtained via States News Service, Ryan said, The reason I didnt support the Fiscal Commission, is it didnt address the drivers of our debt, health care. Youre whistling past the graveyard. Youre ignoring the problem. And so I dont want to suggest that were going to fix this problem by ignoring the drivers of our debt. And thats why I didnt vote for the Fiscal Commission. [States News Service, 4/14/11] Ryan Said He Opposed The Fiscal Commissions Recommendations Because It Accepted Obamacare As A Given. According to The American Conservative, Ryan still voted against the deficit reduction commissions final proposals. It accepted Obamacare as a given, says Ryan. Im not willing to do that. By contrast, Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican some have dubbed the upper chambers Dr. No, voted for the commissions recommendations. [The American Conservative, 3/1/11] Ryan Said It Was A Pleasure To Serve On The Fiscal Commission. According to a transcript of a Congressional Republicans press conference that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, I served on the presidents fiscal commission that he created this last year. It was a pleasure to do so. Oh, I have problems with some of the fiscal commissions reports and findings. I, along with others like Alice Rivlin, put out alternative plans out there. But the president, in suggesting the fiscal commission, gave people like me the idea that we are going to move the ball in the right direction, that that was a constructive step in the right direction. [Federal News Service, 2/14/11] Ryan Attacked Obama For Not Embracing The Fiscal Commission; Defended Voting Against The Commissions Recommendations By Saying I Proposed Alternatives. According to a transcript of Fox News Sunday, Ryan said, Look, the president not only didnt deal with these programs which are the drivers of our debt. He punted to a fiscal commission and then he just didnt even embrace the Fiscal Commission. Chris Wallace said to Ryan, You were on the Fiscal Commission and you voted against it yourself. Ryan responded, I did, and I proposed alternatives. The reason I voted against the Fiscal Commission, because it didnt deal with the driver, which is healthcare spending. [Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 2/13/11]

Budget Votes
Paul Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible FY 2009 Budget That Would Create Budget Surplus in 2012. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a budget resolution that would establish the congressional budget for FY 2009.The resolution would call for expenditures of $3.1 trillion and would allow up to $1 trillion in discretionary spending, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5.8 billion for hurricane recovery. The bill would call for the federal budget to reach a surplus in fiscal year 2012. The bill would also include instructions for the Ways and Means Committee to reduce mandatory spending by $750 million over six years. [Roll Call 141, S 312, 03/13/2008] Ryan Voted for Republican Substitute Budget for 2009. On March 13, 2008, Ryan voted for the Republican substitute 2009 budget resolution introduced by Rep, Ryan, R-Wis. The substitute amendment would set discretionary spending of $973 billion in fiscal 2009, and project budget surpluses in fiscal 2012 and 2013. It would assume an extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and provide for reconciliation legislation to reduce mandatory spending by $412.4 billion over five years. It would place a moratorium on earmarks and establish procedures for a legislative line-item veto. [Roll Call 140, S 312, 03/13/2008] Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible Budget. In 2007, Ryan against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the budget represented a major step toward restoring fiscal responsibility in the Congress The budget passed 214-209. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; Center for Responsive Politics, 5/29/07; House Budget Committee, Overview of FY2008 Budget Conference Agreement, 5/16/07] Ryan Voted Against PayGo Rules. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation to re-enact so-called Pay-As-You-Go (PayGo) 83

rules. The rules were originally established under the 1990 Budget Enforcement Act and extended in 1997, but had been allowed to lapse during the Bush administration. The rules required that both increases in mandatory spending and tax cuts be offset, either by cuts in mandatory spending or increases in taxes. The motion would have imposed budgetary rules that would force any increase in entitlement spending or cut in taxes to be funded by equal spending cuts or revenue raisers. The earmark and Pay-as-you-Go reforms passed 280-152 [Roll Call 9, S 6, 01/05/2007] Ryan Supported Giving President Bush Line Item Veto Authority. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of granting President Bush line item veto authority, meaning that the President could single out specific spending or tax measures in larger bills passed by Congress and ask lawmakers to delete them. Bush and some Republican members of Congress have argued that the authority was a necessary tool for imposing fiscal discipline and controlling pork barrel spending. The bill gave the president 45 days to propose rescissions of line items in bills he signed into law, prohibited duplicative requests and limited the number of rescission packages per bill to five, or 10 in the case of omnibus spending packages. The bill allowed the president to delay spending for no more than 90 days unless Congress endorsed a rescission. According to the bills sponsors, this bill was different from an earlier line-item veto struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998, because Congress had the final say on the presidents rescissions. The measure required Congress to give expedited consideration to these presidential proposals, without amending them. The bill passed 247-172. [Roll Call 317, H 4890, 06/22/2006; CQ Today, 6/20/06] Ryan Supported 2005 Budget Resolution Conference Report. Ryan voted for the conference report of the 2005 budget resolution. The resolution made changes to programs for a net savings of $39.7 billion over five years. The total includes savings of roughly $12.7 billion from student loans program, $1.5 billion from aid to states to enforce child support payments and $4.8 billion from Medicaid. The bill would provide $2.1 billion in hurricane assistance, authorize an additional $1 billion for low-income home energy assistance and provide $7.3 billion to avoid a scheduled Medicare reimbursement cut to physicians. It would phase in, starting Oct. 1, 2007, the repeal of a law that sends anti-dumping trade penalties to aggrieved companies instead of to the U.S. Treasury. [Roll Call 670, S 1932, 12/19/2005; Congressional Quarterly, 12/19/05] Ryan Voted for the 2005 Budget Resolution. In 2005, Ryan voted to make changes to programs for a net savings of $49.9 billion over five years. It would reduce subsidies to lenders of student loans, with a net savings of $14.3 billion. The bill would create $4.9 billion in net savings by reducing aid to states to enforce child support payments. It allowed oil and natural gas leasing and pre-leasing activities for Outer Continental Shelf areas, terminated subsidies for broadband telecommunications services in rural areas, and provided for energy production on a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and established a national mining and minerals policy. The legislation would cut dollars for rural health research and rural emergency medical services, for example, along with money to attract health care professionals to rural areas. The bill repealed a law - commonly referred to as the Byrd Amendment - that helps hundreds of US companies harmed by unfair trade practices. It also cut $11.4 billion from Medicaid over five years. The bulk of the cuts - nearly $8 billion - would fall directly on patients through higher co-pays, premiums and other provisions that cut benefits or delayed access to Medicaid coverage. The bill passed 217-215. [Roll Call 601, H 4241, 11/18/2005; Congressional Quarterly, Bill Analysis, S 1932, 11/18/05] Ryan Voted for Republican Fiscal 2006 Budget. On March 17, 2005, Ryan voted for the concurrent resolution that would allow up to $843 billion in discretionary spending for fiscal 2006, plus $50 billion for operations in Iraq. It would call for mandatory spending cuts of $68.6 billion over five years and tax cuts totaling $106 billion over five years, $45 billion of it protected by reconciliation rules. Defense spending would increase by 4 percent over fiscal 2005, to $439 billion, and nondefense spending would be cut by 1 percent, to $404 billion. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that GOP leaders steered companion fiscal 2006 congressional budget resolutions through the House and Senate on March 17. [] The House budget provides for $69 billion in cuts to mandatory programs over five years. [] Both budgets are aimed at endorsing Bushs goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009. Democrats stress, however, that the plans do not account for major big-ticket items, including the long-term costs of military action in Iraq and Afghanistan or the cost of modifying the alternative minimum tax, which will hit 30 million tax filers by 2010 if its not changed. Even some Republicans acknowledge that one of the centerpieces of their budgets -- a 1 percent cut in domestic appropriations other than homeland security that would essentially be frozen at that level for four more years -- may prove impossible to carry out, especially in the later years of the plan. [Roll Call 88, S 95, 03/17/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 3/19/05] Ryan Voted for $6.5 Billion in Additional Spending. On July 20, 2001, Ryan voted for the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2001. Specifically, the bill would approve $6.5 billion dollars in supplemental appropriations, mostly for defense. According to the New York Times, Under the bill, the Pentagon will receive $5.6 billion of the new spending this year, for fuel, health care and housing, among other expenses. About $44 million is to go to repair the U.S.S. Cole, the destroyer badly damaged by a terrorist attack in Yemen in October. And $36 million is to go to efforts to recover bodies from a Japanese 84

fishing boat sunk off Hawaii in February in a collision with an American submarine. Lawmakers from both parties warned that the bill did not provide enough money for defense, and that a major natural disaster this summer could force Congress to grant more money to the governments disaster relief fund. The bill also provided $116 million to enable the Treasury Department to mail the tax-rebate checks Congress authorized when it approved a tax-cut package this spring; $300 million to help low-income families pay heating and energy bills, double Mr. Bushs request; $100 million for programs to battle AIDS in Africa and other parts of the world; $60 million to law enforcement agencies for costs associated with next years Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City; and $5 million for federal inspectors assigned to prevent foot-and-mouth disease and mad cow disease from entering the United States. [Roll Call 256, H 2216, 07/20/2001; New York Times, 07/21/01] Ryan Voted for Increasing the Commerce, Justice and State Department Budgets; Fees on International Cruises. On July 18, 2001, Ryan voted in favor of an appropriations bill to increase the budget of the Commerce, Justice and State Departments. The bill also included a provision for imposing new fees on international cruises. According to the Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, The House measure [] would provide about $600 million more than President Bushs request of $37.9 billion. Under the bill, the Commerce Department would receive $5.19 billion, about 1 percent less than it received last year and $21 million more than Bushs request. The Justice Department would receive $21.5 billion -- $672 million more than in fiscal 2001 and $623 million more than Bush sought. The State Department would receive $7.7 billion -$837 million more than last year but $94 million less than Bush requested. [] The House bill would impose a $3-perpassenger fee on the cruise lines, but an industry lobbyist said the Senate bill may omit the provision, which would leave the issue for a conference committee to resolve. [Roll Call 248, H 2500, 07/18/2001; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 07/18/01] Ryan Supported FY 2001 Republican Budget Plan. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget plan that called for cutting taxes by $150 billion over five years and created a reserve fund of $25 billion that could also be used for tax cuts. The budget passed 220-208. [Roll Call 125, S 290, 04/13/2000] Paul Ryan Supported Republican Budget Plan. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget plan that called for cutting taxes by $150 billion over five years and created a reserve fund of $25 billion that could also be used for tax cuts. The budget passed 220-208. [Roll Call 125, S 290, 04/13/2000] Ryan Supported Republican Budget Plan. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget plan that called for cutting taxes by $150 billion over five years and created a reserve fund of $25 billion that could also be used for tax cuts. The budget passed 220-208 [Roll Call 125, S 290, 04/13/2000] Paul Ryan Voted For House Passage Of Budget Resolution That Even Republican Appropriations Chairman Said Provided Too Little Funding. In 2000, Ryan voted for House passage of a budget resolution that would provide $596.5 billion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2001 an amount that Appropriations Chairman Bill Young (R-FL) warned would be spread too thin over the 13 annual spending measures, Congressional Quarterly reported. Said Young: I dont think its realistic. The budget envisioned tax cuts costing $150 billion over five years, plus an additional $50 billion if the budget surplus exceeded estimates. [Roll Call 75, S 290, 03/24/2000; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor3/24/00] 1999: Paul Ryan Voted For A Measure That Provided $1.9 Billion Less Than President Clinton Requested For Foreign Operations. In 1999, Paul Ryan voted in favor of adopting the conference report on the bill that would provide $12.7 billion for foreign operations. The measure provided $1.9 billion less than President Clintons request. [Roll Call 480, H 2606, 10/05/1999]

Congressional Pay
Ryan Voted to Freeze Federal Pay. On February 1, 2012, Ryan voted for a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would extend an existing pay freeze on federal employees for an additional year, through Dec. 31, 2013, and apply the same pay freeze to members of Congress. According to Government Executive, The House last week passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., that would extend the current federal pay freeze through 2013. It also would apply to members of Congress, which many Democrats have decried as a political ploy to force lawmakers into the uncomfortable position of either voting for a prolonged pay freeze affecting civilian employees or voting against a freeze on their own salaries. [Roll Call 19, H 3835, 02/01/2012; Government Executive, 2/9/12] 85

Ryan Voted for Stopping Congressional Pay Raise. On April 27, 2010, Ryan voted for the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would block a scheduled 2011 cost-of-living pay increase for members of Congress. According to the Washington Post, the bill will freeze salaries at levels in effect since January 2009, which are $174,000 for rank-and-file members, $193,400 for the House and Senate majority and minority leaders and the Senate president pro tempore, and $223,500 for the House speaker. Under federal law, lawmakers automatically receive cost-of-living increases each January unless they vote to block them. [Roll Call 226, H 5146, 04/27/2010; Washington Post 05/06/2010] Ryan Voted Against Omnibus Appropriations Bill, Blocking Automatic COLA Adjustments for Congress. On February 25, 2009, Ryan voted against a bill that would provide $410 billion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2009 for federal departments and agencies covered by nine unfinished spending bills. The measure incorporates the following previously separate appropriations bills from the 110th Congress: Agriculture; Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy-Water; Financial Services; Interior-Environment; Labor-HHS-Education; Legislative Branch; State-Foreign Operations; and TransportationHUD. Furthermore, the bill would block automatic cost-of-living adjustments for members of Congress in 2010. [Roll Call 86, H 1105, 02/25/2009] Ryan Voted for Fiscal 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Increase in Government Pay. On December 19, 2007, Ryan voted for the fiscal 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The bill would provide $473.5 billion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2008 for all federal departments and agencies whose regular fiscal 2008 spending bills have not been enacted. The measure incorporates 11 previously separate appropriations bills: Agriculture; Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy-Water; Financial Services; Homeland Security; Interior-Environment; Labor-HHS-Education; Legislative Branch; Military Construction-VA; State-Foreign Operations; and Transportation-HUD. Furthermore, the legislation would provide a 3.5 percent average pay adjustment for federal civilian employees, including Members of Congress. [Roll Call 1186, H 2764, 12/19/2007] Ryan Voted Against Legislative Appropriations Bill. On July 18, 2002, Ryan voted against a $2.7 billion dollar legislative appropriations bill. Specifically, the bill would fund House operations, including staff salaries and expenses, plus congressional agencies such as the Library of Congress, Botanic Gardens and the General Accounting Office. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The $2.7 billion bill (HR 5121) would increase funding for the U.S. Capitol Police and provide improved benefits for House staff members. Many police officers have quit in recent months for higher-paying jobs with other federal law enforcement agencies, and the extra money is aimed at recruiting and retaining officers. The bill also calls for up to $10,000 per year for tuition reimbursement for officers and recruits in exchange for at least three years of service on the force. []For House staff members, in addition to the 4.1 percent COLA, the bill calls for increasing public transportation subsidies and implementing a student loan repayment plan. []Overall, the bill would increase spending on the force to $219 million, a $62 million increase over this year. [Roll Call 321, H 5121, 07/18/2002; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 07/18/02] Ryan Voted Against Across-the-Board Cuts Excluding Congressional Pay Raise. On November 18, 1999, Ryan voted against a conference report on a bill to provide almost $385 billion in new budget authority for those Cabinet departments and federal agencies whose fiscal 2000 appropriations bills were never enacted. The measure incorporates five previously separate appropriations bills: Labor-HHS-Education, Commerce-Justice-State, Interior, Foreign Operations, and District of Columbia. In addition, the conference report contains an across-the-board spending cut of 0.38 percent, although the administration would be permitted to spare certain accounts by making larger cuts in other accounts. Although this legislation called for across-the-board rescission in discretionary spending, according to a Congressional Research Service report, the bill did not contain language to reduce the pay of Members of Congress. Therefore, members would receive their scheduled January 1st annual pay adjustment of 3.4 percent. [Roll Call 610, H 3194, 11/18/1999; CRS Report: Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2010, 2/9/11] Ryan Voted for Conference Report on Spending Bill that Made Across the Board Cuts, Reducing Congress Pay by 0.97 Percent. On October 28, 1999, Ryan voted for the conference report on H.R. 3064, a bill to fund District of Columbia, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations in fiscal year 2000, which would make an across-the-board cut of 0.97 percent to the agencies it funded. The bill included language reducing the scheduled 3.4 percent member pay adjustment by 0.97 percent. However, this bill was vetoed by the President because of the damage he said the spending cuts would inflict on schools and other programs, therefore allowing Congress to receive their annual pay raise. [Roll Call 549, H 3064, 10/28/1999; CRS Report: Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2010, 2/9/11] Ryan Voted to Cut House Members Allowances and Library of Congress Funding While Increasing House Leaders Budgets. Ryan voted for a legislative appropriations bill that, according to the Washington Times, would shrink the 86

Houses operation budget for the year 2000 while authorizing House leaders to fatten theirs. The House voted 214-197 to spend $2.4 billion on congressional operations in 2000, roughly 7 percent less than in 1999... As a result of the last-minute cut, a proposed increase for House members allowances was eliminated. So was spending on the Capitol grounds. It was cut 30 percent. And the entire $5.4 million budget for furniture and furnishings at the Library of Congress will be zeroed out. Nonetheless, funding for House Democratic and Republican leadership offices will rise 7 percent. [Roll Call 203, H 1905, 06/10/1999; Washington Times, 6/12/99]

Cut, Cap, and Balance


Ryan Voted for Cut, Cap, Balance Legislation, Forcing Deep Cuts to Social Security and Medicare. On July 19, 2011, Ryan voted for the Cut, Cap and Balance legislation that was introduced by House Republicans as a plan to manage the debt ceiling crisis. The legislation would allow the government to raise the debt ceiling, but only after big and immediate spending cuts, a cap on future spending and adoption of a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget. The plan would cap federal spending at 18 percent of the previous years gross domestic product, which marks the first time the federal budget has been under that mark in more than four decades. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the cap would lock in cuts over the next ten years at least as severe as those in the Ryan budget plan that the House passed in April which, according to Brian Beutler of Talking Points Memo, is a formula for slashing spending at an epic clip, and, invariably, for devastating key safety net programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, called the [constitutional] amendment the most irresponsible action imaginable because the amendment would virtually ensure that an economic downturn would end up as a deep depression, by erasing any real ability of the government to pursue countercyclical fiscal policies and in fact demanding the opposite, at the worst possible time. [Roll Call 606, H 2560, 07/19/2011; Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11; CNN Money, 3/29/11; Talking Points Memo, 7/18/11]

Debt Limit Fight


Ryan Said The U.S. Was Headed Toward A Debt Crisis. According to the National Journals Hotline, Ryan warned in a Milwaukee speech April 10 that the U.S. is headed for a debt crisis. Ryan: Were coming into what I would call a tipping point. The more concerning tipping point is a cultural one, where we have more takers than makers in America. In his speech, titled A Shining City on a Hill... or Greece? Ryan accused Pres. Obama of leading the country toward greater debt, encouraging crony capitalism by picking winners and losers, and villainizing his political opponents who propose possible solutions. Ryan: We just fundamentally believe we owe the country a choice of two futures (Spicuzza, Wisconsin State Journal, 4/10). [Hotline, National Journal, 4/6/12] Ryan Voted to Disapprove of Presidents Request to Increase the Debt Limit. On January 18, 2012, Ryan voted for the joint resolution that would disapprove of a request by the president for a $1.2 trillion debt limit increase. Current law provides for a $1.2 trillion increase in the debt limit upon certification from the president that the debt is within $100 billion of the debt limit unless a disapproval measure is enacted. According to the Hill, The House on Wednesday approved a resolution disapproving of President Obamas request to increase the debt ceiling by another $1.2 trillion, sending it to a Senate that is expected to reject it. The House approved the resolution in a 239-176 vote in which just one Republican voted against it and six Democrats voted for it. But the vote fell far short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed for passage if Obama were to veto the resolution. []Under the deal to raise the debt ceiling last year, Obama has the authority to call for increasing the debt limit by $1.2 trillion. This increase can only be avoided if both the House and Senate pass resolutions of disapproval. [Roll Call 4, S 98, 01/18/2012; Hill, 1/19/12] Ryan Voted for Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Compromise to Avert Default. On August 1, 2011, Ryan voted for the bipartisan debt ceiling compromise that would raise the debt ceiling and cut spending by $1 trillion. Specifically, the bill would provide for a two-step debt limit increase that would allow the president to raise the debt limit immediately by $900 billion, $500 billion of which would be subject to a resolution of disapproval. It would set discretionary spending caps that would reduce the deficit by approximately $917 billion in fiscal 2012 through 2021 and establish a bipartisan committee to reduce the deficit another $1.5 trillion. If the committee did not create a bill with the required savings, a $1.2 trillion dollar cut would automatically be activated with cuts to programs that each party cares about deeply. Furthermore, the bill requires Congress to 87

vote on a balanced-budget constitutional amendment by the end of 2011, though passage is not required. Finally, the bill would provide for the second debt limit increase of $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion, depending on whether Congress had passed a balanced-budget constitutional amendment and on the amount of spending cuts recommended by the committee that Congress adopted. [Roll Call 690, S 365, 08/01/2011] Ryan Voted Against Raising the Debt Ceiling. On May 31, 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to increase the statutory limit on the public debt. The Business Insider called it a, a largely symbolic House vote last night in which Republicans overwhelmingly rejected a $2.4 trillion increase in the nations borrowing limit [...] House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and other GOP leaders sought to demonstrate that nothing will be done to raise the Treasurys borrowing authority until Republicans complete negotiations with President Obama and Senate Democratic leaders on a major deficit-reduction package. [Roll Call 379, H 1954, 05/31/2011; Business Insider, 06/01/2011] Ryan Voted For House Republican 2011 Budget Continuing Resolution. On February 19, 2011, Ryan voted for H.R.1., the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act that would fund the government through September of 2011. House Republicans have made roughly $61.5 billion in cuts which, according to the New York Times, is the largest cuts since just after World War II. The bill would reduce some of the most critical government services and block all funding for Planned Parenthood. It would also ban the use of funds made available in the bill for a variety of executive branch regulatory activities and implementation of several provisions of the health care overhaul law. [Roll Call 147, H 1, 02/19/2011; Washington Post, 2/12/11] Ryan Voted To Cut Spending to 2008 Levels. On January 25, 2011, Ryan voted for a resolution that would reduce spending for the remainder of 2011 to 2008 funding levels. Specifically, the resolution would require the House Budget Committee chairman, when setting a discretionary spending limit for the remainder of fiscal 2011, to assume that nonsecurity spending would be at or below the levels provided in fiscal 2008. According to the Hill, this resolution was not technically necessary, since House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has already been given special powers to unilaterally set spending ceilings for the rest of 2011. [Roll Call 20, S 38, 01/25/2011; The Hill, 1/19/11] Ryan Agreed That The Bush Administration Helped Create The Debt Problem. According to a transcript of State of the Union with Candy Crowley, Ryan was asked, And let me -- I just want to sort of get factually two things clear. You would agree that the Bush administration added greatly to this deficit and this debt that you are now looking at? Ryan responded, I would. Look, both parties messed this up. This is not a Republican created problem or a Democrat created problem, it is both parties. And weve got to face up that if were going to get this situation under control. [CNN, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, 5/15/11] April 2011: Ryan: Ultimately, The Debt Ceiling Will Be Raised. According to a transcript of Surveillance Monday, Ryan was asked, Speaking of debt crisis, you had at least one of your town hall participants yesterday say, Congressman Ryan, whatever you do, dont raise the debt ceiling I notice you didnt give them an affirmative answer. Ryan responded, Well, no, I said, look, ultimately, the debt ceiling will be raised. The question is will it be raised as a rubber stamp, which we dont agree with. Or will we have an accompanying it real fiscal controls? So I tried to explain to people the consequences of default, what the debt ceiling means and why, how it represents spending that has already taken place. [Bloomberg, Surveillance Monday, 4/29/11] Ryan Voted for Boehner Debt Ceiling Plan. On July 29, 2011, Ryan voted for the plan introduced by Speaker Boehner to raise the nations debt ceiling. According to the Hill, the legislation authorizes $900 billion in additional borrowing while reducing the deficit by $917 billion over 10 years. The president could request a second increase in the debt ceiling of up to $1.6 trillion upon passage of the balanced-budget amendment and a separate $1.8 trillion deficit reduction package, to be written by a new joint committee of Congress. Democrats assailed the bill as an unacceptable short-term measure that would prolong economic uncertainly, and they criticized Republicans for pressing ahead with a vote despite Senate opposition at such a late date. The initial version of Boehners bill required only a vote on a balanced budget amendment in the House and Senate, not actual passage. However, according to the Washington Post, Speaker Boehner had to make changes aimed at appealing to his tea-party influenced right flank in order to secure enough votes for final passage. [Roll Call 677, S 627, 07/29/2011; The Hill, 7/29/11; Washington Post, 7/28/11] Paul Ryan Voted Against Increasing The Debt Limit to $12.4 Trillion. Ryan voted against a bill that would increase the federal debt limit to $12.4 billion. [Roll Call 988, H 4314, 12/16/2009] 88

Ryan Voted to Raise the Debt Limit to $6.4 Trillion. In 2004, Ryan helped pass the FY 2005 Budget Resolution that spends $174 billion of the Social Security trust fund would pay in part for $55.2 billion in additional tax cuts. The agreement also increased the public debt limit by $690 billion. The measure passed 216-213 [Roll Call 198, S 95, 05/19/2004; CQ House Action Reports, The Budget Agreement. 5/19/04; USA Today, 5/20/04] Paul Ryan Voted To Increase Debt Limit By $1 Trillion. In 2003, Ryan voted for the conference report on the fiscal 2004 budget resolution that endorsed up to $550 billion in tax cuts through 2013 and raised the nations legal debt limit nearly $1 trillion. Among moderate Republicans, the Associated Press reported, there were concerns about burgeoning deficits, projected in the budget to peak at $385 billion next year and then decline gradually and disappear in 2012. [Roll Call 141, S 95, 04/11/2003; AP, 4/11/03] Paul Ryan Voted For Budget Plan That Added $2.4 Trillion to the Federal Deficit. In 2003, Ryan voted for a budget resolution that added $2.4 trillion in deficits and national debt between 2003 and 2013 while cutting $550 billion in taxes. The amount reflected the impact of the tax cuts, as well as of spending increases for defense, the $400 billion prescription drug benefit and the increase in interest payments resulting from the higher debt. The budget agreement cut domestic funding by $7.2 billion from 2003 levels and by $168 billion over the next decade. The non-binding agreement passed 216-211 [Roll Call 141, S 95, 04/11/2003; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/17/03; Duluth News Tribune, 4/12/03]

Earmarks
Ryan Praised Boehner For Introducing GOP Moratorium On Earmarks. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview with Fox Business Network, host David Asman criticized John Boehner saying a lot of people look at John Boehner and some of the leaders of the Republican Party and say, Hey, these are the guys that helped build up the government back when Bush was in power. Ryan replied Well, first of all, theres a new generation coming in that is against all of that stuff. And just so you know, John Boehner may have been around for a while, but he was with us in those fights against earmarks. He never took earmarksBoehners not been hurting us from reforming these things. He has not been standing in our way to get this earmark moratorium. We actually dont do earmarks in the Republican caucus anymore. People might not know that. Do you know why were not doing it? Actually, Jeff Flake -- it was his resolution. John Boehner brought this resolution up... and helped us get it through this Congress. So look, you know, give people a chance to have redemption! [CQ Transcriptions, 7/29/10] Ryan Sign Anti-Earmark Pledge; Said He Wanted To Drain The Earmark Swamp. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville and, so far, eight other members of Congress - all Republicans have signed a new pledge to bring more transparency and accountability to the practice of congressional earmarks, or special funding requests for pet projects. It has become all too clear, with every new media report on abusive, special-interest spending in Washington, that we have to drain the earmark swamp, Ryan said. The 10-part pledge would require lawmakers to disclose on their Web sites all requests for earmarks and targeted tax benefits. Lawmakers would be prevented from requesting such special treatment for entities outside their state. And theyd agree to back legislation to end the linkage between campaign contributions and earmarks. New rules governing earmarks arent strong enough, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/11/07] Ryan Said Members Should Be Ready To Defend Their Earmarks On The House Floor. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But Republicans waged a successful campaign last week to force Obey to change those plans and include earmarks in most bills at the time of passage. Obey suggested that was a largely meaningless exercise, because efforts to defeat individual earmarks on the House floor have been routinely voted down by members of both parties. But Ryan said that was beside the point. It doesnt matter whether or not they are (defeated). A member should know when he submits his request that he may have to defend it on the floor, said Ryan, who contended such knowledge would make lawmakers think twice about irresponsible requests. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/17/07] Ryan And Russ Feingold Proposed Bill To Allow President To Line Item Veto Earmarks. According to the Capital Times, Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold and Republican Rep. Paul Ryan have joined forces on legislation that would allow the president to veto so-called earmarks, or pork barrel projects, from congressional budget bills. Feingold and Ryan announced plans at a joint news conference Monday at the Oak Creek police station to introduce the legislation. Under our proposal, 89

wasteful spending wont have anywhere to hide, Feingold said. Its out in the open, so that both the Congress and the president have a chance to get rid of wasteful projects before they can become law. This new level of sunshine, of accountability, of transparency, will do a lot to embarrass a lot of wasteful spending out of these bills in the first place, Ryan. [Capital times (Madison, WI), 4/24/07] Ryan Opposed Appropriations Bill To Provide $500 Million for Wildfire Management. In 2007, Ryan voted against an appropriations bill that provided emergency supplemental funding for Iraq, Afghanistan and other functions, including veterans health and disaster relief assistances. The funding included $6.4 billion for recovery from hurricanes, $3.7 billion for agricultural assistance programs, $2.5 billion for anti-terrorism efforts of the Homeland Security Department, $1.7 billion for veterans programs, $750 million for the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), $500 million for wildfire suppression, and $400 million for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The bill also included $2.8 billion to enhance medical services for active duty forces, mobilized personnel and their family members and $1.7 billion for veterans health care priorities including maintenance at VA health care facilities like Walter Reed. The measure passed 218212. [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07] 2007: Ryan Praised Democrats For Transparency In Earmark Rule That Banned Earmarks Where Members Had Financial Ties. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Another provision bans trading earmarks for votes and requires members to disclose earmark requests and certify that they have no financial interest in such requests. Obey said some of those changes were helpful, because there were too many earmarks for committees to review them adequately. But they wont have any impact on reducing overall spending, he said, because earmarks dont add to the budget; the money for them is just taken out of other funds in the budget. You can cut out a thousand earmarks from a bill, and that will not save one dime, Obey said. Ryan praised the Democrats earmark reforms, saying theyll add transparency and accountability to spending decisions. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Ryan, like many other Republicans, emphasized that he supported the other pieces of the Democratic package, especially the one requiring disclosure of pet projects, which on Capitol Hill are known as earmarks. I think the earmark reforms are very good. They are very commendable. They work, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/6/07; St. Petersburg Times, 1/6/07] Ryan Opposed Earmark Reform. In 2007, Ryan voted against new House rules to reform the process of creating earmarks in legislation. The rule required legislation and conference reports to be accompanied by a list of earmarks and limited tax or trade benefits, and their sponsors. Members would have to provide information about the recipient and purpose of an earmark. It also created new budget points of order, including pay-as-you-go rules which would require offsets to any new entitlement spending or tax cuts. The earmark and Pay-As-You-Go reforms passed 280-152 [Roll Call 9, S 6, 01/05/2007] 2004: Ryan Obtained $350,000 In Pork Projects. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan obtained $190,000 for a feasibility study examining dredging the Kenosha Harbor in order to extend its north pier, and $160,000 for a study on ecosystem restoration at Lake Koshkonong, southwest of Fort Atkinson. The second project aims to protect shoreline and restore wetlands surrounding the lake. He also took credit for letting the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee rail extension plan use unspent federal funds that would have otherwise expired, an aide said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/28/04]

Entitlement Reform
Ryan Believed That Entitlements Threatened Entrepreneurship. According to the Daily Reporter, Entrepreneurship, Ryan said, is threatened by the countrys sad state of entitlements - Social Security and Medicare benefits - both inadequate and in need of modernization at a time when theyll be most needed. The baby boomers are coming, he said. How do you make Social Security solvent for the baby boom generation? [Daily Reporter, 8/21/01] Ryan Was Sincere In His Pursuit For Social Security And Medicare Reform. According to the Associated Press, He is sincere in his pursuit for Social Security and Medicare reform, and he recently took steps to fix a fuel supply system that may have caused this summers spike in gasoline prices. Ryan is popular throughout the district, and he is moving up quickly in Washingtons power structure, securing a place on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. [Associated Press, 8/6/01]

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The House Passed A Ryan-Sponsored, Non-Binding Resolution That Would Protect Current And Soon-To-Be Retirees From Future Social Security Reforms. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, In a related action, the House overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution by Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan that said benefits for todays retirees would not be affected by future Social Security reforms. Although not legally binding, the measure, approved 416-1, was a chance for lawmakers in both parties to agree on one sensitive issue: that whatever reforms are passed, present and soon-to-be retirees will be held harmless. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) cast the lone no vote. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/3/99]

Federal Pay
Ryan Opposed Proposal To Civil Servants The Same 3.5 Percent Pay Increase As Military Personnel Were Set To Receive Under 2005 Fiscal Plan. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Members recommended, 299 for and 126 against, that civil servants be awarded the same 3.5 percent pay increase in fiscal 2005 that military personnel are to receive. In effect, the non-binding measure urges House appropriators to disregard President Bush's request for a 1.5 percent civilian raise. The Senate has approved 3.5 percent. A yes vote backed a 3.5 percent raise for civil servants. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Voted to Allow the GAO to Break Its Link to the Federal Employee Pay System. On June 24, 2004 Ryan voted to allow the agency to break its link to the federal employee pay system and adopt compensation practices that are more closely tied to job performance and other factors. The bill caused concern for some of the GAOs 3,200 employees, in part because it raises the possibility that some employees, because of job status or where salary lines get drawn, might not receive the standard general pay increase that Congress provides to federal employees each year. The bill passed 382-43. [Roll Call 28, H 2751, 02/25/2004; Washington Post, 7/12/04] Ryan Voted in Favor of 17.1 Billion Dollar Treasury-Postal Budget, 4.6% Raises for Federal Employees. On October 31, 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the $17.1 Billion Treasury-Postal appropriations bill. According to the Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, the bill would appropriate $387.6 million more than the administrations request, including funding for the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Customs Service, the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the White House. It does not include structural spending changes that would have given the president more power over his executive office spending by consolidating 18 accounts into one. [] Conferees also dropped a provision of the Housepassed version that would have prohibited the use of funds to enforce restrictions on American tourist travel to Cuba. The Bush administration opposed the provision, and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 put added pressure on the conferees to eliminate it. []The measure includes a 4.6 percent pay increase for civilian federal employees. [Roll Call 413, H 2590, 10/31/2001]

Federal Surplus
When It Came To The Projected 2000-2010 Federal Surplus Should Be Spent On Social Security Solvency And Target Tax Cuts Such As An Estate Tax Cut, A Cut In The Capital Gains Tax, And An Expansion Of The Roth IRA. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said he had read the Republican leaderships tax packet but did not take it home with him. He said he had not been promoting tax cuts. But, he said, everybody is reading about these surpluses and asking about them. As soon as they find out theres a new surplus -- an income tax surplus -- in addition to Social Security, most people want their money back. When they talk tax cuts, the Wisconsin Republicans are mostly on the same page, with some variations. It goes like this: First, make certain Social Security is solvent and protected, which also will help reduce the national debt. Then work toward specific tax cuts, such as: Elimination of the so-called marriage penalty, which results in married couples paying higher taxes than if they filed separately. Reduction of estate taxes to enable taxpayers to pass more wealth to their heirs. A cut in capital gains taxes. Modest across-the-board reductions in federal income taxes. Some also favor other specific targeted tax relief. For example, Petri said he was attracted to providing a tax deduction or credit to taxpayers to care for an elderly or incapacitated parent or other relative in their homes. I think thats something that would help an awful lot of people, he said. Ryan said he also favored an expansion of the Roth IRA to encourage savings for retirement, health care and education. But he said reforms should be done only in the context of simplifying the tax code. Ryan also said he 91

supported indexing capital gains taxes. But Sensenbrenner said he would not favor that until the rates were lowered. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/9/99] Ryan Said That Clintons Proposal To Deal With The Federal Surplus Sounded Like A New Entitlement Program. According to the Capital Times Wisconsin Democrats Sen. Russ Feingold and Rep. Tammy Baldwin greeted President Clintons State of the Union address Tuesday night with guarded optimism, while Republican Rep. Paul Ryan expressed guarded criticism. Clintons remedy for Social Security, his radical education funding reform and his proposal to boost defense spending were chief among their concerns -- and their plaudits. The president proposed that 60 percent of the federal budget surplus, estimated to reach $4 trillion in the next 15 years, be committed to Social Security and a small portion of it be invested in the private sector. One out of each $ 6 in the surplus would go to Medicare. Additional money would fund new retirement savings accounts, akin to the 401(k) plans offered by some employers Ryan, R-Janesville, said he also would review the presidents plans, but his first reaction was that the plan sounds like a new entitlement program. To me, Social Security payroll taxes should go to Social Security, period. But I didnt hear that tonight, he said. His biggest concern is were going to continue to take payroll receipts and spend them on other government programs. [Capital Times, 1/20/99]

Government Shutdown
Ryan Voted For Government Shutdown Prevention Act, Forcing GOP House-Passed Cuts to Become Law if Senate Does Not Approve a Plan Before Shutdown. On April 01, 2011, Ryan voted for the Government Shutdown Prevention Act. The Los Angeles Times reported that it is a largely symbolic bill that would declare the $61-billion Housepassed cuts the law of the land if the Senate did not pass its own legislation by Wednesday, before the government is scheduled to shut down. Democrats mocked Republicans for a bill attempting to bring back to life legislation that had already been soundly rejected by the Senate and carried no presidential signature. The Kalamazoo Gazette reported that after several questions about this proposal, [Majority Leader] Cantor admitted that for his schedule to work, the Senate would first have to agree to surrender its constitutional authority. The legislation would also prevent lawmakers and the president from being paid for the duration of any government shutdown that lasts more than 24 hours. [Roll Call 224, H 1255, 04/01/2011; Kalamazoo Gazette, 4/3/11; Los Angeles Times, 4/2/11] Ryan Said He Would Forgo Compensation If The Federal Government Was Shut Down To Ensure Funding For U.S. Military Personnel. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, As negotiations continue to avert a possible government shutdown from occurring at mid-night, First District Congressman Paul Ryan sent a letter to the House Chief Administrative Officer, Dan Strodel, making clear his desire to forgo compensation if Congress does not provide funding to pay for U.S. military personnel during a shutdown. Congressman Ryan said: Members of our military who are bravely serving in combat, abroad or here at home should not have to worry about whether their families are able to pay their bills on time as a result of a government shutdown. I do not wish to receive compensation if our troops who are serving are not being paid. I voted in favor to withhold the compensation of Members of Congress in the event of a lapse of appropriation but this legislation is still pending action in the Senate. As a result, should a lapse of appropriations occur, I am requesting that you hold my compensation until funds are appropriated for uninterrupted compensation for the men and women in our armed forces. [Congressional Documents And Publications, 4/8/11] Ryan Pledged To Donate Compensation He Received During A Government Shutdown To Military Support Organization Fisher House. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, Congressman Ryan has also pledged to donate compensation received during a shutdown to the Fisher House, which supports Americas military in their time of need. The letter from Congressman Ryan comes just one day after the House passed H.R. 1363, which would fund the Department of Defense for the rest of the Fiscal Year and keep the rest of the federal government operational for another week, saving taxpayers $12 billion. [Congressional Documents And Publications, 4/8/11] Ryan Voted Against Funding the Government, Avoiding Costly Shutdown. On December 21, 2010, Ryan voted against motion to concur in the Senate amendment that would continue most appropriations at fiscal 2010-enacted levels through March 4, 2011. The measure would provide an overall annualized spending rate that is $1.16 billion more than fiscal 2010 levels. It would provide additional funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Pell grants. It also would allow the awarding of a Navy contract for shipbuilding of Littoral Combat Ships to multiple suppliers. [Roll Call 662, H 3082, 12/21/2010] 92

Ryan Voted for $459 Billion in Defense Spending and a Continuing Resolution to Keep the Government Operating. On November 8, 2007, Ryan voted to adopt the conference report of a $459.3 billion defense appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, Overall, the Defense bill conference report would grant the Pentagon $459.3 billion in discretionary funding -- $3.5 billion less than Bushs request and $39.7 billion, or 9.5 percent, more than in fiscal 2007. Although most Iraq-related provisions were left for bridge fund legislation, which is likely to be considered this week, the Defense conference report does include House-proposed policy provisions barring the use of torture and permanent bases in Iraq. The conferees made several compromises on weapons systems, essentially splitting the differences between the two chambers. And they agreed to add billions for military health care and pay and National Guard and reserve equipment. Congressional Quarterly Today reported, The continuing resolution that Congress cleared Thursday night for President Bush would keep most of the government funded at current levels through Dec. 14. But a few programs would fare better. Among them are veterans programs, the Census Bureau, disaster relief, wildfire suppression and Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. The CR was attached to the fiscal 2008 Defense appropriations bill (HR 3222), which the Senate passed by voice vote shortly before midnight. It would supplant a stopgap funding measure (PL 110-92) that expires Nov. 16. [Roll Call 1064, H 3222, 11/08/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/09/07; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 11/10/07]

International Debt Relief


2000: Paul Ryan Voted Against Debt Relief For Poor Countries. In 2000, during debate over the fiscal 2001 foreign appropriations bill, Paul Ryan voted against increasing the U.S. contribution to a multilateral fund that would forgive some of the debts that poor countries owe to international financial institutions. Congressional Quarterly called the vote drawn-out and dramatic, reporting that it was the most significant of several votes that would bolster the Clinton White Houses negotiating position during subsequent budget debates. The vote was on a Waters (D-CA) amendment, which Paul Ryan voted against, to the fiscal 2001 foreign appropriations bill. [Roll Call 397, H 4811, 07/13/2000; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 7/14/00]

Local Projects
Ryan Approved St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, Earlier today, Wisconsins First District Congressman Paul Ryan joined a bipartisan majority in approving S. 1134, the St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 339-80, allows Wisconsin and Minnesota to proceed with the construction of a new bridge over the St. Croix River and addresses a major regional transportation priority. Following the passage of S. 1134, Congressman Ryan offered the following statement: I was grateful to join members of the Wisconsin Congressional delegation in supporting S. 1134, which authorizes Wisconsin and Minnesota to make a much needed upgrade to their transportation systems. This project is supported by both states Governors and Senators and funds have already been set aside for the bridges construction. States should have the ability to decide how their transportation dollars are spent and Congress was right to prevent this project from being delayed further due to unnecessary litigation and an expansive reading of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 3/1/12]

Spending
Ryan Voted to Take Automatic Inflation Increases Out of Budgeting Process. On February 3, 2012, Ryan voted for a bill that would amend current law governing the development of budget baselines to remove the assumption that discretionary spending will increase each year by the level of inflation. It would require the Congressional Budget Office to prepare an annual alternative baseline that shows the projected spending, revenue, deficits and debt that would occur if current tax policy was maintained. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Friday voted in favor of changing how the Congressional Budget Office calculates its spending projections, the second of 10 Republican proposals aimed at overhauling the budget process. The chamber voted 235-177 to pass a bill (HR 3578) that would stop the CBO from incorporating inflation increases into its projected spending baselines. [] Ryan, R-Wis., said that taking automatic inflation increases out of the equation would remove the pro-spending bias that currently exists in the baseline we use as a starting point in federal budgeting. [] Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the Budget panels top Democrat, countered that changing the 93

formulation for the spending baseline would create a very misleading picture about goods and services purchased with government dollars. [] The bill also would require CBO to submit to Congress a long-term budget outlook by July 1 of each fiscal year for the next 40 years instead of the next 30, as originally drafted. His measure also would require CBO to report an alternative baseline projection assuming the extensions of current tax policies. [Roll Call 32, H 3578, 02/03/2012; Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/3/12] Ryan Voted for the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. On May 10, 2012, Ryan voted for a bill that would replace previously negotiated defense spending reductions with other offsets. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Thursday passed the GOPs plan to protect the Pentagon from deep automatic spending cuts early next year by putting in place new reductions to a host of social programs, including health care and food stamps. The bill (HR 5652) would cancel $98 billion in automatic cuts to discretionary funding set to take effect in January 2013, including $55 billion in cuts to the military, in order to prevent those Pentagon reductions and allow for even higher defense spending. It would replace those automatic cuts, known as a sequester, with a $19 billion cut in the discretionary cap for fiscal 2013 and with reconciliation savings recommended by six House committees that would pare more than $310 billion over a decade from mandatory spending, including Medicaid and programs for the poor []During the House floor debate, Democrats highlighted that the bill would cut nearly $34 billion in spending over the next 10 years on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, and save $16.7 billion over that same period by repealing the Social Services Block Grant. The bill also would eliminate a separate cap on defense spending for fiscal 2013 to allow for higher spending levels. It would make cuts to mandatory spending on Medicaid, limit court awards in cases of medical malpractice claims and repeal part of the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul (PL 111-203). It also would require federal employees to contribute more of their salaries to their retirement pensions. The bill would make changes to child tax credit programs. Democrats wanted to present an alternative plan that included provisions to place limitations on certain tax cuts for oil and gas companies, eliminate direct crop payments to farmers and set a minimum tax rate for millionaires. But the House Rules panel rejected the proposal Wednesday under the chambers cut-go rule, which the GOP majority instituted at the beginning of this Congress. The rule requires that any new spending program be paid for by eliminating an existing program of equal or greater value. [Roll Call 247, H 5652, 05/10/2012] Ryan Voted to Grant President Expedited Rescission Authority. On February 8, 2012, Ryan voted for the bill that would grant the president expedited rescission authority over discretionary spending items in enacted appropriations bills, which would be subject to an expedited up-or-down vote in Congress. Proposed rescissions would take effect only if Congress passes, and the president signs, a measure specifically approving the spending cuts. The expedited authority would expire Dec. 15, 2015. According to the Hill, The House on Wednesday approved legislation that would allow Congress to quickly consider budget rescission recommendations made by the president, a proposal that many Republicans and Democrats said could help reduce the budget deficit. Members approved the Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act, H.R. 3521, by a 254-173 vote. The bill split both parties considerably, but support from most Republicans and several dozen Democrats allowed it to pass by a healthy margin. [] The bill differs from the line-item veto authority that President Clinton had in the mid- to late 1990s, which he could use to veto specific spending proposals within an overall bill. The Supreme Court found that power unconstitutional because it gave the executive branch the power of the purse, which belongs to Congress. The bill approved today would allow the president to make rescission recommendations, within 45 days of passage, which have to be acted on by Congress. [Roll Call 46, H 3521, 02/08/2012; Hill, 2/9/12] Ryan Voted for Fiscal 2012 Minibus Spending Measure. On December 16, 2011, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would provide approximately $915 billion in discretionary appropriations for fiscal 2012. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House completed its fiscal 2012 appropriations work, adopting the conference report for a $915 billion megabus spending measure Friday night. Current fiscal 2012 spending authority (PL 112-55) was set to expire at midnight Friday. [] The megabus conference report, signed late Thursday night, largely mirrors the text of the House Republican bill (HR 3671). It includes the text of the conference agreement on the Military Construction-VA bill and eight other spending measures: Defense, Energy-Water, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, LaborHHS-Education, Legislative Branch and State-Foreign Operations. [] The law provides $128 billion in discretionary spending for those programs and also includes $2.3 billion in emergency disaster relief that is exempt from the discretionary cap. The spending bill would provide $95 billion less in discretionary spending compared to fiscal 2010 levels. [Roll Call 941, H 2055, 12/16/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/16/11] Ryan Voted Against A Conference Report On A Fiscal 2012 Spending Package. On November 17, 2011, Ryan voted against a conference report on a fiscal 2012 spending package. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The Senate cleared a conference report on a fiscal 2012 spending package Thursday, sending it for President Obamas expected signature. 94

The minibus (HR 2112 -- H Rept 112-284) contains three of the usual 12 annual appropriations bills: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science and Transportation-HUD. The measure also includes a continuing resolution that would keep programs not funded by the legislation operating through Dec. 16 at current levels. Under the current stopgap (PL 112-36), funding for government programs is set to expire at midnight Friday. The House voted 298-121 to adopt the conference report on the package Thursday afternoon. In total, the spending package would provide $128.1 billion in discretionary funding subject to the $1.043 trillion cap established in the Budget Control Act (PL 112-25) and an additional $2.3 billion for emergency relief activities not subject to the cap. It would provide $19.8 billion in regular discretionary funding for Agriculture programs, down $391 million from fiscal 2011; $52.7 billion for the Commerce and Justice departments and for science activities, a reduction of $387 million; and $55.6 billion for Transportation-HUD, up $183 million. [Roll Call 857, H 2112, 11/17/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/17/2011] Ryan Voted for the Fiscal 2012 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill. On July 22, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would provide $3.33 billion for legislative branch operations, excluding Senate operations, in fiscal 2012. The total would include $1.23 billion for House operations, $575.3 million for the Library of Congress, $511.3 million for the Government Accountability Office, $489.6 million for the Architect of the Capitol, and $340.1 million for the Capitol Police. The bill would provide $5.8 million for a transition quarter, from Sept. 30, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2012, to allow leadership offices to operate according to the sessions of Congress, similar to member offices. According to Politico, attached to the bill were two amendments, An amendment from Democratic Reps. Jim Moran of Virginia and Peter Welch of Vermont would bar funds for polystyrene containers in the various House cafeterias, and an amendment that would prevent Congress from screwing in compact fluorescent light bulbs. [Roll Call 629, H 2551, 07/22/2011; Washington Post 07/20/2011] Ryan Voted For a $1 Trillion Discretionary Funding Bill that Would Finance the Federal Government Through the Second Half of Fiscal year 2011. On April 14, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would provide $1.055 trillion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2011, $39.9 billion less than fiscal 2010 spending. The bill contains a full Defense Department spending bill that would appropriate $513 billion for fiscal 2011, plus $157.8 billion for overseas operations. According to the Star Ledger, it is a bill to fund the government for the remaining five-plus months of fiscal 2011 at an annualized level of $1.365 trillion. The figure applies to discretionary spending but not to entitlement programs or interest payments on the national debt, which account for the remainder of the $3.7 trillion federal budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. [Roll Call 268, H 1473, 04/14/2011; Star Ledger 4/17/2011] Ryan Voted in Favor of Stopgap Measure that Cut $12 Billion. On April 7, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of a stopgap appropriations bill to keep the government running for another week and fund military operations. The bill came amid intense debate over a budget and a looming government shutdown. According to USA Today, House Republicans passed a bill Thursday to keep the government running for another week and fund military operations through September. It would cut $12 billion. Senate Democrats immediately denounced the proposal, and Obama promised to veto it, calling it a distraction from negotiations. [Roll Call 247, H 1363, 04/07/2011; USA Today, 04/08/11] Ryan Voted in Favor of Stopgap Spending Bill that Cut Six Billion Dollars. On March 15, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of a stopgap appropriations bill that cut spending by six billion dollars. According to the New York Times, The House gave grudging approval on Tuesday to a plan to finance the federal government for three more weeks, even as dozens of Republicans broke with their leadership and opposed the stopgap legislation. Congressional leaders said the measure, which imposes $6 billion in new spending cuts, would avert a government shutdown while giving Republicans and Democrats until April 8 to conclude a more sweeping budget deal to finance the government through Sept. 30. [] The short-term measure saves $3.5 billion by eliminating 25 programs, including some the Obama administration had already proposed to end on its own. More than $2 billion is saved by reclaiming money set aside for local projects that will not be financed because of the Congressional ban on earmarks. [Roll Call 179, S 48, 03/15/2011; New York Times, 03/16/11] Ryan Voted for Continuing Appropriations for FY 2011. On March 01, 2011, Ryan voted for passage of the joint resolution that would provide continuing appropriations through March 18, 2011, for all government agencies and programs. Most spending levels would be based on fiscal 2010 levels, less certain eliminations and reductions totaling $4 billion. It would eliminate funding for earmarks that were included under the continuing appropriations law expiring March 4. [Roll Call 154, S 44, 03/01/2011] Ryan Voted to Block Periodic Pay Increases for Federal Employees. On February 19, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would bar the use of funds made available in the bill to fund periodic pay increases for federal employees on 95

the GSA schedule. This amendment was offered to GOP-introduced legislation funding the federal government through 2011 that would cut domestic spending programs by $61 billion. [Roll Call 133, H 1, 02/19/2011] Ryan Voted to Bar Defense Department Sponsorship of NASCAR. On February 18, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would bar the use of funds made available in the bill for Defense Department sponsorship of NASCAR race cars. [Roll Call 90, H 1, 02/18/2011] Ryan Voted to Defund the U.S. Institute of Peace. On February 17, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would cut funding for the U.S. Institute of Peace. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the House, approved a Democratic proposal to cut funding for the United States Institute of Peace, an independent, nonpartisan research institute funded by the government. [Roll Call 76, H 1, 02/17/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 02/17/2011] Paul Ryan Voted Against Instituting Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Rules. Paul Ryan voted against a division of a motion to concur with a the Senate amendment to a joint resolution that would establish a statutory requirement that new tax and mandatory spending legislation be budget neutral, enforced by automatic across-the-board spending cuts in non-exempt programs if the pay-as-you-go tally at the end of the year shows a deficit. [Roll Call 48, S 45, 02/04/2010] Ryan Voted Against 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. On February 25, 2009, Ryan voted against an omnibus appropriations bill packed with earmarks. According to the New York Times, The House on Wednesday passed a $410 billion omnibus spending bill packed with pet projects requested by Democrats and Republicans alike. [] The new bill, a reflection of Democratic priorities, increases spending on domestic programs by an average of 8 percent in the current fiscal year, which began in October. [] The legislation includes nine of the regular appropriations bills for this fiscal year. Unable to reach agreement with President George W. Bush last year, Congress provided most domestic agencies and programs with a short-term infusion of cash, which runs out at the end of next week. [] The bill increases budgets for the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation, among others. Over all, it provides $19 billion more than Mr. Bush requested for the same agencies and $31 billion more than what they got in the last fiscal year. [] Democrats boasted that they had not included earmarks in the economic stimulus bill, but lawmakers of both parties relished the opportunity to stuff the new bill with pet projects. Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group, counted more than 8,500 Congressionally designated projects in the bill and said the cost of these earmarks totaled $7.7 billion, up 3.4 percent from last year. [Roll Call 86, H 1105, 02/25/2009; New York Times, 02/26/09] Ryan Voted for Supplemental Appropriations. On June 19, 2008, Ryan voted for the Obey, D-Wis., motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment with an additional amendment. The House amendment would appropriate $21.1 billion for domestic programs, including $2.7 billion for disaster relief in the Midwest and $5.8 billion for fiscal 2009 to rebuild levees in Louisiana. It would provide for a permanent expansion of education benefits for post-Sept. 11 veterans and cut $3.6 billion from funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to fund domestic programs. It also would temporarily extend unemployment insurance benefits and place a moratorium through March 2009 on six Medicaid regulations proposed by the administration. The amendment would require the Iraqi government to match reconstruction aid and prohibit establishing a permanent base in Iraq. It would provide $4.6 billion for military construction. National Journals CongressDaily reported that the war supplemental is the result of an agreement worked out between House Democratic and Republican leaders and the White House. The legislation is composed of two amendments. The first would provide $161.8 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will cover the rest of FY08 and the first part of FY09. The second amendment -- which focuses more on initiatives not directly related to the wars -- includes a boost in veterans education benefits that can be transferred to spouses and children, but would not be offset. The cost is estimated at $62.8 billion over 11 years. [Roll Call 432, H 2642, 06/19/2008; National Journals CongressDaily 6/25/08] Ryan Voted for $473.5 Billion in Discretionary Spending. On December 19, 2007, Ryan voted for $473.5 billion in discretionary spending. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The fiscal 2008 omnibus appropriations bill (HR 2764) that Congress cleared Dec. 19 would provide $473.5 billion in discretionary money spread across 11 of the 12 regular spending bills for the year. The measure would also provide an additional $11.2 billion in emergency appropriations, which would be exempt from budgetary caps. A portion is intended for veterans benefits and could be released only if the president formally requested it. The bill would also provide $70 billion in supplemental spending for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, matching a request from President Bush. [Roll Call 1186, H 2764, 12/19/2007] Ryan Voted Against $473.5 Billion in Discretionary Spending. On December 17, 2007 Ryan voted against providing $473.5 billion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2008 for all federal departments and agencies whose regular fiscal 2008 96

spending bills have not been enacted. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the bill would provide $473.5 billion for the 11 remaining spending bills; $11.2 billion in emergency funding for such things as veterans programs, border security and drought relief; and $70 billion in emergency funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The emergency funding does not count against spending caps and is meant to be for one-time emergencies. Both parties, however, have used this funding for priorities they do not want to squeeze into their budget plans. Funding for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has consistently been approved as emergency spending. [Roll Call 1171, H 2764, 12/17/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/19/07] Ryan Voted Against Fiscal 2008 Budget Resolution. On May 5, 2007, Ryan voted against the adoption of the concurrent resolution, as amended, that would allow up to $955.8 billion in discretionary spending for fiscal 2008. According to the Washington Post, the conference report on a five-year Democratic budget that for 2008 projects $2.9 trillion in spending, a $252 billion deficit, a national debt of $9.5 trillion and debt-service payments of at least $250 billion. The fiscal blueprint provides full funding of President Bushs defense and national security requests, including $145 billion for war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and authorizes $452.3 billion for non-defense discretionary spending, about $23 billion more than the president had requested. [Roll Call 307, S 21, 05/08/2007; Washington Post 05/20/2007] Ryan Promised Cuts Everywhere As Soon As He Was Chosen To Be Top Republican On Budget Committee. According to the Associated Press, Ryan said hed like to see spending cuts everywhere, but declined to spell out specific targets. We need to be serious about tightening our belt, he said. [Associated Press, 12/8/06] Ryan Voted for Funding the Legislative Branch for 2007. On June 7, 2006, Ryan voted for passage of the Legislative Branch Appropriations for 2007. According to Congressional Quarterly, the House version of the 2007 spending bill would provide $46 million for the visitor center next year, and it would provide the architect with an overall budget of $363 million, up from $358 million -- a scant 1.5 percent increase. The measure also would provide an increase of 5 percent, to $259 million, for the Capitol Police...But the fiscal 2007 spending bill (HR 5521), which includes funding for House operations and congressional agencies, would eliminate the architects office and transfer its duties to the Government Accountability Office, thanks to a provision inserted by Obey. The Obey provision was added to the bill because of concerns among lawmakers and others that complaints of mismanagement were being ignored by the architects office. As evidence, they cite the growing cost and slipping completion date of the Capitol Visitor Center, which now totals $556 million and will not open until April or May of 2007. The spending bill also would establish an inspector general to audit and report semi-annually on management and operation issues related to the architects office. [Roll Call 229, H 5521, 06/07/2006; Congressional Quarterly, 06/07/06.] Ryan Voted for $175,000 Study on Whether to Improve Dental Benefits for House Members. In July 2004, Ryan voted for the FY 2005 the Legislative Branch appropriations, included in which was an in-house study estimated to $175,000 according to the AP on whether to improve the dental, vision, and hearing benefits available to House members and their aides. The vote succeeded, 327-43. [Roll Call 362, H 4755, 07/12/2004; AP, 7/12/04] Ryan Voted for $2.75 Billion FY 2005 Legislative Branch Appropriations. In July 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would appropriate $2.75 billion in fiscal 2005 for legislative branch operations, excluding funds for Senate operations. It would include $1 billion for operations of the House of Representatives, $272 million for the Architect of the Capitol and $121 million for the Government Printing Office. The vote succeeded, 327-43. [Roll Call 362, H 4755, 07/12/2004] Ryan Introduced Family Budget Protection Act In An Effort To Cap Federal Spending. According to the Chicago SunTimes, A specter is haunting the House of Representatives -- the specter of reforming the flawed budget process. Rep. Paul Ryan, a 34-year-old third-term Republican from Janesville, Wis., is advocating an entirely new congressional system intended to put a serious lid on runaway federal spending. []On Feb. 9, Ryan introduced the Family Budget Protection Act (a total rewrite of the 1974 act despite its corny nomenclature) as a major project of the Republican Study Committee. His cosponsors are two freshmen: Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Chris Chocola of Indiana. []Ryan's bill would set rigid spending caps, permitting growth only to the extent of inflation. It would allow money saved by pork elimination to come out of the federal budget altogether -- a change from the current practice under which killing $50 million for the infamous indoor rain forest in Coralville, Iowa, for example, would merely transfer that money to other accounts for appropriators to spend. The elimination of "baseline budgeting" would end the ridiculous practice [Chicago Sun-Times, 5/6/04] Ryan Voted To Cut $170 Million In Discretionary Spending From 2004 Agricultural Appropriations Bill. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 68 for and 333 against, the House on July 14 refused to trim discretionary spending in the fiscal 2004 agricultural appropriations bill (HR 2673) by 1 percent, or $170 million. This preserved a spending level of $17 97

billion for non-entitlement farm programs and agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. The bill's total cost, which reflects entitlement payments such as for crop subsidies and Food Stamps, is $77.4 billion, up 3.6 percent over 2003. A yes vote backed the budget cut. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Supported Across The Board $194 Million Cut To Funding For The Department Of The Interior And Other Agencies. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 81 for and 341 against, the House on July 17 refused to cut the fiscal 2004 appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior and other agencies (HR 2691) by 1 percent, or $194 million. This preserved more than $19 billion in the bill for the budget year beginning in October. The bill awaits Senate action. A yes vote backed the across-the-board cut. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Voted to Circumvent 1997 Balanced Budget Law to Fund 2000 Census at Level Requested by Clinton Administration. Ryan Voted for the conference report of the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill. According to CQ, the measure provides all the funds requested by the administration for the 2000 census, and places no restrictions on the use of the funds. The measure would declare the $4.5 billion in census funding to be emergency funds that do not count against the budget caps set by the 1997 balanced budget law. [Roll Call 518, H 2670, 10/20/1999; Congressional Quarterly, 10/20/99]

CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING
Ryans Congressional Office Spent $894,376 In 2000, The Wisconsin Average Was $856,355. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, OFFICIAL EXPENSES Personnel compensation and mail to constituents are two components of the cost of Wisconsins seats in the U.S. House of Representatives... Ryan 894,376 Average $856,355. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/27/01]

Spending Criticism
Ryan Created Budget Boondoggle Award To Highlight What He Considered Wasteful Spending. According to the Associated Press, Congressman Paul Ryan and other Republican lawmakers have unveiled their version of the late Sen. William Proxmires Golden Fleece award, which highlighted wasteful federal spending. Ryan, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and several other legislators invoked Proxmires name when announcing their Budget Boondoggle Award Tuesday. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and today, we strive to imitate Senator Proxmire, Ryan said. [Associated Press, 10/17/07] Ryan Said The U.S. Only Had A Few Years To Fix Its Economy Before Becoming Like Socialist Europe. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) on how both the GOP, Democrats are responsible for the massive national debt, warns drastic measures could be needed in the future. When asked how did this problem originate, Rep. Paul Ryan says it was made by Washington politics who made a whole bunch of empty promises they could not keep. Rep. Ryan says 9/11 was also a huge hurdle to the economy in the early part of the decade. Rep. Ryan warns we only have a few years to fix our economy or else we will turn into a socialist European country. [States News Service, 4/2/11] Ryan Warned That The U.S. Could End Up Like European Countries If Deficit Was Not Reduced. According to the Miami Herald, He warned that without swift action on the deficit, the U.S. could end up like European countries -- Greece, Ireland -- imposing austerity measures and increasing taxes. We still have time, Ryan said. But not much time. If we continue down our current path, we know what our future will be...Their day of reckoning has arrived. Ours is around the corner. That is why we have to act now. [Miami Herald, 1/26/11] Ryan Warned That If The Government Did Not Reform Entitlements, They Would Collapse And Bury The Next Generation In Debt. According to U.S. News, In a recent debate with David Brooks, Ryan warned that, Should the government fail to reform entitlements, those very programs will collapse under their own weight and bury the next generation under a crushing debt. [U.S. News, 12/15/10] Ryans Young Guns Book Argued That Republicans Couldnt Afford To Make Wasteful Spending And Corruption Mistakes Of The Past. According to The Janesville Gazette, Ryans hoping the Republicans retake the House, 98

of course, but he wants the new Republican faces to be Young Guns. The Young Guns book will say that the GOP cannot afford to make the mistakes it made in the past, especially wasteful spending and corruption, Ryan said. Ryan said hes looking for sincere reformers who will stand up to pressure to go along to get along. Ive been here long enough to know that you need people who have strong character and strong principles to survive this system and this town, Ryan said. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/22/10] Ryan Said The U.S. Was Practicing Japanese Economics By Borrowing Beyond Reason, Which He Said Could Produce A Lost Decade. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on CNBCs The Kudlow Report, host Larry Kudlow asked You were at this Chamber of Commerce jobs for America summit. Can you just tell us right at the top what you told the conference today? Ryan replied: The moderator, Mort Kondracke, asked me, are we going to have a double dip or a lost decade? I dont know about a double dip, thats possible, but I think were doing everything we could ever do to produce a lost decade. Were practicing Japanese economics. Were borrowing way beyond reason. Our debt doubles in five years, triples in 10 years. The top marginal tax rate from the laws passed in this Congress goes to 44.8 percent. You throw state income tax rates on top of that, and that means small businesses, S Corps, LLCs are going to get hit with an above-50 percent tax rate in most states. Were raising capital gains taxes. Were raising dividends taxes. So were increasing taxes on capital, on job creation and entrepreneurial activity. Were borrowing ungodly sums, so were going to put high pressure on interest rates. And we have a carried trade with our banks, which, if interest rates start going up in the short term or even we have some fast growth, then banks are underwater and we have our own lost decade scenario. And so what I said is, we should go and do the opposite -- low taxes, sound money, certainty with tax policy, regulatory policy. Those are the things we ought to do to be growing out of this recession and creating jobs. [Federal News Service, 7/14/10] Ryan Said There Was A Capital Strike By Businesses Who Were Not Investing. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on CNBCs The Kudlow Report, Ryan said: I talked to the largest banker in Wisconsin just the other day. And their lines of credit that are open for large businesses are being tapped at about 11 percent, the lowest ever in recorded history since theyve been opening up lines of credit for businesses. So yes, theres a capital strike. And theres a capital strike, because look whats coming ahead. Youve got two waves of big tax increases. Youve got much higher interest rates in the future because of the borrowing binge we have because of our monetary policy. And then all this regulatory uncertainty. Every week that goes by, theres a new launch of unpredicted regulations coming from the executive branch. And so theyre sitting on their hands, because they dont know if they should take a risk, if they should hire people, if they should deploy capital, because they dont know if they can get return on their investment. [Federal News Service, 7/14/10] Ryan Invoked Debt Crisis Of The 1780s To Describe How Federal Deficit Could Result In Violence Inflation, And Loss Of Trust In Government. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote: Can we learn anything from the financial upheavals of the 1780s that might guide us today? Financial collapse wrecked the new American economy and foreign trade, brought civil violence, set states against each other and endangered our nations moral character. Every state acted like a separate nation. [] The reign of violence peaked when upward of 2,000 men tried to capture the national arsenal in Springfield but were driven off by state militia. From this history, we see that a debt crisis dissolves social bonds, weakening economic, personal, social, moral and political relationships. As government monetizes the debt to meet rising interest rates, inflation is unleashed and the currency devalued. Money whose future value is unpredictable cannot serve its most important purpose, to provide a common rule to equate goods, services and work effort. When social transactions are undermined, people lose trust in one another. A society without trust cannot long remain free. A paralyzed democratic government, unwilling to act against a predictable threat, such as a growing debt crisis, invites popular contempt and resistance. [] [States News Service, 7/4/10] Ryan Said Lawmakers Should Handle Debt Crisis In The Same Manner They Would An Invading Army. According to States News Service, in a press release, Ryan wrote: Recent polls show a near majority believe their government has now become the chief danger to their rights. Americas looming debt crisis challenges this experiment in democracy. Political leaders should meet this crisis with the same seriousness and determination they would bring against an invading army. There are no Madisons, Hamiltons and Washingtons to save us from our folly, nor do we need a new Constitution. Yet the courage, imagination, wisdom and public spirit that provided the founders with the plan to end Americas first debt crisis can also supply our needs. We only need leaders who will rise above narrow partisanship to confront our debt challenge and save our exceptional country. [States News Service, 7/4/10] Ryan Said Medicare, Medicaid And Social Security Were Out Of Control And Would Cause The Economy To Collapse. According to The Examiner, In a speech last week, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan spelled out the real reasons why , Obamas popularity is sinking and why his crazy spending and congressional profligacy in general are so 99

upsetting to Americans. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, three giant entitlements, are out of control, Ryan noted. Exploding costs will drive our federal government and national economy to collapse. And the recession plus this Congress spending spree have accelerated the day of reckoning. Today, Medicare is $38 trillion short of its promised benefits, Ryan continued. In five years, the hole will grow to $52 trillion. Your familys share of this gap is $458,000. Medicaid will add trillions more in state and federal debt. Ryans truth-telling continued: Social Securitys surplus is already gone, and its debt is mounting. Unless its finances are strengthened, the government will be forced to cut benefits nearly 25 percent or raise payroll taxes more than 30 percent. [The Examiner, 4/5/10] Ryan Said Entitlements Would Cause The Most Predictable Economic Crisis In History. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on MSNBCs The Dylan Ratigan Show, Ryan said: Well, this is the most predictable economic crisis weve ever had in the history of this country. We know its timing, we know its nature, and we know what we need to do to prevent it. We will have a debt crisis in this country that will come to us pretty quickly if we dont do anything. Look, the General Accountability Office last year told us, for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, were $62 trillion in the hole. You know what theyre telling us this year? That number is now $76 trillion, just from last year to this year. So we are courting a huge debt crisis, which means lower standards of living for future generations -- which means -- massive debt and massive debt crises like what you see in Greece, if we dont head this off at the pass. And thats why Im simply saying do it now. Its far less painful if you do it now versus if you kick the can down the road. [Federal News Service, 3/10/10] Ryan Said Budget Process Was Designed To Keep Spending And Taxes High. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The problem, says Ryan, lies in the way Congress budgets. Under a process dating to the 1970s, Congress passes a budget that isnt binding, that too easily adds money for emergencies and that is riddled with add-ons that could never survive on their own merits. So Republicans find themselves spending $50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa, to use one of Ryans examples. It is a system designed to keep spending and taxes high, he says, and with the power to earmark spending, it has let Republicans prove that they are as human as were Democrats before them. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/8/06]

100

BUSINESS
Small Businesses
Ryan Voted to Cut Taxes by 20 Percent for Small Businesses. On April 19, 2012, Ryan voted for the Small Business Tax Cut Act, a bill that would cut taxes 20% for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. According to the Los Angeles Times, Despite a veto threat from President Obama, the Republican-led House approved a 20% election-year tax cut for most companies intended to entice them to pick up the pace of hiring and, thus, boost the economy. Critics said the tax cuts for companies with fewer than 500 employees would add $46 billion to the deficit and do little to create jobs. Obama and Democrats attacked the legislation as unfairly favoring wealthier small-business owners, celebrities and sports teams. [Roll Call 177, H 9, 04/19/2012; Los Angeles Times, 4/20/12] Ryan Voted to Require Agencies to Identify Costs and Increase Small Business Input, Impose Unnecessary Procedural Requirements. On December 1, 2011, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would give the Small Business Administration new powers to ensure federal agencies comply with the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980. According to Government Executive, The Republican-controlled House made good on promises by passing two far-reaching regulatory reform bills long sought by many in industry, though the White House has vowed to veto both bills. []On Thursday, the House voted 263-159 for the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 527), which would require agencies to step up efforts to identify costs that new regulations could impose on small businesses, write the regulations in ways that reduce costs and increase input from small businesses in the process. [] A White House statement issued before the vote Thursday said the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act would impose unneeded and costly analytical and procedural requirements on agencies that would prevent them from performing their statutory responsibilities. It would also create needless regulatory and legal uncertainty and increase costs for businesses and further impede the implementation of common-sense protections for the American public. [Roll Call 880, H 527, 12/01/2011; Government Executive, 12/2/11] Ryan Voted for Repealing Burdensome Reporting Requirement for Small Businesses. On March 3, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of repealing new tax-reporting requirements felt to be too burdensome on small businesses. According to the New York Times, The House voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to repeal burdensome tax-reporting requirements that were imposed on small businesses to help pay for the expansion of health insurance coverage under the new health care law. [] Under the law, businesses must file reports with the Internal Revenue Service on Form 1099 identifying most providers of goods or services to whom they pay $600 or more in a year. [] Small businesses said the law would impose a huge administrative burden, requiring them to hire accountants and buy computer software to report routine purchases of office equipment, food, gasoline, lumber and thousands of other items. [] The new health care law requires most Americans to carry health insurance, starting in 2014. People with modest incomes will be eligible for subsidies, or tax credits, to help them afford the premiums. The amount of the subsidy is based on a persons income, estimated from tax returns for prior years. People may be required to repay some or all of the tax credit if their actual incomes prove to be higher than estimated. The House bill increases the amount that people may have to repay. [Roll Call 162, H 4, 03/03/2011; New York Times, 03/04/11] Paul Ryan Voted Against Increasing Lending and Lowering Taxes For Small Businesses. Paul Ryan voted against a motion to concur in the Senate amendment that would establish several small business initiatives, including a $30 billion smallbusiness lending fund administered by the Treasury Department, with funds directed to community banks and a revival of an expired bonus depreciation provision to allow companies to write off assets more quickly. The cost would be offset with increased penalties for failing to file information returns, new limits on paper-makers ability to claim a biofuel tax credit and new rules on tax-delinquent federal contractors. Scott Hauge, president of Small Business California, called it a really, really big deal, and said the legislation will save many owners from bankruptcy by reducing tax burdens and making it easier to get loans. [Roll Call 539, H 5297, 09/23/2010] Ryan Voted Against the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010. On June 17, 2010, Ryan voted against the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010. Congressional Quarterly reported that the House passed legislation to boost lending to small businesses Thursday, with Democrats framing it as much-needed help for Main Street and Republicans deriding it as a wasteful bailout. The bill (HR 5297), passed 241-182, would establish a $30 billion lending fund to invest in financial institutions like community banks in hopes of expanding the availability of credit to small businesses. The fund would be administered by the Treasury Department [...] The bill also would create a $2 billion state small-business credit initiative, which 101

would assist state and municipal programs that provide small businesses access to capital, and a $1 billion Small Business Administration program to make investments in early stage small businesses. [Roll Call 375, H 5297, 06/17/2010; Congressional Quarterly, 06/17/10.] Paul Ryan Voted Against Tax Breaks For Companies Who Hire Workers And Small Business Tax Breaks. Paul Ryan voted against a motion to concur with a Senate amendment that would exempt employers from Social Security payroll taxes for certain hires made in 2010 and would expand the Build America Bonds program and extend the Highway Trust Fund and certain transportation safety programs through Dec. 31, 2010. It also would extend through 2010 the ability of small businesses to deduct $250,000 of qualified property purchases from income taxes in the year of purchase. It also included changes to the payment structure for certain tax credit bond programs and delay by one more year the effective date of new interest allocation rules for multinational companies. [Roll Call 90, H 2847, 03/04/2010] Ryan Co-Sponsored A Bill That Would Allow Small Businesses Purchase Health Insurance Through Trade Associations. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Small businesses in Wisconsin, beset with ever-rising health insurance costs, would be helped by a bill passed last week in the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow small businesses to purchase health insurance through trade associations. Thats the claim of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) who cosponsored the bill approved Thursday in a 262 to 162 vote. The bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, where Ryan said Friday he feels it will pass, although on a closer vote. Escalating costs are making it tougher and tougher for Wisconsins small businesses to offer good health care coverage for their workers, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/23/03]

Regulation
Ryan Said Environmental Regulations Scared Businesses And Stifled Capital. According to the Federal News Service, in an interview on CNBCs The Kudlow Report, Ryan said: weve got to make sure that these regulations dont come from out of left field like were seeing all of the time. Things like cap and trade. If it goes down in the Senate, what were hearing is, the EPAs going to do it anyway. Those kinds of regulations are scaring businesses, especially manufacturers in Wisconsin, and its stifling capital. [Federal News Service, 7/14/10] Ryan Voted Against Regulating the Manufacturing, Sale and Promotion of Tobacco Products. In 2009, Ryan opposed a bill to give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the production and marketing of tobacco products. The agency could require tobacco companies to change their products to reduce their harmful health effects, including reducing levels of nicotine or menthol. The FDA would not be able to require companies to eliminate nicotine completely or ban tobacco products. The bill imposed strict marketing restrictions on tobacco companies, within a year they would no longer be able to advertise on outdoor billboards or signs near schools and playgrounds. They would also not be able to give away non-tobacco products or sell cigarettes in vending machines outside of adult-only locations. [Roll Call 187, H 1256, 04/02/2009; CQ Weekly, 4/06/09] Ryan Voted against Bill to Regulate Tobacco Products. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration broad new powers to regulate tobacco products and their advertising. Specifically, the bill would allow the FDA to restrict the sale and distribution of tobacco products, including advertising and promotion, if the agency determines that it is necessary to protect public health. The bill would also require the FDA to establish tobacco product standards to protect the public health, but prohibit the agency from banning any class of tobacco products, such as all cigarettes, or reducing the nicotine level to zero. The bill passed 326-102. [Roll Call 542, H 1108, 07/30/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Congressional Quarterly]

102

CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES


Ryan Voted in Favor of Protections for Journalists and Confidential Sources. On October 16, 2007, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to protect journalists and their right not to disclose confidential sources. According to the Washington Post, Setting up a potential confrontation with the Bush administration over press freedoms, the House on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation to extend new protections to journalists and their confidential sources. The so-called shield law would for the first time establish standards that limit the power of federal authorities to compel reporters to testify or to disclose documents and unidentified sources they have used in their reporting. [] Media groups also softened their demands, agreeing to exceptions that would allow a federal judge to compel disclosure of documents or sources if it would prevent an act of terrorism or if a source would be critical to resolving a criminal case. Responding to criticism from the Bush administration, the sponsors also added an exception Tuesday to allow a judge to order disclosure if it is essential to the investigation or prosecution of a leak of classified information. The exception requires a judge to find that the unauthorized leak has caused or will cause significant and articulable harm to the national security. And in a concession to business groups that had opposed the bill, the measure allows a judge to order the disclosure of individuals who have divulged trade secrets or private medical records protected by federal law. [Roll Call 973, H 2102, 10/16/2007; Washington Post, 10/17/07] Paul Ryan Voted to Condemn Media Leaks of Classified Information. In 2006, Paul Ryan voted to express support for intelligence and law enforcement programs to track terrorists and terrorist finances as well as condemn the disclosure and publication of classified information that relate to such programs. It also states that the House expects the cooperation of all news media by not disclosing classified intelligence programs. The resolution was adopted 227-183. [Roll Call 357, S 895, 06/29/2006; CO Today, 6/29/06] Ryan Said That It Was Time To Move On From Trent Lotts Racial Comments And That He Brought It To Himself. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Washington -- A great, pained sigh of relief. Thats how many top Republicans, worn and beleaguered by the controversy, greeted Trent Lotts decision to step down as Senate majority leader. I think we can now move on, said House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville. This was being drubbed out on 24-hour news channels every five minutes. He was really setting us back in our plans to do outreach to minorities. . . . It just offends reasonable people. Any positive reference to segregation whatsoever offends any reasonable thinking person. It offends the (political) middle. It offends me. In interviews Friday, leading Republicans in Wisconsin defended their party broadly on matters of race. But they expressed little sympathy for Lott, lamented the political fallout from his recent comments and unambiguously welcomed his decision to give up his leadership post. Did the press pile on? Sure. Did Democrats seize the opportunity? Yes. But did Trent Lott bring us to this situation on the first place? Yes. Perception is reality, said Ryan. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/21/02] Ryan Believed That Trent Lott Should Resign As Senate Majority Leader After His Racial Insensitive Comments. According to Capital Times, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, says Trent Lott should resign as Senate majority leader because of comments he made about Sen. Strom Thurmonds pro-segregationist 1948 presidential campaign. I think he should go. I dont think he should be majority leader, Ryan said of Lott. Lott, senior senator from Mississippi, said Mississippians were proud to have supported Thurmond, R-S.C., for president when he ran as a segregationist Dixiecrat. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldnt have had all these problems over all these years, either, Lott said. Lott has apologized repeatedly for his remarks, but the comments triggered a barrage of criticism that threatens to clip his grip on power. Ryan did not call for Lott to resign his Senate seat. [Capital Times, 12/18/03]

Affirmative Action
Ryan Believed That Affirmative Action Treated Discrimination With Discrimination. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan said people have a moral responsibility to respect people of other races, but he said the government should not overcompensate with affirmative action programs. It treats discrimination with discrimination, he said. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/9/98]

103

Flag Burning
Ryan Consistently Supported Ban on Flag Burning. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of amending the United States Constitution to give Congress the authority to prohibit physically desecrating of the U.S. flag. The resolution was aimed at a 1989 Supreme Court ruling that reversed the conviction of a Texas man under state law for desecration of a venerated object after he burned a flag at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Houston. If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable, wrote former Associate Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Congress responded to the ruling with a law that criminalized flag burning. The Supreme Court struck down that law as unconstitutional in 1990. The amendment passed 286-130, with the necessary 2/3 majority to move to the Senate [Roll Call 296, S 10, 06/22/2005; CQ Today, 6/23/05] Ryan Supported Ban on Flag Burning. Ryan voted in favor of a joint resolution to propose a Constitutional amendment to state that Congress shall have the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. The resolution passed, 298-125 [Roll Call 232, S 36, 07/17/2001] Ryan Voted for Constitutional Amendment to Protect the Flag. Ryan voted in favor of the joint resolution to propose a Constitutional amendment to state that Congress shall have the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. [Roll Call 252, S 33, 06/24/1999]

Pledge of Allegiance
Ryan Supported Stripping Federal Courts Of Jurisdiction Over Constitutional Issues Involving The Pledge Of Allegiance. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 247 for and 173 against, the House passed a bill to strip federal courts of jurisdiction over constitutional issues involving the Pledge of Allegiance. This gives state courts the sole right to determine whether under God can be included in the pledge. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04] Ryan Opposed Supreme Court Jurisdiction Over State Rulings Involving The Constitution And Pledge Of Allegiance. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Members defeated 202 for and 217 against, an amendment to the bill above to allow the Supreme Court but not lower federal courts to review of state rulings involving the Pledge of Allegiance and the Constitution. A yes vote backed Supreme Court jurisdiction. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04] Ryan Voted to Prohibit Courts from Hearing Cases Challenging the Constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. In September 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would prohibit federal district and appellate courts and the Supreme Court from hearing cases challenging the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. It would allow the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to continue considering such cases. The vote succeeded, 247-173. [Roll Call 467, H 2028, 09/23/2004]

Privacy
Ryan Voted against Additional Privacy Protections for Warrantless Surveillance Act. In 2007, Ryan opposed a bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to provide for the acquisition of electronic surveillance with constitutional protections and court oversight. The bill would allow the government to continue collecting electronic surveillance on people outside of the U.S. without a warrant for up to one year but would strengthen the FISA courts oversight and privacy protections by requiring frequent audits and for a warrant to be obtained when Americans are targeted for surveillance. The bill did not provide immunity to telecommunications companies who participated in Bushs warrantless surveillance program. The bill passed 227-189 [Roll Call 1120, H 3773, 11/15/2007; Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi press release, 11/15/07] Ryan Supported Allowing the Federal Government to Seize Library Records. In 2005, Ryan voted against an amendment curtailing the FBIs ability to seize library and bookstore records for terrorism investigations. One provision of the 104

Patriot Act made it possible for the FBI to obtain a wide variety of personal records about a suspected terrorist -- including library transactions -- with an order from a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, where the government must meet a lower threshold of proof than in criminal courts. Under the amendment, officials would have to get search warrants from a judge or subpoenas from a grand jury to seize records about a suspects reading habits. Some libraries said they were disposing of patrons records more quickly because of the provision, which opponents viewed as a license for fishing expeditions. President Bush threatened to veto any measure that weakens those powers. The amendment was adopted, 238-187. [Roll Call 258, H 2862, 06/15/2005; Washington Post, 6/16/05] Ryan Supported Do-Not-Call Registry. Ryan voted in favor of legislation to ratify the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to establish a do-not-call registry. [Roll Call 521, H 3161, 09/25/2003] Ryan Voted in Favor of an Intelligence Authorization Bill that Expanded the Types of Businesses whose Records can be Seized Without a Court Order. On November 20, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of the 2004 intelligence authorization bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, a fiscal 2004 intelligence authorization bill (HR 2417) was ready for final congressional action Friday after an 11th-hour controversy about provisions expanding the FBIs power to demand financial records from businesses.[] While the intelligence budget is classified, it was believed to be about $40 billion for fiscal 2003. [] Some lawmakers expressed concern over the little noticed Senate-drafted provision, which would broaden the definition of a financial institution contained in the Financial Privacy Act of 1978. Under current law, the FBI may demand financial records in terrorism cases -- without a court or grand jury order -- from banks, credit unions and other traditional financial institutions. The new provision would define a financial institution to include such entities as car dealerships, pawnbrokers, travel agencies and casinos. [] One of the bills declassified provisions would establish a new Office of Intelligence and Analysis in the Treasury Department. The unit would coordinate foreign intelligence gathering and analysis on financial flows going to terrorist organizations. [] In addition, the bill would authorize funds to improve information-sharing of raw intelligence among intelligence agencies. It calls for a single government wide terrorist watch list under the auspices of the newly created Terrorist Screening Center. It also asks the CIA to provide an Iraq lessons learned report to Congress no later than a year after the bills enactment. [Roll Call 649, H 2417, 11/20/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 11/20/03; Washington Post, 11/23/03]

Religion
Ryan Voted To Reaffirm In God We Trust As The National Motto. On November 1, 2011 Ryan voted to reaffirm the phrase in god We trust as the national motto. According to the Chicago Tribune, With overwhelming bipartisan support, the Republican-led chamber voted Tuesday to reaffirm In God We Trust as the official motto of the United States and encourage the mottos display in all public schools and buildings. The resolution drew praise from Christian conservatives who see an effort to withdraw references to God from the public sphere. Whereas if religion and morality are taken out of the marketplace of ideas, the very freedom on which the United States was founded cannot be secured, read the resolution, introduced by Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va. Critics saw the vote as unnecessary and an attempt to gin up support from the GOP base. I think we know by now that this Congress likes God. Can we move on? said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. [Roll Call 816, S 13, 11/01/2011] Paul Ryan Voted Against Restrictions on Federally Funded Faith-Based Groups. On July 19, 2001, Paul Ryan voted against the Democratic substitute amendment to HR 7 that forbids federally funded religious social service providers from employment discrimination based on religion. The measure disallowed the pre-emption of any state or local civil rights law by any bill provision and prohibited religious groups from conducting sectarian activities at the same time and place that they carried out federally funded social programs. The bill struck a bill provision allowing indirect aid to be used for religious purposes. The House rejected the amendment 168-261. [Roll Call 252, H 7, 07/19/2001] Ryan Voted For Passage Of A Bill Prohibiting Government Infringement On An Individuals Religion. Ryan voted for a bill to prohibit the government from interfering with an individuals religious practices unless the government can prove the action is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling state interest. The bill would alter court procedures involving religious matters by requiring the government to prove that the individuals rights were not violated, instead of the current standard where the individual must prove his rights were violated. [Roll Call 299, H 1691, 07/15/1999]

105

Terror Suspects
Ryan Voted Allow Warrantless Surveillance of Foreign Terrorists. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to expand the authority of the attorney general and the director of National Intelligence to conduct surveillance of one suspected foreign terrorist to another without a court warrant. Under the bill, communications companies would be compelled to comply with the governments conduct of such surveillance. The administration would be required to provide the FISA court with a description of the procedures they used to determine whether the intelligence acquisition being conducted without a warrant is directed at foreign targets overseas within 10 days of initiating the electronic surveillance. The FISA court would then approve or disapprove of the measures. The bill included a six-month sunset clause. The bill was considered a top legislative priority for President Bush, who threatened to keep Congress in session until it was passed. By passing a FISA modernization bill that the president can sign before we go home for recess, the Senate has taken immediate and decisive action to improve the security of our country, said Senator Mitch McConnell (RKY). The ACLU strongly opposed the bill, claiming that the bill gave unconstitutional authority to the Bush administration to conduct warrantless dragnets of Americans international phone calls and emails. [Roll Call 836, S 1927, 08/04/2007; Congressional Quarterly; CQ Today, 8/3/07] Ryan Supported Establishing Military Tribunal Process for Alien Terrorist Suspects. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that lends legislative support for the first time to broad rules for the detention, interrogation, prosecution and trials of terrorism suspects. The measure created new military tribunals or commissions to try alien terrorists, allowed prosecutors to make only certain portions of classified evidence available to defendants, permitted trials to proceed without the presence of the defendant if the judge finds that the defendant was disruptive, and provided for an appeals process for those convicted by military commissions. It barred detainees from filing habeas corpus suits challenging their detentions, thereby preventing detainees from initiating any judicial proceeding. The measure did not interpret U.S. treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions, but stated that the president has the authority to interpret the meaning of the Conventions through executive order and specified types of interrogation techniques that were deemed in violation of the Geneva treaties. The bill also codified the definition of an unlawful enemy combatant. According to the Washington Post, By writing into law for the first time the definition of an unlawful enemy combatant, the bill empowered the executive branch to detain indefinitely anyone it determines to have purposefully and materially supported anti-U.S. hostilities...At the same time, the bill immunizes U.S. officials from prosecution for cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees who the military and the CIA captured before the end of last year. [Roll Call 508, S 3930, 09/29/2006; CQ House Action Report, 109-46; Washington Post, 9/29/06] Ryan Supported Authorizing Bushs Terrorist Surveillance Program. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that set ground-rules for Bushs warrantless wiretapping program, also known as the terrorist surveillance program. The bill allowed the president to authorize electronic surveillance of communications by suspected terrorists for specified periods without first obtaining approval from the special, secret court established by the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Under the bill, such warrantless surveillance could be conducted for up to 90 days if an armed or terrorist attack against the United States has occurred, or if there is an imminent threat that is likely to cause death or widespread harm in this country. In all such instances, however, the president must notify the Congressional Intelligence committees and the FISA court of such surveillance. The original version of the bill would have authorized those expanded powers only post-attack, but the Bush administration sought, and got, the additional authority preceding an attack as well. The bill would have the effect of authorizing the NSA program with some changes, since the bills sponsor, Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) said the president would have the authority to determine and certify to Congress when the country is in a time of post-attack - the trigger that would allow warrantless surveillance. Wilson said she believed the nation was currently in a time of post-attack. Many Democrats repeatedly stressed that while spying on terrorists was important, the bill would not protect the rights of innocent U.S. citizens. The bill passed 232-191. [Roll Call 502, H 5825, 09/28/2006; CQ House Action Report]

Voting
Ryan Supported Requiring Government Issued ID to Vote, Disenfranchising Millions of Americans. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill requiring that voters show government issued ID in order to vote by 2008 and requiring proof of US citizenship in order to vote by 2010. The latter provision was of particular concern as most Americans currently do not possess government issued ID that denotes their citizenship status. In 48 states, a drivers license does not reflect ones 106

citizenship status, so by 2010, a drivers license would not be sufficient. This bill would disenfranchise millions of Americans particularly the elderly, people with disabilities, and minorities. Democrats charged that the bill was one in a series of attempts by Republicans to suppress the vote to keep Republicans in power. Federal law already prohibits non-citizens from voting in national elections and from providing false information about citizenship when registering. Both provisions carry prison time and stiff financial penalties. Democrats charged that the bill would institute a 21st Century poll tax, as documents denoting citizenship can be expensive. Only 25% of Americans own a passport, which costs $97 and reissued Naturalization papers cost $210. Democrats argued that the bill would particularly disenfranchise the elderly who often do not have drivers licenses or have lost their birth certificates. The bill passed 228-196. [Roll Call 459, H 4844, 09/20/2006; Leadership Document, Vote No On GOP Voter Id Bill - A Partisan Attempt to Disenfranchise Millions of Voters, 9/20/06] Ryan Supported 25 Year Extension of Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a 25 year extension of expiring portions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. The bill was supposed to come up for a vote, but ran into difficulties when some southern Republicans complained that the reauthorization would continue to penalize their states for polling place-related discriminatory practices that they claim were resolved long ago. These Republicans offered four amendments to the bill, all of which Democrats described as poison pills. Among the provisions that the bill extended was Section 5, the pre-clearance section. Section 5 required that certain jurisdictions, with a history of discrimination in voting, obtain federal approval (or pre-clearance) prior to making any changes in voting, thus preventing the implementation of discriminatory practices. The bill also extended Section 203, which required certain jurisdictions to provide language assistance to citizens who have limited-English proficiency. The bill failed 390-33. [Roll Call 374, H 9, 07/13/2006; CQ Today, 7/12/06; Leadership Document, Democrats Support HR 9, the Bi-Partisan Voting Rights Extension Act, and Strongly Oppose All Amendments, 7/13/06]

107

CRIME AND SAFETY


Ryan Voted Against $2.7 Billion Legislative Appropriations Bill, Cutting the Capitol Police Force by 12%. On July 9, 2003, Ryan voted against a $2.7 billion dollar legislative branch appropriations bill that would cut the Capitol Police force budget by about 12%. Congressional Quarterly Today reported that, The primary focus of the House-Senate conference on HR 2657 will be the significant differences between the two chambers over funding for the U.S. Capitol Police force and the Capitol Visitor Center. The Senate bill would provide $240 million for the police -- the same as provided in 2003 in regular and emergency funds and enough for the force to continue hiring additional officers. By contrast, the House version would cut the police budget to $212 million. House appropriators expressed strong reservations about allowing the force to continue growing. [] As for the visitor center, the House bill includes no additional money to cover cost overruns on construction of the underground complex. The Senate bill would provide $48 million in additional funds, the smallest amount that would be needed to complete the center, according to a recent General Accounting Office review. [Roll Call 345, H 2657, 07/09/2003; Congressional Quarterly Today, 07/11/03]

Child Abuse
Ryan Voted for PROTECT Act, Creating AMBER Alert System and Establishing Stricter Punishments for Sex Offenders. On March 27, 2003, Ryan voted for the conference report on a bill that would create the AMBER alters system for missing children, provide additional protections for children and establish stricter punishments for sex offenders. Twotime child sex offenders would be subject to mandatory life sentences. The measure would make it a crime to pander visual depictions of children as child pornography. It would increase maximum sentences for several specified crimes against children and make it a crime to travel to foreign countries and engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. It also would expand law enforcements wiretap and electronic surveillance capabilities in investigations of child pornography. [Roll Call 127, S 151, 04/10/2003]

Domestic Violence
Ryan Voted for Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act that Does Not Offer Extend Protections for LGBT individuals, American Indians, and Illegal Immigrants. On May 16, 2012, Ryan voted for the House Republican version of the bill reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. According to Roll Call, Democrats pointed to three key differences between the House bill and a version passed by the Senate in April. The Senate bill included provisions offering explicit protection for lesbian, gay and transgender people as well as giving legal authority to American Indian tribes to prosecute domestic violence committed by non-American Indians. The House bill, meanwhile, put new restrictions on illegal immigrants who report domestic abuse, which Republicans said are designed to prevent immigration fraud but Democrats warn could result in victims failing to report abuse to police. Standing alongside the Democrats in their attack of the Republican bill were advocacy groups who said the changes in the Senate bill were important reforms to stop an epidemic of domestic violence. The groups spurned Republican overtures and a managers amendment designed to ameliorate their concerns, deciding on a conference call Tuesday to lobby vigorously against the bill. [Roll Call 258, H 4970, 05/16/2012; Roll Call, 5/17/12]

Drugs
Ryan Voted to Make Targeting of Methamphetamine Importation a Priority for the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. On July 19, 2005, Ryan voted to direct the State Department to make combating meth from Mexicos super drug labs a priority. The amendment authorizes but does not guarantee $4 million in 2006 and in 2007 for the department to work with Mexican law enforcement to crack down on meth smuggling into the United States, according to Gannett News Service. [Roll Call 387, H 2601, 07/19/2005; Gannett News Service, 07/20/2005] Ryan Opposed Additional Funding for Anti-Drug Enforcement Efforts. In 2003, Ryan voted against the Consolidated Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003, which included $525.4 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy: $226.4 108

million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, $20 million above the Presidents request; $145 million for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign; $70 million (full funding) for the Drug-Free Communities program. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program advanced the National Drug Control Strategy in the most critical drug trafficking areas of the country, including Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington/Baltimore, and Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands AND the Southwest Border. The purpose of the program was to empower equal local, State, and Federal partnerships to dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and drug money laundering organizations. The program primarily supported progressive initiatives such as co-located task forces, intelligence sharing and electronic networking of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies, and linkages between the criminal justice system and drug treatment. The bill passed 338-83. [Roll Call 32, S 2, 02/13/2003] Paul Ryan Opposed Funds for High Intensity Drug Program in 2000. Paul Ryan voted for the $29.1 billion Treasury Appropriations that represented an $824.5 million increase over the previous years funding. It funded the US Postal service, the Treasury Department, and Executive Office of the president, as well as $731 million for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and $8.9 billion for the Internal Revenue Service. [Roll Call 428, H 4871, 07/20/2000] Ryan Voted For $429.1 Million In Funding For The District Of Columbia That Included Ban On Using Federal Funds For Needle Exchange. On November 3, 1999 Ryan voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2000, which provided $429.1 million in federal funds for the District of Columbia and approved the Districts $6.8 billion budget. The measure also included a provision barring private clinics that receive federal money, such as Whitman-Walker, from distributing needles to drug addicts to curb the spread of AIDS and HIV. The measure passed 216-210. [Roll Call 562, H 3194, 11/03/1999]

MARIJUANA
Ryan Voted against Medical Marijuana. In 2007, Ryan voted against an amendment to protect state laws that allow the use of medical marijuana. The amendment was an attempt to bar the use of funds in the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill to prevent the implementation of state laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical reasons in certain states. The amendment was defeated 165-262. [Roll Call 733, H 3093, 07/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed Medical Marijuana in 2005. In 2005, Ryan voted against an amendment to undercut a Supreme Court decision that the government can prosecute medical marijuana users, even when state laws permit doctor-prescribed use of the drug. Specifically, the proposal would have blocked the Justice Department from prosecuting people in the 10 states where the practice was legal including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington State. Advocates argued that marijuana was the only way that many chronically ill people, such as AIDS and cancer patients, could relieve their symptoms. Opponents said the amendment would undercut efforts to combat marijuana abuse and argued that Marinol, a government-approved prescription drug that contains the active ingredient in marijuana, offers comparable relief. The amendment was rejected, 161-264. [Roll Call 255, H 2862, 06/15/2005; AP, 6/15/05]

Guns
Ryan Voted for Including Firearms in Exempt Bankruptcy Items. On July 28, 2010 Ryan voted for the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would add firearms valued at up to $3,000 to the list of items exempted from repossession during the bankruptcy process. According to the Washington Post, the bill would permit people filing for bankruptcy to exempt up to three firearms with an aggregate value of $1,500 or less from creditors claims. The exemption applies to pistols, rifles and shotguns. [Roll Call 479, H 5827, 07/28/2010; Washington Post 8/5/2010] Ryan Voted to Set Civil Penalties for Gun License Violations. On September 26, 2006 Ryan voted to advance a bill that would set civil penalties for gun license violations. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the bipartisan bill would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives more tools to punish federally licensed gun dealers who break U.S. firearm-sale rules. It was passed on a vote of 277-131. [] As many as 98 percent of gun dealers federal violations now result in nothing more than a letter of reprimand, or a meeting with ATF officials in their offices, [Rep. Robert C.] Scott said during debate of the bill Monday. [] The bill also directs the inspector general for the Justice Department to review the ATFs gunshow enforcement program. [Roll Call 476, H 5092, 09/26/2006; Richmond Times-Dispatch, 09/27/06] 109

1999: Paul Ryan Supported Republican Cuts to COPS program. Paul Ryan voted in favor of an appropriations bill that cut funding for the COPS program by $1 billion. The bill passed, 217-210. [Roll Call 387, H 2670, 08/05/1999; CQ Breaking News, 8/06/99] Ryan Supported Republican Cuts to COPS program. Ryan voted in favor of an appropriations bill that cut funding for the COPS program by $1 billion. The bill passed, 217-210 [Roll Call 387, H 2670, 08/05/1999; CQ Breaking News, 8/06/99] Ryan Voted for Protecting Gun Manufacturers and Dealers from Third-Party Misuse Law Suits. On October 20, 2005, Ryan voted for the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that the House cleared legislation last week that would shield gun manufacturers and dealers from being sued when third parties misuse their products. The Oct. 20 vote on the bill (S 397) -- 283-144 -- is a victory for the National Rifle Association and Republican efforts to overhaul the civil justice system by limiting liability lawsuits. [] Supporters say allowing such lawsuits is like taking car manufacturers to court when people drive drunk. They say the liability suits are often filed by anti-gun critics hoping to drive manufacturers out of business with exorbitant legal fees. House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., said such litigation threatens to bankrupt the national firearms industry and deny all Americans their fundamental, constitutionally guaranteed right to bear arms. Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen complained that what it actually does is protect those gun dealers who are engaged in wrongful, negligent sales of weapons to criminals. [Roll Call 534, S 397, 10/20/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 10/22/05]

GUN SAFETY
Ryan Supported Overturning Law Requiring Child Safety Locks on Handguns. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of an amendment to overturn a recently enacted law requiring safety trigger locks on all handguns sold in the United States. In 2005, President Bush signed legislation giving gun makers broad protections from civil lawsuits, but that law contained the mandatory trigger lock provision. The amendment reversed the trigger lock provision. The amendment passed 230-191. [Roll Call 343, H 5672, 06/28/2006; Reuters, 6/29/06] Paul Ryan Voted to Block Gun Liability. In April 2003, Paul Ryan voted for HR 1036, legislation blocking liability lawsuits against gun makers and sellers based on the criminal misuse of firearms. The legislation also blocked such actions against gun trade organizations and against ammunition makers and sellers. A maker or seller who knowingly and willfully violated state or federal laws in selling or marketing a weapon would still be subject to a civil lawsuit, and design and manufacturing defect lawsuits were also allowed when weapons were used as intended The legislation, which the House passed 285-140, retroactively applied to all pending lawsuits. [Roll Call 124, H 1036, 04/09/2003]

BACKGROUND CHECKS
Ryan Supported Weak Bill to Close Gun Show Loophole. The Columbine High School shooting was the deadliest school shooting in United States history. Two 17-year-old boys in Littleton, Colorado, procured two shotguns, an assault rifle and a TEC-9 assault pistol and shot 26 students, killing 13 of them before turning the guns on themselves. Subsequent investigation by the ATF found that all four of the weapons had passed through the hands of unlicensed dealers at gun shows. In the postSeptember 11th world, it can potentially be argued that the gun show loophole poses a threat to homeland security by giving potential access to firearms without a background check. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that undermined existing laws to prevent criminals from purchasing handguns by adding a background check standard for gun shows that actually reduced the time law enforcement officials had to conduct background checks in traditional gun purchases from three business days to twenty-four hours. [Roll Call 244, H 2122, 06/18/1999] Ryan Voted Against Amendment Requiring Gun Show Purchasers to Undergo Background Checks. Ryan voted against an amendment that required all gun show purchasers to undergo background checks in compliance with current federal law. The amendment would have required the extension of Brady background checks (3 business days) to all firearms sold at gun shows -- no exceptions. A gun show was described as any event where 50 or more firearms were offered or 110

exhibited for sale, transfer, or exchange; or at which two or more persons were offering or exhibiting one or more firearms for sale or transfer. The amendment was defeated, 193-235. [Roll Call 235, H 2122, 06/18/1999] Ryan Voted Against Amendment Requiring Gun Show Purchasers to Undergo Background Checks. Ryan voted against an amendment that required all gun show purchasers to undergo background checks in compliance with current federal law. The amendment would have required the extension of Brady background checks (3 business days) to all firearms sold at gun shows -- no exceptions. A gun show was described as any event where 50 or more firearms were offered or exhibited for sale, transfer, or exchange; or at which two or more persons were offering or exhibiting one or more firearms for sale or transfer. The amendment was defeated, 193-235 [Roll Call 235, H 2122, 06/18/1999] Ryan Supported an Amendment to Weaken Background Check Standards. Ryan voted for an amendment that weakened existing standards that provide law enforcement personnel with three business days to complete background checks. The amendment supported gave law enforcement only 24 hours for instant background checks at purchases made at gun shows. The amendment passed, 218-211. [Roll Call 234, H 2122, 06/18/1999]

GUN BANS
Ryan Voted to Repeal DC Gun Ban. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would repeal District of Columbia laws prohibiting firearm possession, including the possession of semiautomatic firearms. It would repeal the Districts requirements for firearm registration and the requirement that firearms be disassembled or secured with a trigger lock in the home. It would remove criminal penalties for possessing firearms in the home and allow the Districts residents to purchase firearms in Maryland and Virginia. In a victory for gun-rights advocates, the House passed legislation Wednesday that would broadly roll back District of Columbia gun laws. Lawmakers voted to amend narrower legislation by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton a substitute amendment by Travis W. Childers drawn from his broader measure (HR 6691). Eighty-two Democrats backed Childers in a vote that was a victory for the National Rifle Association (NRA), while nine Republicans voted against his amendment. The bill passed by a vote of 266 to 152. [Roll Call 601, H 6842, 09/17/2008]

CONCEAL CARRY LAWS


Ryan Voted To Let Permit Holders Carry Concealed Handguns Across State Lines. On November 16, 2011, Ryan voted to let permit holders carry concealed handguns across state lines. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House passed a proposal Wednesday to let permit holders carry concealed handguns across state lines, after rejecting repeated Democratic efforts to scale back the measures reach. The amended bill (HR 822), passed 272-154, would allow those with a valid state permit and photo identification to carry a concealed handgun into any state that allows its residents to carry a concealed weapon, as long as the permit holder is not prohibited by federal law from having a firearm. In the United States, only Illinois and the District of Columbia do not provide concealed-carry permits. [Roll Call 852, H 822, 11/16/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/16/11]

HUNTING HISTORY
Ryan Participated In A Deer Hunt That Was Intended To Help Eradicate Animal Diseases. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) donned blaze orange and set out early Saturday hoping their example would persuade Wisconsin hunters that their help is needed to combat the disease now more than ever During a news conference after their hunts, both Green and Ryan contended that federal funding for disease research was coming -- but money should not be considered the only need. The real necessity, they argued, is for more testing sites in the area. As hunting season approaches, hunters need to know that they can get disease results quickly. On Saturday, the congressmen reiterated requests that the U.S. Department of Agriculture reverse an earlier decision that keeps private labs from conducting tests. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/8/02]

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION


111

Public Campaign Revealed That Ryan Accepted $88,429 From Pro-Gun Groups For His 1998 Campaign. According to an Editorial by the Capital, The advertisements, placed by Public Campaign, a nonpartisan campaign finance reform group, reveal that Ryan accepted $ 88,429 from anti-gun control groups for his 1998 campaign Paul Ryan, a twenty-something political unknown who raised and spent more than $ 1 million to win his first ever electoral contest last year, owes the voters of southern Wisconsins 1st Congressional District some sort of signal that he has not been bought by the special interests that have so warped our national policies. He can send that signal this week -- both by joining mainstream Republicans in supporting sensible gun control measures now being considered by the House and, far more importantly, by making a firm commitment to clean up Americas corrupt system of financing campaigns Paul Ryan faces a simple choice. He can sign the House petition and join responsible Republicans such as Shays and U.S. Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Iowa, in their efforts to force a debate that could lead to campaign finance reform. Or he can prove his critics right by failing to sign the petition -- and thus confirming that he is, indeed, the paid servant of the special interest groups, including the gun lobby, that so generously financed his 1998 campaign. [The Capital, Editorial, 6/2/99] Ryan Said He Was Not Aware Of The Amount the Gun Lobby Had Donated To His Campaign. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was among 10 lawmakers criticized for taking money from the NRA in an ad published in The New York Times and Washingtons Roll Call. The ad, paid for by Public Campaign, read: Want guns out of our schools? Get gun money out of our politics. It identified Ryan, a freshman from Janesville, as the top House recipient of money from the gun lobby, having received $ 88,000 in the last election. Ryan said he was not aware of how much money had been contributed to his campaign on behalf of the gun lobby. [Wisconsin State Journal, 5/30/99] Ryan Was Financially Supported And Endorsed By The NRA In 1998. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NRA spokesman Bill Powers declined to comment on why the NRA chose to put money into the Neumann and Ryan campaigns or how the money would be used. NRAs Victory Fund disclosed it was doing independent spending in 26 congressional contests. The Wisconsin sums are among the larger NRA efforts. Gun issues and the NRA spending in the 1st District could be more critical because gun owners rights have become a bigger issue in the Spottswood-Ryan contest than in the Feingold-Neumann race. Spottswood declared herself pro-gun in September, noting that she owned guns herself and used them for target practice. Ryan, who has been endorsed by the NRA, chided Spottswood as insincere on the issue, noting she had made a motion as a Kenosha alderman to schedule a city handgun ban referendum in 1996. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/28/98]

Prisons
Ryan Supported Enabling Private Companies To Compete Against Federal Prison System For Government Contracts. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 350 for and 65 against, the House passed a bill enabling private companies to compete against the federal prison system for a range of government contracts. A yes vote was to pass the bill, which awaits Senate action. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03] Ryan Opposed Annual Justice Department Review On Whether Loss Of Prison Contracts Would Endanger Public Safety Or Security At Federal Prisons. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 91 for and 325 against, the House defeated an amendment requiring annual Justice Department reviews to determine whether the loss of prison contracts resulting from the bill above would endanger security at federal prisons or imperil public safety. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03]

Ryan Voted in Favor of Ending Preferential Federal Treatment of Prison-Made Goods, Raising Wages for Some Inmates. On November 6, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that phases out the requirement for federal agencies to first try and purchase goods from Federal Prison Industries. The bill also contained an amendment that raised wages to $2.50 an hour for some inmates. According to the Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, the measure would eliminate a requirement that government agencies shopping for at least $2,500 worth of goods or services must first try to buy them from the Federal Prison Industries (FPI), a 69-year-old program that employs inmates. [] The bill would phase out the mandatory source requirement, as the preference is called, over five years. FPI still could compete for government contracts but would not receive preferential treatment. [] By voice vote, the House adopted an amendment by Maxine Waters, D-Calif., that would boost the wages earned by some inmate workers. Under the amendment, inmates who have less than two years of their sentences left would earn $2.50 an hour. Typically, inmate workers earn up to $1.50 an hour. The chamber also adopted by 112

voice vote an amendment that would bar prison factories from competing for government contracts that under current law already are supposed to be reserved for small businesses. [Roll Call 612, H 1829, 11/06/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 11/06/03]

113

DEFENSE
Ryan Voted to Place Wartime Contractors Under the Jurisdiction of U.S. Courts. On October 4, 2007, Ryan voted to place contractors working in warzones under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. According to the Washington Post, Prompted by last months deadly shootings in Baghdad by armed guards working for Blackwater USA, the House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to place all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The 389 to 30 vote expanding the scope of the existing Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act came over the strong opposition of the Bush administration, which objected to its broad application to a wide range of contractors working for U.S. agencies overseas. The bill requires that contractor offenses that would be punishable by at least a one-year prison sentence if perpetrated in the United States be pursued under U.S. law. The Justice Departments inspector general would have to report to Congress on the status of Justice Department investigations of alleged contactor abuses. And the FBI would have to establish investigative units for each U.S. war zone where contractors are operating. Defense Department contractors already fall under U.S. and military law, but contractors working for other agencies often do not. Blackwater and two other private firms provide protective services to U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials in Iraq under a State Department contract. [Roll Call 940, H 2740, 10/04/2007; Washington Post, 10/05/07]

DOD Budgeting and Defense Spending


Ryan Opposed The Sequester As An Aide Described It As A Meat-Ax Approach According to the Hill, One step he has already decided upon is to exclude $500 billion in defense cuts that were mandated by last summers debt-ceiling deal. Those reductions are deeply unpopular with his GOP colleagues, and Ryan said his budget will offer a different way forward. Using the sequester is a meat-ax approach, a Ryan aide said. Cuts to defense have to be made based on an assessment of threats. I think replacing the sequester is where our conference is on this But keeping the defense cuts would likely be an even bigger problem for Ryan. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said hes prepared to offer an amendment to restore the Pentagon funding if the cuts are included in the Ryan budget, and it is vitally important that Republicans have unity behind their budget. Not one Democrat backed the Ryan measure last year, and four Republicans defected. [The Hill, 2/6/12] Ryan Said He Accepted Obamas Defense Cuts. According to a Bloomberg TV transcript, Ryan said, We cut Defense by $78 billion we take [Obamas] cuts. We accept his cuts, which havent occurred yet. And we accept the Presidents cuts. We actually agreed with the President on this point. [Bloomberg TV, 4/6/11] Ryan Said Waste In Defense Spending Should Be Reinvested In The Pentagon. According to The American Conservative, Ryan remains reluctant to cut defense spending. I dont see where the world is any safer, he says. He argues that any waste found in the Pentagon budget should be reinvested in other military expenditures rather than used for deficit reduction. [The American Conservative, 3/1/11] Ryan Said It Was The Responsibility Of The Appropriations Budget To Prioritize Spending, But Defense Spending Was The Most Important. According to a transcript of a Manhattan Institute event with Ryan at the National Press Club that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, I would reduce the entire discretionary cap And we prioritize -- and like I -- like I try to do is, I dont try to do the job of the Appropriations Committee. Theyre pretty guarded about their jurisdiction. So the way I look at Defense spending is, number one, let me say something thats probably counter to what you thought I was going to say. Everybody wants to have a peace dividend budget, but were not at peace. Cant have a peace dividend budget when we have two wars going on. [Federal News Service, 1/6/11] Ryan: I Would Rather See Savings Occur From Within The Pentagon Budget By Cleaning Up The Books Of The Pentagon And Then Plowing That Back Into The Pentagon. According to a transcript of a Manhattan Institute event with Ryan at the National Press Club that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, So I would rather see savings occur from within the Pentagon budget by cleaning up the books of the Pentagon and then plowing that back into the Pentagon to reduce the need to have these supplementals which occur outside of the budget and on top. That, to me, is the better way to go, but when it comes to Treasury spending, bring the entire cap down and force government to prioritize within. And when youre prioritizing, lets recognize the fact that we cant have a peace dividend in the budget in a time when were not at peace. [Federal News Service, 1/6/11] 114

Ryan Voted for Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. On May 18, 2012, Ryan voted for the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013 that would authorize programs and funding levels for Americas defense programs. According to the New York Times, the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year that begins in October, makes clear that House Republicans -- and many Democrats -- are opposed to including the Pentagon in the coming era of fiscal austerity. The $642 billion measure, approved 299 to 120, exceeds spending limits enshrined in the Budget Control Act of 2011 by $8 billion. Mr. Coffman (R-CO) proposed to remove the Armys permanent brigade combat teams stationed in Europe and replace them with a cheaper rotational force, not accompanied by family members, permanent housing and other support. Only 63 Republicans joined him, but that was enough to win approval, given the overwhelming support of Democrats. But over all, the defense bill proved the power of the Pentagon and its diffuse installations, even as Republicans push the nations fiscal straits to the top of the political agenda. An amendment by Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, to reduce spending by $8 billion and stick to statutory spending caps failed, 252 to 170, with 29 Democrats siding with 223 Republicans. The White House has raised concerns about several issues but has focused on three: overall spending levels, detainee policy and nuclear weapons deployments. Administration officials say the bill sets up onerous conditions on the retirement of nondeployed nuclear weapons and compliance with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which was ratified in late 2010. [Roll Call 291, H 4310, 05/18/2012; New York Times, 5/19/12] Ryan Voted for 2012 Defense Spending Conference Report. On December 14, 2011, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would authorize $662.4 billion in for defense programs in fiscal 2012, including approximately $115.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Washington Post, A sweeping defense bill that sparked a heated debate over the handling of terrorism suspects passed the Senate on Thursday afternoon and is headed to President Obamas desk after weeks of wrangling that included a veto threat from the White House. The $662 billion defense authorization bill was approved by the Senate 86 to 13 one day after the White House withdrew its threat to veto the measure over several controversial detainee provisions. The White House said those provisions would have been an infringement on its executive power. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House on Wednesday 283 to 136. The measure authorizes military funding for the fiscal 2012 at $27 billion less than Obamas request and $43 billion less than the amount Congress authorized for the fiscal 2011. The bill underwent last-minute revision Monday after lawmakers met with administration officials to address the White Houses concerns. The revised bill grants greater discretion to the administration over the implementation of the law and gives waiver authority to the president rather than the secretary of defense. [Roll Call 932, H 1540, 12/14/2011; Washington Post, 12/16/11] Ryan Voted to Defund an Alternative Engine Project for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. On February 16, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would reduce funding for Army and Air Force research, development, testing and evaluation by $450 million, with the aim of reducing funding by that amount for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter alternative engine. According to the Chicago Tribune, The House voted 233-198 to deny $450 million for the continued development of a second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a project opposed by the Pentagon but backed by House Speaker John Boehner. Republicans were split, but most Democrats voted to kill the project. [Roll Call 46, H 1, 02/16/2011; Chicago Tribune, 02/17/2011] Ryan Voted Against Reducing Funding for the V-22 Osprey. On February 15, 2011, Ryan voted against an amendment that would reduce funding for Navy aircraft procurement by $22 million and funding for Air Force aircraft procurement by $393 million, with the aim of reducing funding for the V-22 Osprey aircraft. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The proposal, by Lynn Woolsey of California, would prohibit the use of funds in the bill for research and development of the V-22 as well as the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. [Roll Call 43, H 1, 02/15/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 02/17/2011] Ryan Voted to Block Debate of Supplemental Funds for 2010. On July 01, 2010, Ryan voted against adoption of the rule that would provide for House floor consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill that would provide $58.8 billion in supplemental funds for fiscal 2010. Congressional Quarterly reported that House Democrats opted Thursday to put off enactment of the fiscal 2010 supplemental war spending bill, gambling that a previously reluctant Senate will agree to add domestic funding and that they can overcome a presidential veto threat. [] The House set the stage for the action when it adopted, 215-210, a complex rule for debate. The rule called for separate votes on domestic spending sought by retiring Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey, D-Wis., and the amendments designed to strike funds for military operations in Afghanistan or impose restrictions on that spending -- votes that stretched late into Thursday night. Adoption of the rule also resulted in the adoption of a one-year budget plan to guide fiscal 2011 spending by the House. [Roll Call 428, S 1500, 07/01/2010; Congressional Quarterly, 07/01/10] 115

Ryan Voted Against the $680.2 Billion Defense Authorization for FY 2010. On October 08, 2009, Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill that would authorize $680.2 billion in discretionary spending for defense programs in fiscal 2010, including approximately $130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other operations. It would authorize $244.4 billion for operations and maintenance; $150.2 billion for military personnel; $24.6 billion for military construction, family housing, and base closings; and $29.3 billion for the Defense Health Program. It would authorize a 3.4 percent pay raise for military personnel. It would prohibit detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from being transferred to U.S. soil until the president submits a plan to Congress and consults with the governors of affected states. It would extend, through 2010, bonus and special pay for military members, and make disabled retirees eligible for one year of concurrent military retirement and veterans disability payments. It would extend federal hate crimes laws to cover offenses motivated by a victims gender identity, sexual orientation or disability, and would prohibit attacks on military personnel based on their military service. [Roll Call 770, H 2647, 10/08/2009] Ryan Voted For Defense Authorization Bill, Including War Funding, Military Housing, Healthcare and Pay Increase. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would authorize $696.4 billion for defense programs in fiscal 2008, including $189.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill included $142.8 billion for operations and maintenance; $119.7 billion for military personnel; $23.7 billion for military construction and family housing and $23.1 billion for the Defense Health Program. The bill would also authorize a 2.5 percent pay increase for military personnel. The bill passed 36946 [Roll Call 11, H 4986, 01/16/2008; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted for Supplemental War Appropriations. On June 19, 2008, Ryan voted for the Obey, D-Wis., motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment that would appropriate $165.4 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including $99.5 billion for military operations for fiscal 2008 and $65.9 billion for fiscal 2009. [Roll Call 431, H 2642, 06/19/2008] Paul Ryan Voted to Fund War in Iraq. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted in favor of the final version of the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill. The bill would authorize national security programs in the Defense and Energy departments totaling $611 billion. The bill would include approximately $68 billion for expenses related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also included a 3.9 percent pay raise for military personnel. [Roll Call 631, S 3001, 09/24/2008; CQ Today, 9/24/08] Paul Ryan Voted for Pay Raise for Troops. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted in favor of the final version of the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill. The bill would authorize national security programs in the Defense and Energy departments totaling $611 billion. The bill would include approximately $68 billion for expenses related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also included a 3.9 percent pay raise for military personnel. [Roll Call 631, S 3001, 09/24/2008; CQ Today, 9/24/08] Paul Ryan Voted for $611 Billion in Defense Funds. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted in favor of the final version of the fiscal year 2009 defense authorization bill. The bill would authorize national security programs in the Defense and Energy departments totaling $611 billion. The bill would include approximately $68 billion for expenses related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also included a 3.9 percent pay raise for military personnel. [Roll Call 631, S 3001, 09/24/2008; CQ Today, 9/24/08] Ryan Voted for $696 Billion for Defense Programs. On December 12, 2007 Ryan voted to adopt the conference report on the bill to authorize $696.4 billion for defense programs in 2008. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The bill (HR 1585 -- H Rept 110-477) includes authorization to spend $189.4 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the actual funding for the wars would still have to be appropriated. [...] It includes a 3.5 percent increase in military pay, as well as a wounded warriors section intended to help military service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. [Roll Call 1151, H 1585, 12/12/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/12/07] Ryan Supported $94.5 Billion Emergency Supplemental Spending Bill. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a $94.5 billion emergency supplemental spending bill for hurricane relief and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The bill provided: $65.8 billion for defense-related expenditures, primarily for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; $19.8 billion for Katrina-related aid; $500 million for agriculture aid for Gulf Coast states; $4 billion for foreign assistance; $2.3 billion for avian flu preparedness; and $1.9 billion for border security. Components of the bill included $480 million for safer, armored Humvees; $2 billion to develop IED countermeasures; $3.7 billion for levee improvements; and $5.2 billion for Community Development Block Grants to Gulf Coast states. The bill passed 351-67. [Roll Call 257, H 4939, 06/13/2006; Leadership Document, Fact Sheet: Conference Report on HR 4939, FY 2006 Iraq/Katrina Supplemental, 6/12/06] 116

Ryan Voted in Favor of $427.4 Billion in Defense Appropriations. On June 20, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of the defense appropriations bill for 2007. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House passed a $427.4 billion fiscal 2007 Defense appropriations bill Tuesday that would provide billions less than President Bush requested for procurement, personnel, and operations and maintenance, prompting a veto threat.[] Overall, the bill would provide $19.1 billion more than this years appropriation (PL 109-148), but $4.1 billion less than Bush requested. Appropriators working with a tight fiscal 2007 discretionary spending cap shifted the $4.1 billion to other spending bills in order to provide more money for domestic accounts. []The fiscal 2007 bill passed Tuesday includes $50 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but that amount will not cover the full fiscal year, leaving the remainder to a later supplemental spending bill. Bush generally has allowed Congress broad latitude to shift discretionary spending around from his budget requests as long as lawmakers stuck close to his overall spending limit. However, Bush made clear Tuesday night that he strongly objected to the $4 billion shift, as well as a funding maneuver in the bill that essentially would exempt $2 billion in defense spending from the discretionary cap. [Roll Call 305, H 5631, 06/20/2006; Congressional Quarterly Today, 06/20/06] Ryan Voted for Military Funding for 2006. On May 25, 2005, Ryan voted for the 2006 Defense authorization bill that would provide $441.6 billion for defense programs and $49.1 billion in emergency supplemental spending. The Washington Post reported that the bill provides an increase of $20 billion, or 4.7 percent [] also would authorize $49 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan, raising total outlays for both theaters to more than $327 billion since actions began. The bill would provide a 3.1 percent military pay raise; add 10,000 active duty troops to the Army and 1,000 to the Air Force; enhance recruitment bonuses and benefits; and increase the military death benefit to $100,000. The bill would provide $7.9 billion for the National Missile Defense; continue the Pentagons authority to assign female soldiers to support roles in ground combat units; accelerate spending to complete the armoring of Humvees in Iraq; streamline procurement to more quickly accommodate battlefield requests; and prohibit privately financed abortions at U.S. military hospitals and clinics abroad. [Roll Call 222, H 1815, 05/25/2005; Washington Post 05/29/2005] Ryan Voted for Authorizing $441.5 Billion in Defense Spending. On December 19, 2005, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would authorize $441.5 billion for defense programs and $50 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would authorize $77 billion for weapons procurement, $108.9 billion for personnel and $12.2 billion for military construction and family housing. It also would authorize $6.6 billion for Hurricane Katrina relief, $130 million for flu preparedness and $40 million for Pakistan earthquake relief. It would establish prohibit cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of any prisoner detained by the U.S. government. [Roll Call 665, H 1815, 12/19/2005] Ryan Voted for $417 Billion FY 2005 Defense Budget. In June 2004, Ryan voted for passage of a bill that would appropriate $417 billion for defense programs for fiscal 2005, including $25billion in emergency funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The total includes $120.6 billion for operations and maintenance, $77.4 billion for procurement and $9.7 billion for ballistic missile defense programs. It also would appropriate $104.2 billion for personnel, including $200 million to fund an additional 13,000 active-duty Army and Marine Corps personnel. The vote succeeded, 403-17. [Roll Call 284, H 4613, 06/22/2004] Ryan Supported Bill Authorizing $400.5 Billion In 2004 Defense Spending. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 362 for and 40 against, the House approved the conference report on a bill authorizing $400.5 billion for defense in fiscal 2004, up 4.5 percent from the comparable 2003 sum. The figure does not reflect $65 billion in new military spending for actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. A yes vote backed the conference report. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03] Ryan Voted in Favor of Decreasing Spending on Military Construction. On November 5, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a $9.3 billion military contraction appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, In the end, the $9.3 billion package comes close to Bushs spending request. It includes $4.9 billion for military construction, $370 million more than the request and $829 million less than fiscal 2003 levels. Family housing projects would be funded at $3.8 billion, $164 million less than the administration request and $412 million less than appropriated for 2003. Largely because of Senate opposition to spending on overseas projects, when the Pentagon might shift bases out of South Korea and Europe, military construction programs overseas were curtailed to $697.7 million from Bushs original request of $1 billion. Fiscal 2004 military construction spending has also already received a boost because of $838 million included in the fiscal 2004 supplemental (HR 3289). [Roll Call 606, H 2559, 11/05/2003; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 11/07/03] Ryan Voted For War Supplemental Package. On April 3, 2003 Ryan voted for a bill that would provide emergency war supplemental appropriations for 2003. According to the Washington Post, a $ 78 billion fiscal 2003 measure that, in part, 117

appropriates $ 62.4 billion for military actions in Iraq; $ 8 billion in foreign aid and Iraq reconstruction; $ 4.2 billion for homeland security; and a $ 3 billion-plus bailout for U.S. airlines. The bill bars France, Germany, Russia and Syria from federal contracts for rebuilding Iraq. [Roll Call 108, H 1559, 04/03/2003; Washington Post 3/10/2003] Ryan Voted to Fund Military Operations and the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, Increase Deficit. On October 31, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a supplemental appropriations bill to pay for military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Washington Post, the $87.5 billion package to sustain U.S. military forces and rebuild the shattered nations of Iraq and Afghanistan. [] includes nearly $65 billion for military personnel and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and $18.6 billion for reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The Senate is expected to follow suit quickly, sending President Bush a package that closely matches his original request. House and Senate negotiators worked out the final details of the package Wednesday, eliminating a Senate provision that would have required that half of the money for Iraq reconstruction be given as loans instead of grants. Democrats used the debate to criticize the lack of congressional controls over how the funds will be spent. The Washington Post also reported that, the bill also provides about $1.2 billion for similar purposes in Afghanistan. [] The overall $87.5 billion cost is to be borrowed, raising the projected 2004 deficit to about $600 billion. [Roll Call 601, H 3289, 10/31/2003; Washington Post, 10/31/03; Washington Post, 11/02/03] Ryan Voted for Defense Department Funding, Boosting Military Spending. On October 10, 2002, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that funds the Defense Department at $355.1 billion for 2003. According to the Washington Post, House and Senate negotiators reached agreement late yesterday on a $ 355.1 billion defense bill for 2003 that would boost military spending by $ 35 billion and finance the purchase of dozens of new high-tech weapons, warships, fighter planes, and helicopters as the nation girds for war. Final passage of the measure, which could come as early as today, would greatly strengthen President Bushs hand if he decides to use force to bring about his goal of toppling the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, congressional sources said. It would also be a boon to hundreds of defense contractors who stand to profit handsomely from the post-Sept. 11 defense buildup. [Roll Call 457, H 5010, 10/10/2002; [Washington Post, 10/10/02]] Ryan Voted Against $28.9 Billion in Supplemental Emergency Spending. On July 18, 2002, Ryan voted against a $28.9 billion dollar emergency supplemental appropriations bill. According to the Los Angeles Times, The emergency spending bill was this years first test of Bushs ability to balance those conflicting forces. The compromise, drafted to resolve differences between House and Senate versions, includes $14.4 billion for the Pentagon, $6.7 billion for homeland security and $5.5 billion to help New York recover from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It also includes funding for an array of other needs, including $100 million to help respond to recent floods and forest fires. [Roll Call 328, H 4775, 07/23/2002; Los Angeles Times, 07/19/02] Ryan Voted in favor of $10.1 Billion in Military Construction. On June 27, 2002, Ryan voted in favor of a $10.1 billion dollar military construction appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, Eyeing the next round of base closings in 2005, the House passed a military construction spending bill that boosts work at installations that could end up on the Pentagon hit list. The hope among many lawmakers is that facilities undergoing major construction or on track for work would be passed over as the Defense Department looks for potential closures. Despite congressional resistance, the administration is counting on a 2005 round to produce savings for the armed services. President Bush initially requested $9 billion for military construction in fiscal 2003 -- $1.7 billion less than enacted in fiscal 2002. The House bill (HR 5011) -passed 426-1 on June 27 -- would provide $10.1 billion for military facilities, family housing and other infrastructure work. [Roll Call 277, H 5011, 06/27/2002; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 06/28/02] Ryan Voted to Adopt Conference Report of Bill to Appropriate $3.6 Billion for Military Family Housing, $700 Million for National Guard and $672 Million for Environmental Cleanup. Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill to appropriate $8.4 billion in fiscal 2000 for military construction. The conference report would provide $3.6 billion for family housing, $672 million for environmental cleanup, $695 million for the National Guard and reserves and $643 million for military barracks. [Roll Call 343, H 2465, 07/29/1999; Congressional Quarterly, 7/29/99] Ryan Voted For FY2000 Defense Appropriations of $266 Billion, 4.8% Military Pay-Hike, $1.8 Billion For Kosovo and Iraq. Ryan voted for a bill to appropriate $266 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2000. The bill would provide $1.2 billion for research and development on next-generation tactical aircraft. The measure would fund a 4.8 percent pay hike for military personnel. The bill would appropriate $93.7 billion for operations and maintenance, which would be used to maintain military properties and spare parts depleted by extended overseas engagements. The bill would provide $1.8 billion for operations in Kosovo and Iraq. [Roll Call 334, H 2561, 07/22/1999] 118

Ryan Voted to Provide $8.5 Billion for Military Construction Spending, Including $3.6 Billion for Family Housing. Ryan voted to provide $8.5 billion in fiscal 2000 for military construction spending. The bill would provide $3.6 billion for family housing, which includes $2.8 billion for operations and maintenance costs and $747 million to construct new housing units and improve existing ones. The bill would provide $21 million for child care centers. The bill would appropriate $789 million for construction of barracks, $497 million for National Guard and Reserve projects, and $267 million for dismantling chemical weapons. [Roll Call 280, H 2465, 07/13/1999; Congressional Quarterly, 7/13/99]

Intelligence
Ryan Voted for the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. On April 26, 2012, Ryan voted for the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) that would allow private companies to share information with intelligence agencies. According to the Los Angeles Times, the bill is designed to lift legal barriers that make it difficult for the intelligence community and private companies to share information about cyber-threats. [Roll Call 192, H 3523, 04/26/2012; Los Angeles Times, 4/27/12] Ryan Voted Against Requiring New Intelligence Estimate on Afghanistan by Jan. 31, 2011. On July 1, 2010, Ryan voted against the fifth portion of the divided question on the Obey, D-Wis., motion to concur in the Senate amendments to the bill with House amendments. The fifth portion consists of a McGovern, D-Mass., amendment that would require the president to present Congress with a new national intelligence estimate on Afghanistan by Jan. 31, 2011, as well as a plan for redeployment of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by April 4, 2011. The amendment also would require Congress to vote by July 2011, in order to allow the obligation and expenditure of funds for Afghanistan in a way not consistent with the presidents policy to begin to drawdown troops by July 2011. [Roll Call 433, H 4899, 07/01/2010] Ryan Voted Against 2010 Intelligence Funding. On February 26, 2010, Ryan voted against the bill that would authorize classified amounts in fiscal 2010 for 16 intelligence agencies, including the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA, the National Security Agency, and for intelligence activities of the Defense Department, the FBI, the Homeland Security Department and other agencies. According to the Washington Post, the bill funds operations of the CIA, National Security Agency and several other spy agencies. In part, the bill would step up the use of human assets to fight terrorists, require the videotaping of prisoner interrogations, prescribe stiff sentences for interrogators who inflict torture, upgrade government cybersecurity systems, fund the recruitment of a more diverse workforce, expand training in several African languages and authorize Government Accountability Office audits of certain intelligence operations. [Roll Call 73, H 2701, 02/26/2010; Washington Post 02/28/2010] Ryan Voted to Overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. On June 20, 2008 Ryan voted to overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). According to the Washington Post, The House, in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, yesterday approved a sweeping new surveillance law that extends the governments eavesdropping capability and effectively would shield telecommunications companies from lawsuits for cooperating with the Bush administrations warrantless wiretapping program. [...] The agreement gives telecom companies the ability to have privacy lawsuits thrown out if they demonstrate to a federal judge that they received written assurance from the Bush administration that the spying was legal. House GOP leaders and opponents of the legislation consider the new court review a formality that will lead to dismissal of the suits. The bill requires approval by the secret FISA court of procedures for intercepting foreigners e-mails and telephone calls. Spying on U.S. citizens, including those overseas, would require individual warrants from the same court. [Roll Call 437, H 6304, 06/20/2008; Washington Post, 06/21/08] Ryan Voted to Bar the Use of Phrases Within the Intelligence Community or the Federal Government. On July 16, 2008 Ryan voted to bar the use of funds to prohibit or discourage the use of the phrases jihadist, jihad, Islamo-fascism, caliphate, Islamist, or Islamic terrorist within the intelligence community or the federal government. [Roll Call 500, H 5959, 07/16/2008] Ryan Opposed Holding Secret Session to Review Entire National Intelligence Estimate. In 2006, Ryan voted against a motion to hold a secret session to discuss the National Intelligence Estimate. On September 24, the New York Times reported that the National Intelligence Estimate, a document reflecting the opinions of all 16 of the governments intelligence agencies, concludes that, rather than contributing to eventual victory in the global counterterrorism struggle, the situation in Iraq has 119

worsened the U.S. position. In short, the war in Iraq was making the US less safe and was, according to the Times, helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi offered a motion to dissolve the House into a secret session so that members could discuss the ramifications of the report on the war in Iraq and the war on terror. The motion was defeated 171-217. [Roll Call 478, 09/26/2006; Leadership Document, National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) in April Reportedly Concluded That the Iraqi War Has Worsened the Terrorist Threat, 9/26/06] Ryan Voted for Intelligence Overhaul Bill. On October 8, 2004, Ryan voted for the 2004 intelligence overhaul bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The bill (HR 10) would create a national intelligence director and national intelligence center, but it largely defers to the White House and Pentagon on the issues of budget and personnel control over the intelligence agencies. The bill would also allow aliens to be deported without judicial review, increase the number of border patrol agents from 10,000 to 20,000 over the next five years, make attending a terrorist training camp a deportable offense and toughen penalties for those charged with financially aiding terrorist groups. [Roll Call 523, H 10, 10/08/2004; Congressional Quarterly Today, 10/8/04] Ryan Voted To Approve 2005 Fiscal Budget Of At Least $40 Billion For U.S. Intelligence Agencies. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, By a vote of 360 for and 61 against, the House approved a fiscal 2005 budget for the 15 U.S. intelligence agencies. The classified budget is reported to total at least $40 billion. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/27/04] Ryan Opposed Amendment To Withhold Intelligence Funding Until The Bush Administration Provided Documents On Guantanamo Bay Detainees. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 149 for and 270 against, the House rejected an amendment to withhold one-quarter of their fiscal 2005 budget from certain intelligence programs until the administration provides Congress with all documents related to the handling and treatment of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere. A yes vote was to require administration disclosure of prisoner documents. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/27/04] Ryan Voted for Audit of Pre-9/11 Relationship Between Iraq and Al Qaeda. In June 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would direct the CIAs inspector general to audit the evidence of the pre-Sept. 11, 2001, relationship between Saddam Husseins regime and al Qaeda. The vote passed, 360-61. [Roll Call 300, H 4548, 06/23/2004] Ryan Voted for FY 2005 Intelligence Budget. In June 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would authorize classified amounts in fiscal 2005 for U.S. intelligence activities and agencies including the CIA, the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The bill, as amended, would direct the CIAs inspector general to audit the evidence of the pre-Sept. 11, 2001, relationship between Saddam Husseins regime and al Qaeda. The vote passed, 360-61. [Roll Call 300, H 4548, 06/23/2004]

Military
Ryan Voted against Mandatory Rest and Recuperation for Troops in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to mandate minimum periods of rest and recuperation for members of the regular and reserve components of the U.S. military serving in Iraq. The bill established the time between deployments to combat zones to be at least equal to the length of the most recent deployment. For National Guard and reserve members, the bill called for time between deployments to be at least three times longer than the length of the most recent deployment, and exempted special operations forces units and allowed the president and military service chiefs to waive these requirements in response to unforeseen circumstances. President Bush opposed the bill. The bill passed 229-194. [Roll Call 796, H 3159, 08/02/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted against Budget that Provided for Strong National Defense. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. The budget provided $507 Billion for the base 2008 Defense Budget, matching the Presidents base national defense budget but called for a shifting of resources to address the most critical threats facing our nation. The budget called for implementing the GAOrecommended initiatives to combat wasteful spending, shifting these savings, as well as funds for missile defense and for defense acquisition programs with cost and schedule problems, to higher priorities. Those priorities included the Cooperative 120

Threat Reduction efforts (a 9/11 Commission recommendation) to secure nuclear and other materials used in making weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists, mitigating shortfalls at Walter Reed and other health care facilities, eliminating the Presidents health care fee increases on military retirees, and ensuring adequate benefits for the troops (such as pay increases to retain experienced personnel). The budget assumes that no less than $5 billion is used to address deficiencies in training, equipment, force protection, logistics, and military medical care. According to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the budget makes a strong start on meeting the needs of the military and veterans community. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the Six for 06, 5/24/07; House Budget Committee, Overview of FY2008 Budget Conference Agreement, 5/16/07] Ryan Voted Against Defunding Sending Students for Western Hemisphere Institute. On June 21, 2007, Ryan voted against the amendment that would bar the use of funds to recruit and send students to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Ga. The amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act is aimed at halting funding of the school. Though the amendment failed by a vote of 218-188, it led to the first debate in Congress regarding the school since 2001, providing an opportunity for McGovern and other representatives to cite multiple reports of human rights violations perpetrated by both graduates as well as some of its current students. [Roll Call 536, H 2764, 06/21/2007; Washington Report 06/18/2008] Ryan Said Proposed Closure Of Wisconsin Military Base Was Penny Wise And Pound Foolish. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Voicing surprise and dismay, Wisconsin lawmakers vowed to try to save the 440th Airlift Wing and other defense jobs that would be lost under the Pentagons base-closing recommendations announced Friday. Members of Congress breathed a sigh of relief that Fort McCoy escaped the closure list but lamented the proposal to shutter the 440th, which is part of the Air Force Reserves and is headquartered at Mitchell International Airport. In a joint statement, Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Democratic Reps. Gwen Moore and Ron Kind said they would exhaust all available options to preserve the jobs and facilities that the Pentagon wants to cut and called the proposal to close the 440th extremely disappointing. Im very surprised, said Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville, whose chief of staff serves with the 440th. We had no indications this was going to be the recommendation . . . I think its penny wise and pound foolish. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/14/05] Ryan Supported Statute Denying Federal Aid To Colleges That Banned Military And ROTC Recruiters From Campus. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, The House voted, 343 for and 81 against, to bolster an existing statute that denies many types of federal aid to colleges and universities that ban military and ROTC recruiters from campus. A federal court ruling last year upheld the so-called Solomon Law but found that it fails to empower military recruiters to the extent claimed by the Pentagon. This bill seeks to remedy that flaw. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Voted For An Amendment Closing Army Schools Of The Americas, Prohibiting Another From Opening For 10 Months. Ryan voted for an amendment that would close the Armys School of the Americas in Georgia and prohibit the establishment of a successor school for at least 10 months. A congressional task force would be charged with assessing the training of Latin American soldiers by the United States government and reporting to Congress within six months. [Roll Call 204, H 4205, 05/18/2000]

Military Pay
Ryan Voted Against a Combat-Pay Increase for U.S. Troops. In May 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit the fiscal year 2012 Defense Authorization bill to committee with instructions that it be reported back with an amendment to increase the existing pay bonus for U.S. troops under hostile fire or in imminent danger to $325 per month, from $225. This combat pay increase was to be in addition to a 1.6 percent pay raise already in the bill for uniformed personnel. The measure failed, 185 to 233. [Roll Call 374, H 1540, 05/26/2011; Virginian-Pilot, 5/30/11] Ryan Voted for Pay Raises for Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a bill to appropriate $459.6 billion in defense spending, including a 3.5 percent pay raise. The bill passed 395-13 [Roll Call 846, H 3222, 08/05/2007]

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Ryan Voted for Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of the Defense Appropriations bill, which contained a 2.2% pay raise for our troops. The bill passed 394-22. [Roll Call 486, H 5631, 09/26/2006] Ryan Voted for Pay Raises for Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense appropriations bill that contained a 3.1 percent pay raise for military personnel. The bill passed 308-106. [Roll Call 669, H 2863, 12/19/2005] Ryan Voted For Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense appropriations bill that contained a 3.5 percent pay raise for military personnel. The bill passed 410-12 [Roll Call 418, H 4613, 07/22/2004] Ryan Voted For Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of the defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2005. The bill included 3.5 percent across-the-board military pay increase and more than doubles the allotment for hardship duty. The bill passed 391-34 [Roll Call 206, H 4200, 05/20/2004] Paul Ryan Voted For Pay Raise For Troops. Paul Ryan voted in favor of a defense appropriations bill that contained a 4.1 percent military personnel pay raise. The bill passed 407-15. [Roll Call 513, H 2658, 09/24/2003] Paul Ryan Voted For Pay Raise For Troops. Paul Ryan voted in favor of a defense appropriations bill that contained a 4.1 percent military pay raise. The bill passed 399-19. [Roll Call 335, H 2658, 07/08/2003] Ryan Voted For Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense authorization bill that contained an average 4.7 percent pay increase for military personnel. The bill passed 359-58. [Roll Call 158, H 4546, 05/10/2002] Ryan Voted For Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense appropriations bill that contained a 4.1 percent pay increase for military personnel. The bill passed 413-18 [Roll Call 270, H 5010, 06/27/2002] Ryan Voted Repeatedly for Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense authorization bill that contained a 4.8 percent military pay raise and increased retirement benefits. The bill passed 365-58. [Roll Call 191, H 1401, 06/10/1999] Ryan Voted Repeatedly for Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted in favor of a defense authorization bill that contained a 4.8 percent military pay raise and increased retirement benefits. The bill passed 365-58. [Roll Call 191, H 1401, 06/10/1999] Though Ryan Twice Voted Against Bills Containing Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted against a supplemental appropriations bill, which included $1.8 billion for a pay raise for the military. [Roll Call 133, H 1141, 05/18/1999] Though Ryan Twice Voted Against Bills Containing Pay Raises for Our Troops. Ryan voted against a supplemental appropriations bill which included $1.8 billion for a pay raise for the military. [Roll Call 120, H 1664, 05/06/1999] Ryan Voted in Favor of Defense Bill Loosening Environmental Restrictions on the Military, Increasing Troop Pay and Veterans Benefits. On November 7, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of the 2004 Defense authorization bill. According to the Washington Post, The House approved a $401 billion military spending bill yesterday, providing a pay raise for troops, new benefits for veterans and money for more sophisticated weapons. [] The measure, expected to clear the Senate next week, outlines Pentagon spending for the coming year and sets policies on a variety of matters, including research on nuclear weapons and treatment of the environment. [] Lawmakers said it was essential to include a 4.15 percent pay raise for military personnel. The bill also would reduce the amount that service members must pay for housing and would phase out the payments by 2005. [] Republicans and Democrats sparred over how to treat veterans disability benefits. Under current law, about half a million retirees must give up a dollar in retirement benefits for every dollar they receive in disability compensation. Under the authorization bill, any veteran who is 50 percent disabled would not have retirement benefits deducted, a change that would cost the government $22 billion over the next decade. [] The bill would exempt the military from aspects of the Marine Mammal Protection and Endangered Species acts. The armed forces would be allowed to conduct tests near critical habitats with less oversight from other departments such as Interior. []Under the plan the Pentagon would have to spend $2.4 billion more than had been set aside for fiscal years 2008 to 2010, as well as $1.4 billion later, but taxpayers would save $4 billion over the long term. [Roll Call 617, H 1588, 11/07/2003; Washington Post, 11/08/03]

CIVILIAN DEFENSE EMPLOYEES


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Ryan Opposed Military Appropriations Amendment Guaranteeing Collective Bargaining Of Civilian Defense Department Employees Were Covered Under Revised Personnel Rules. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 202 for and 218 against, the House defeated an amendment to the bill above to guarantee the collective-bargaining rights of 700,000 civilian employees covered by new personnel rules at the Defense Department. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/27/04] Ryan Opposed Proposal To Give Civil Servants The Same 3.5 Percent Pay Increase As Military Personnel Under 2005 Fiscal Plan. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Members recommended, 299 for and 126 against, that civil servants be awarded the same 3.5 percent pay increase in fiscal 2005 that military personnel are to receive. In effect, the nonbinding measure urges House appropriators to disregard President Bush's request for a 1.5 percent civilian raise. The Senate has approved 3.5 percent. A yes vote backed a 3.5 percent raise for civil servants. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04]

Missile Defense
Ryan Supported Working Toward A Nuclear Missile Defense System. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan said the nation should work toward a nuclear missile defense system. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/9/98]

Non-Nuclear Proliferation
Ryan Voted to Give India Access to U.S. Nuclear Technology. On September 27, 2008, Ryan voted in favor of giving India access to U.S. nuclear technology. According to the Washington Post, The deal, which has been fiercely opposed by nuclear proliferation experts, would give New Delhi access to U.S. nuclear technology for the first time since it conducted a nuclear test in 1974. Since then, India has been barred from the worldwide nuclear trade, leaving it without advanced uraniumenrichment and plutonium-reprocessing technology that is superior to Indias homegrown methods. The administration has argued that the deal would bring a substantial portion of Indias nuclear industry -- though not the facilities that produce materials for weapons -- under international observation and would forge ties between two large democracies that have had an antagonistic relationship in the past. But critics say the deal undermines efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons because it rewards a country that violated nonproliferation norms by building bombs with material from civilian reactors. [Roll Call 662, H 7081, 09/27/2008; Washington Post, 09/27/08]

123

ECONOMY AND JOBS American Recovery and Reinvestment Act


Ryan Wrote A Letter To The Department Of Labor In Support For Energy Training Partnership Grant Created By Stimulus Plan. According to All Politics, Republicans in Congress have attacked the Democratic-sponsored $787 million economic-stimulus plan, but that hasnt stopped them from trying to get a piece of the action. One of those Republicans is U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who has labeled the stimulus a wasteful spending spree. Using the Freedom of Information Act, the Wall Street Journal obtained letters from some Republicans supporting funding proposals. In Ryans case, he wrote a letter to the Department of Labor in support for a grant application that was submitted for an Energy Training Partnership Grant. Ryan, who is traveling in the Middle East, could not be reached for comment. But a spokesman provided this statement: If Congressman Ryan is asked to help a Wisconsin entity applying for existing Federal grant funds, he does not believe flawed policy should get in the way of doing his job and providing a legitimate constituent service to his employers. [All Politics, 2/16/10] Ryan Voted Against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Ryan voted against HR 1, a $787 billion combination of tax cuts and spending designed to improve the economy. The over $211 billion in tax cuts included depreciation allowances for businesses, suspended $2,400 in taxes for those receiving unemployment benefits, and granted a first time homebuyer tax credit of $8,000. The mandatory spending included provision extended $37 billion in unemployment benefits to an estimated 6.7 million people. Other provisions in the bill provided grants for medical information systems, gave states aid through Medicaid programs and other grants, and funded transportation infrastructure projects to update America rail and highway systems. [Roll Call 70, H 1, 02/13/2009; CQ Bill Analysis]

Economic Development
Ryan Voted Against the Reauthorization Appalachian Regional Development Act. On September 21, 2006 Ryan voted against reauthorizing the Appalachian Regional Development Act. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, the bill would reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state development partnership designed to address economic and social problems in the historically distressed region. [] Starting in fiscal 2006, appropriators began earmarking a significant amount of funds that otherwise would be distributed by a formula among the 13 states that make up the commission, according to Oberstar and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C. Three states -- North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia -- would receive a net benefit from the earmarks, while 10 others would receive less than they would get under the formula, they said in a Sept. 19 letter to colleagues. The House bill would mandate that an earmark for a particular state come out of that states formula funds. [Roll Call 470, S 2832, 09/21/2006; CQ Weekly, 09/23/06]

Bush Economy
Ryan Defended Bushs Handling Of The Economy, Saying Bush Inherited Recession-Bound Economy And Fought For Job Growth. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Standing against an image of rolling farmland complete with dairy cows, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan praised President Bush for turning around an economy that was sliding toward recession when he took office. The stock market was declining, the dot-com bubble had burst, Ryan, R-Janesville, said in his address Wednesday at the Republican National Convention in New York. In response, President Bush delivered broad tax relief for all Americans because he understands that people, not government, start the businesses and create the jobs that that drive our economy. Ryan credited Bush with creating new jobs and reducing unemployment while cutting taxes and putting more money in the pockets of Americans. The economy is strong and getting stronger, said Ryan, who criticized Democratic challenger John Kerry for voting to increase taxes while in the Senate. [Wisconsin State Journal, 9/2/04]

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Jobs
Ryan Voted Against $154.4 Billion For Infrastructure, Jobs And State Aid. Paul Ryan voted against a $154.4 billion package of infrastructure projects, jobs programs and aid to state and local governments. It would redirect $75 billion of the money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, with $48.3 billion for infrastructure projects and $26.7 billion for aid to help state and local governments preserve public jobs. It also would extend unemployment benefits, COBRA health care premium subsidies and provisions requiring the federal government to assume an increased share of Medicaid funding through June 30, 2010. It would extend federal highway, transit and safety programs through the end of fiscal 2010, and would expand eligibility for the child tax credit. [Roll Call 991, H 2847, 12/16/2009]

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EDUCATION
Ryan Supported Block Granting of Education Programs. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would establish a new block grant combining three existing education programs a teacher performance program, the Goals 2000 program and a program to reduce class size by hiring 100,000 teachers. The new grant was authorized at $2 billion per year for five years, and states were given greater flexibility in deciding how to spend the funds. The bill passed 239-185 [Roll Call 320, H 1995, 07/20/1999] Paul Ryan Supported Block Granting of Education Programs. In 1999, Paul Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would establish a new block grant combining three existing education programs a teacher performance program, the Goals 2000 program and a program to reduce class size by hiring 100,000 teachers. The new grant was authorized at $2 billion per year for five years, and states were given greater flexibility in deciding how to spend the funds. The bill passed 239-185. [Roll Call 320, H 1995, 07/20/1999] Ryan Voted For Ed Flex Bill. Ryan voted in favor of Passage of the bill to expand the current Education Flexibility Partnership program by making all 50 states eligible to participate in the program, instead of just the 12 states permitted under current law. Under the bill, participating states could waive certain federal statutory or regulatory requirements for education programs, as well as state requirements. The bill removes the Ed-Flex program from the Goals 2000 statute, but requires states to have implemented content and performance standards and assessments required under the Title I program for disadvantaged students. He also voted for the conference report. [Roll Call 94, H 800, 04/21/1999] Ryan Supported Removing Nearly 112,000 Students from Work Study Programs. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of the 2000 GOP budget resolution, which would remove nearly 112,000 students from the Work Study Program. The budget passed 220 to 208. [Roll Call 85, S 68, 04/14/1999] Paul Ryan Supported Removing Nearly 112,000 Students from Work Study Programs. In 1999, Paul Ryan voted in favor of the 2000 GOP budget resolution, which would remove nearly 112,000 students from the Work Study Program. The budget passed 220 to 208. [Roll Call 85, S 68, 04/14/1999] Ryan Voted For Ed Flex Bill. Ryan voted in favor of Passage of the bill to expand the current Education Flexibility Partnership program by making all 50 states eligible to participate in the program, instead of just the 12 states permitted under current law. Under the bill, participating states could waive certain federal statutory or regulatory requirements for education programs, as well as state requirements. The bill removes the Ed-Flex program from the Goals 2000 statute, but requires states to have implemented content and performance standards and assessments required under the Title I program for disadvantaged students. He also voted for the conference report. [Roll Call 41, H 800, 03/11/1999] Ryan Voted Against an Amendment Prohibiting the Diversion of Funds from Poorer School Districts. On March 11, 1999, Ryan voted against a Scott (D-VA) amendment to an education flexibility bill. The bill would prohibit states from waiving Title 1 requirements if 35% of the children or more in the school district come from low-income families. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Two Wisconsin Democrats, however, were among those voting against the House bill, claiming it could take money away from needy school districts. This bill makes it easier to divert money from schools that need help the most to schools that need help the least, said Rep. David Obey of Wausau. Rep. Tom Barrett said he voted against the measure because it lacked assurances that it will not steer money away from the Title 1 program, which directs funds to poorer schools. Everybody likes the idea of more flexibility, but there needs to be a balance struck between flexibility and fairness, said the Milwaukee Democrat. A Democratic amendment offered to address this issue was defeated 195-223. [Roll Call 40, H 800, 03/11/1999; Wisconsin State Journal, 03/12/99] Ryans 1998 Opponent Lydia Spottswood, Claimed That Ryan Wanted to Eliminate School-To-Work Program, Based On His Advocacy For Education Block Grants. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Spottswood ad accuses Ryan of wanting to eliminate school-to-work programs and to privatize Social Security and eliminate guaranteed benefits. The claim is based on Ryans advocacy for education block grants and comments that hed consider suggestions to change Social Security. Ryan, however, has said he does not favor cutting education programs but giving local schools the choice of how to spend federal aid. He also has said he doesnt back privatization but might consider it. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/30/98] 126

Affordability
Ryan Voted to Strip $5.9 Billion in Health Care Funding to Extend Student Loan Interest Rates. On April 27, 2012, Ryan voted for extending current student loan interest rates. According to the New York Times, The bill, which would strip $5.9 billion from a program within the health care law to pay to keep rates on subsidized undergraduate loans at 3.4 percent, is all but certain to fail in the Senate, where lawmakers have put together their own measure to keep the rate from reverting to 6.8 percent by closing tax loopholes for some wealthy business owners. [Roll Call 195, H 4628, 04/27/2012; New York Times, 4/28/12] Paul Ryan Voted Against Expanding Access To Higher Education. Paul Ryan voted against a measure to replace costly private student loans with federal government loans by eliminating the Federal Family Education loan program. The legislation would provide for a competitive bidding process for entities to service the loans. The bill would make several modifications to education programs, including increasing funding for Pell grants, early-childhood education and community colleges. [Roll Call 719, H 3221, 09/17/2009] Ryan Voted Against a $2,500 Tax Credit for College Students. Ryan voted against the conference report of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The act created the American Opportunity Tax Credit, an expansion of an existing tax break called the Hope Scholarship Credit. The new credit allowed for 100 percent of the first $2,000 in tuition and related fees and 25 percent of the second $2,000 (for a total of $2,500). That increased from a maximum of $1,800 previously. [Roll Call 70, H 1, 02/13/2009; Chicago Tribune, 3/01/09]

For-Profit Colleges
Ryan Voted to Repeal New Department of Education Rules Governing For-Profit Colleges. On February 28, 2012, Ryan voted for the bill that would rescind Education Department regulations that define a credit hour and set minimum requirements that all higher education institutions must meet to be considered authorized by a state. It also would bar the Education secretary from establishing or enforcing any new rules to define the term credit hour. According to the Washington Post, The House sent the Senate a bill (HR 2117) to repeal new Department of Education rules governing forprofit colleges and universities. One rule requires such institutions to meet accreditation requirements in each state in which they have students and establishes state-by-state processes for handling student complaints. Another rule targeted by the bill sets a uniform definition of what constitutes a credit hour for purposes of allocating federal financial aid. The rules are scheduled to take effect in July 2014. For-profit schools, many of which specialize in online or distance degree programs, account for 11 percent of U.S. higher-education students and rely heavily on federally backed student loans and federal grants for their revenue. Their students receive about one-quarter of all student loans and make up 43 percent of those who default on such loans, according to the Department of Education. Some of the best- known for-profit institutions are Capella, Kaplan and DeVry universities and the University of Phoenix. [Roll Call 79, H 2117, 02/28/2012; Washington Post, 3/8/12]

Funding
Ryan Opposed Increase for Special Education, Teacher Quality Programs. In 2003, Ryan voted against the Consolidated Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003, which increased funding for the IDEA special education programs. The bill included a $3.2 billion increase for education programs over the FY 02 level of $49.9 billion (for a total of $53.1 billion). Specific increases included $1.4 billion increases for Title I (for a total of $11.7 billion) and IDEA special education (for a total of $8.9 billion). The bill also increased investments for Teacher Quality (increase from $2.85 billion to $2.93 billion) and MathScience programs (increase from $12.5 million to $100.3 million). The bill passed 338-83. [Roll Call 32, S 2, 02/13/2003] Paul Ryan Voted For Across-The-Board Cut To Education Initiatives. In 1999, Ryan voted for the conference report on the fiscal 2000 DC/Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which would make an across-the-board cut of 0.97 percent to the agencies it funded. President Clinton pledged a veto because of the damage he said the spending cuts would inflict on schools and other programs. [Roll Call 549, H 3064, 10/28/1999; AP, 10/28/99] 127

Paul Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible FY 2009 Budget With $85.3 Billion for Education. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a budget resolution that would establish the congressional budget for FY 2009. The resolution would call for expenditures of $3.1 trillion and would allow up to $1 trillion in discretionary spending, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5.8 billion for hurricane recovery. The bill would also include $85.3 billion for education, training, employment and social services, an amount that was $7.1 billion more than President Bush had requested. [Roll Call 141, S 312, 03/13/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Summary of the 2009 Democratic Budget, House Committee on the Budget, 3/11/08] Ryan Opposed Reauthorization of Higher Education Act. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would reauthorize the Higher Education Act through fiscal 2012, including a wide range of post-secondary programs, including student loans and teacher training. The measure would raise the maximum Pell grant award from $5,800 to $9,000 and allow the grants to be used year-round. A major provision included increasing the amount of information that schools and lenders must provide students and barring lenders from giving schools any perks to get on a preferred lender list. It would also create a higher education price index to compare tuition increases. The bill also would allow the federal government to penalize states that substantially decrease their contributions to public colleges and universities. The bill passed 354-58 [Roll Call 40, H 4137, 02/07/2008; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 2/09/08] Ryan Voted to Sustain Bush Veto on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations. In 2007, Ryan voted against an override of President Bushs veto of the bill to appropriate $150.7 billion in fiscal 2008 for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and related agencies. The legislation provided $63.6 billion for the Education Department, including $14.5 billion for Pell Grants; $15 billion for the Labor Department, including $3.6 billion for training and employment services; and $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health. The veto override failed, 277-141. [Roll Call 1122, H 3043, 11/15/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed FY08 Budget that Invested in Education, Innovation Agenda. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. The budget provided $9.5 billion more for education, training, and social services than President Bush requested, including funding for No Child Left Behind programs, special education, and aid to help students afford college. The budget also increased funding for Head Start and child care while funding the House Democratic innovation agenda, putting us on a path to double funding for the National Science Foundation and providing significant increases in K-12 math and science education. The budget passed 214-209 [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Overview of FY2008 Budget Conference Agreement, 5/16/07, SCR 21, House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the Six for 06, 5/24/07] Ryan Supported Higher Education Funding Bill that Did Not Make College More Affordable. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill authorizing funds for higher education aid. The measure would simplify the financial aid application and make Pell Grants, the major grant that helps low- and middle-income students, available for summer study. The bill would also raise the spending cap on Pell Grants to $6,000, up from $5,800. The increase would be largely symbolic, however, as the maximum grant Congress appropriates has been frozen for four years at $4,050. The bill would set the interest rate for subsidized loans at 6.8 percent, regardless of whether commercial rates rise or fall. The bill did not reverse any of the $12.7 billion in cuts to federal student aid enacted by the Republican Congress in February 2006. The bill passed 221-199. [Roll Call 81, H 609, 03/30/2006; New York Times, 3/31/06; Committee on Education and Workforce release, 3/30/06] Ryan Voted for $496.6 Billion FY 2005 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Budget. In September 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would appropriate $496.6 billion, including $142.5 billion in discretionary spending, for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments and related agencies in fiscal 2005. It would provide $57.7 billion for the Education Department, including $12.2 billion for special education; $14.9 billion for the Labor Department; $374.3 billion for Health and Human Services, including $28.4 billion for the National Institutes of Health. The bill includes a total of $4 billion for countering bioterrorism. As amended, the bill also would prohibit funds from being used to administer or implement any regulation that would take away eligibility for overtime for workers. The vote succeeded, 388-13. [Roll Call 440, H 5006, 09/09/2004] Ryan Voted For $14 Billion Increase in Labor, Health and Education Funding. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of House passage of the $396 billion fiscal 2002 appropriations bill for the Labor, HHS, and Education departments. Of the total, $123 billion was approved by the House, with the remainder automatically allocated to entitlement programs. The bill would 128

provide almost $14 billion more than in the previous year and $7 billion more than Bush requested at the start of 2001. [Roll Call 381, H 3061, 10/11/2001; AP, 10/11/01] Ryan Voted For Education Bill With Substantially Less Funding Than House Plan. Ryan voted for an education plan with $9 billion less funding than the Senate plan Johnson voted for. The House plan included only $24 billion for elementary and secondary education, while the plan Johnson supported contained $33 billion. [Roll Call 145, H 1, 05/23/2001] Ryan Voted To Reauthorize Title I And Raise Achievement Standards In Public Schools. On October 21, 1999 Ryan voted for the Student Results Act of 1999, which was a $9.9 billion bill Thursday that imposes strong federal requirements to raise achievement standards in public schools. The bipartisan bill, known as the Student Result Act, is a 5-year reauthorization of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, originally created in 1965. The bill passed 358-67. [Roll Call 526, H 2, 10/21/1999; University Wire, 10/26/99] Ryan Supported Extreme Cuts to Education. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a Republican Budget plan that called for drastic cuts to education programs. Among the programs highlighted for cuts and even elimination were the initiative to fund 100,000 new teachers, after-school programs and teacher quality and recruitment programs. Based on the Labor/Health and Human Services and Education bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee on September 23, 1999, here is a partial list at some the programs that would have been impacted: Eliminated the 100,000 new teachers program. This included eliminating the funding for the 30,000 teachers that were hired in 98, the 8,000 new teachers that would be hired in 1999 and any future teachers; Eliminated funding for programs that help states and localities to turn around failing schools; Cut funding for after-school and summer school programs, denying at least 300,000 students access to the programs; Cut funding for teacher quality and recruitment programs; Cut funds for the GEAR UP program, denying more than 130,000 disadvantaged young people the help they need to get into college. The budget passed 221-208. [Roll Call 77, S 68, 03/25/1999] Ryan Said He Supported Educational Fled Grants In Which Federal Dollars Were Sent To Local School Districts And They Would Use The Money As They See Fit. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Congressional Republican measures endorsed by Ryan would cut federal education spending in areas like school-to-work programs, computers and afterschool learning programs, Spottswood claimed. She said she based her conclusion on a U.S. Department of Education analysis of the GOP-backed Dollars to the Classroom legislation. The program would actually cut federal support to our kids, Spottswood said at a forum sponsored by a Kenosha-area business group. I think thats the wrong way to go. We need more of that partnership, not less. Ryan, running for office for the first time, disputed Spottswoods claims. Ryan said he favors educational flex grants, in which federal education dollars are sent to local school districts, who would then use the money as they see fit. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/21/98]

Head Start
Ryan Voted for Bipartisan Early-Childhood Education Program. In 2007, Ryan voted for an amendment agreeing to a conference report to reauthorize the Head Start program through 2012.The Head Start program has provided over 24 million children with education and needed social services, like health and nutrition, since its inception in 1965. The conference report increased Head Start teacher salaries, increased the number of eligible participants, tightened program accountability, and authorized $24 million for the program from 2008-2010. The final version did not include a provision to take faith-based hiring into account for religious providers of Head Start services. Head Start is one of Americas most popular investments because it is one of our most effective, said Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. This legislation builds on its success and strengthens Head Start for the future. The conference report passed 381-36 [Roll Call 1090, H 1429, 11/14/2007; Congressional Quarterly, 11/19/07 Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi press release, 12/12/07] Ryan Supported Cutting Head Start Enrollment. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to reauthorize the Head Start Act, including provisions that would weaken the program. The Republican Head Start bill started to dismantle the high-quality federal standards and comprehensive services that have made Head Start the premiere early childhood education program for American toddlers. At the time, funding only allowed three out of five eligible children to be served. And yet, instead of expanding Head Start to serve more children, the Republican bill froze funding levels in real terms and ultimately cut enrollment in Head Start for the first time in history. The bill also created a block grant that specified no minimum for class size, child-teacher ratios or curriculum effectiveness. The bill passed 217-216. [Roll Call 444, H 2210, 07/25/2003] 129

Ryan Voted Against Full Funding For Head Start. Ryan voted against providing full funding for Head Start. Gephardt opposed an amendment to provide for investments in education, including new school construction grants and full funding for Head Start; funding for Medicare prescription drug benefit; funding for election reform; and funding for affordable housing construction. [Roll Call 496, S 1438, 12/13/2001]

Higher Education
Ryan Supported Statute Denying Federal Aid To Colleges That Banned Military And ROTC Recruiters From Campus. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, The House voted, 343 for and 81 against, to bolster an existing statute that denies many types of federal aid to colleges and universities that ban military and ROTC recruiters from campus. A federal court ruling last year upheld the so-called Solomon Law but found that it fails to empower military recruiters to the extent claimed by the Pentagon. This bill seeks to remedy that flaw. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Voted In Favor of GOP Bill To Prevent An Increase In Student Loan Interest Rates. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Student loan interest rates: Members on Friday voted, 215-195, to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. The GOP bill would offset the $6 billion cost with cuts in the 2010 health laws preventive-care section. A yes vote was to pass HR 4628. Voting yes: Ryan, Sensenbrenner, Petri, Duffy, Ribble. [Wisconsin State Journal, 4/28/12] Ryan Supported 2003 Reauthorization of Higher Education Act. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of the reauthorization of Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The reauthorization bill made improvements to the teacher training programs funded under Title II of the Higher Education Act to provide the teachers of tomorrow with the skills they will need to be ready to teach when they enter the classroom. The bill passed 404-17 [Roll Call 340, H 2211, 07/09/2003] Ryan Voted for Reauthorizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. On April 30, 2003, Ryan voted for reauthorizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. According to Asbury Park Press, the bill aims to ensure each special education pupil has a plan which must be reviewed each year and necessary changes made. The House proposal would no longer hold educators and parents to a one-year review, but permit an option of once every three years. According to The Honolulu Star, the bill would also make it easier to discipline children with disabilities. Currently, families can challenge efforts to remove such students from class for more than 10 days in a school year, unless the violation involves weapons or drugs, or the child is likely to injure himself or others. The measure would allow such students to be sent to alternative educational settings for up to 45 days, just like other students, whether or not their misbehavior was linked to their disability. Schools now must prove the misbehavior is not related to the disability in order to do so. [Roll Call 154, H 1350, 04/30/2003; Asbury Park Press 06/18/2003; Honolulu Star 4/22/2003]

No Child Left Behind


Ryan Voted to Cut No Child Left Behind by $784 Million. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the Labor, HHS & Education appropriations conference report that cut $1.5 billion from key domestic priorities. The measure cut education programs by $59 million - including a $784 million cut from No Child Left Behind programs. The bill provided less than a one percent increase in Title I reading and math assistance for low-income children - the smallest increase in 8 years. In addition, the bill cut $87 million from programs that helped nearly 14,000 school districts that relied on the funding for school safety, drug prevention and anti-violence activities. The bill failed 209-224 [Roll Call 598, H 3010, 11/17/2005; House Appropriations Committee Democratic Staff, Summary of the Conference Agreement - HR 3010, 11/16/05] Ryan Supported Bill that Underfunded NCLB by $8 Billion. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The bill underfunded the landmark No Child Left Behind Act by $8 billion and provided the smallest percentage increase in education funding in eight years. Because of the bill, 54,000 fewer teachers would receive federally supported professional development. Special education programs would receive a $1 billion funding increase, compared to the $2.2 billion increase promised by Republicans. Pell Grants would finance only 130

38 percent of the cost of a public university, compared to 84 percent when the Pell Grant program was established. The bill passed 215-208 [Roll Call 353, H 2660, 07/10/2003] Ryan Supported Budget Cutting NCLB by $1 Billion. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that provided for $1.3 trillion in tax cuts over ten years, while cutting programs for children and public education by $38 billion over ten years, below the amount needed to maintain current service levels. It provided virtually no increase for education programs overall and cut funding for No Child Left Behind programs by $1 billion (from $23.8 billion to $22.8 billion). In addition, the House Budget eliminated 46 education programs (such as Rural Education, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to Use Technology), cut the after school program by 40 percent (or $400 million), and reduced the maximum Pell Grant award (from $4,050 to $4,000). The budget passed 215-212 [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003] Paul Ryan Supported Budget Cutting NCLB by $1 Billion. In 2003, Paul Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that provided for $1.3 trillion in tax cuts over ten years, while cutting programs for children and public education by $38 billion over ten years, below the amount needed to maintain current service levels. It provided virtually no increase for education programs overall and cut funding for No Child Left Behind programs by $1 billion (from $23.8 billion to $22.8 billion). In addition, the House Budget eliminated 46 education programs (such as Rural Education, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to Use Technology), cut the after school program by 40 percent (or $400 million), and reduced the maximum Pell Grant award (from $4,050 to $4,000). The budget passed 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003] Ryan Supported No Child Left Behind Bill. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of President Bushs No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to overhaul education proposals to increase school accountability and reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for six years. The final version of the bill required states to annually test students in reading and math in grades three through eight, provide new accountability measures for schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress, and give schools greater flexibility to spend federal funds. It included about $26.3 billion for federal elementary and secondary education programs and $13.5 billion for Title I programs for disadvantaged children in fiscal 2002.The bill passed 381-41. [Roll Call 497, H 1, 12/13/2001]

Public Schools
Ryan Supported More Local Control of Public Schools. According to the Capital Times, Ryan said he did not side with Clintons plans, reiterating the Republican call for more local control of public schools. The education proposal sounds like more Washington control over our schools when I think the real answer is local control, the congressman said. As an example, he said, many communities in southern Wisconsin have different needs than Kenosha or Racine, and a broad-based, federal-directed reform would not address those individual needs. [Capital Times, 1/20/99]

Pell Grants
Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, Doubling the Maximum Number of Pell Grants. On July 31, 2008, Ryan voted against reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. According to the Washington Post, Congress yesterday passed a major overhaul of federal higher-education programs aimed at expanding financial aid and bringing greater clarity and disclosure to the student loan process. By overwhelming bipartisan votes, the House and Senate approved a fiveyear reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. It will nearly double the maximum amount of Pell Grants by 2014 and will require the Education Department to collect and publish better data on soaring tuition costs at universities and colleges. [] In addition to increasing Pell Grants, the legislation seeks to clarify the application process. One provision, written by Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), simplifies a financial aid form by reducing the number of questions asked and mandating it contain more easily understood language. [] The legislation also imposes new regulations on financial institutions that make private loans to students not in the federal student loan program. It requires those lenders to disclose 27 pieces of information, such as mandating lenders to reveal three times in the application process all potential finance charges, late fees, penalties and adjustments to the loan. It also gives student borrowers up to 30 days to terminate a loan after an application is approved. [Roll Call 544, H 4137, 07/31/2008; Washington Post, 08/01/08] 131

Ryan Voted Against Raising Pell Grants. On July 11, 2007, Ryan voted against the bill that would cut nearly $19 billion from federal student loan lender subsidies and redirect most of those funds to financial aid for students, colleges and universities. According to the Washington Post, the bill would cut taxpayer subsidies of firms that provide student loans by $19 billion over five years and allocate most of the savings to programs that directly benefit students and institutions of higher education. The bill would halve interest on student loans to 3.4 percent; raise Pell Grants for poor students to a maximum of $5,200; provide tuition aid to students preparing to teach in disadvantaged neighborhoods; authorize grants to Hispanic and historically black institutions; provide student-loan forgiveness to first responders and nurses; and cap student-loan repayments at 15 percent of discretionary income. [Roll Call 613, H 2669, 07/11/2007; Washington Post 07/15/2007] Ryan Voted To Block Legislation To Save Thousands Of Dollars For Pell Grants. On July 01, 2010, Ryan voted to block legislation that would help prevent thousands of teacher layoffs across the nation. The legislation would invest $10 billion to teachers jobs and $16 billion to help cover state Medicaid payments. The legislation also invests $4.95 billion for Pell grants, which help support low-income students attend institutions of higher education. [Roll Call 430, H 4899, 07/01/2010] Ryan Supported Pell Grant Award Cuts. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that provided for $1.3 trillion in tax cuts over ten years, while cutting programs for children and public education by $38 billion over ten years below the amount needed to maintain current service levels. It provided virtually no increase for education programs overall and cut funding for No Child Left Behind programs by $1 billion (from $23.8 billion to $22.8 billion). In addition, the House Budget eliminated 46 education programs (such as Rural Education, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to Use Technology), cut the after school program by 40 percent (or $400 million), and reduced the maximum Pell Grant award (from $4,050 to $4,000). The budget passed 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003] Paul Ryan Supported Pell Grant Award Cuts. In 2003, Paul Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that provided for $1.3 trillion in tax cuts over ten years, while cutting programs for children and public education by $38 billion over ten years below the amount needed to maintain current service levels. It provided virtually no increase for education programs overall and cut funding for No Child Left Behind programs by $1 billion (from $23.8 billion to $22.8 billion). In addition, the House Budget eliminated 46 education programs (such as Rural Education, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to Use Technology), cut the after school program by 40 percent (or $400 million), and reduced the maximum Pell Grant award (from $4,050 to $4,000). The budget passed 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003]

Teachers
Ryan Voted to Cut Title 1 Funding for Local Educators by $693.5 Million. Ryan voted for a House continuing resolution that contained severe cuts to Title 1 funding. According to the National Education Association, the GOP House Continuing Resolution contained severe cuts to Title 1 funding. Funding for Title 1 would be cut by $693.5 million in fiscal year 2011 from current levels, which would reduce or eliminate additional academic support for more than 957,000 low-income students and could lead to more than 9,000 job losses. [Roll Call 147, H 1, 02/19/2011; National Education Association, 2/19/11] Ryan Voted to Block Funding of Education Department Gainful Employment Rules. On February 18, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would bar the use of funds made available in the bill to implement, administer or enforce an Education Department regulation or rule with respect to the definition or application of the term gainful employment under the Higher Education Act. Congressional Quarterly Today reported, In a victory to the for-profit college industry, the House adopted an amendment Friday that would block the Obama administration from implementing new regulations aimed at curtailing deceptive marketing practices by the schools [...] Among those is a gainful employment regulation, which would eliminate federal financial aid for programs where high proportions of students are not repaying the principal on their student loans, or end up with excessive debt loads compared with the salaries they can earn. [Roll Call 92, H 1, 02/18/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 02/18/2011] Paul Ryan Voted against Education Funding to Help Avoid Teacher Layoffs. Paul Ryan voted against the conference report of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $53.6 billion for a state fiscal stabilization fund of which, $39.5 billion would be used to enhance local school budgets. Governors were to channel money to avoid teacher layoffs and modernization of school buildings. Also included $1 billion for Head Start programs. The measure also included 132

$15.84 billion for student financial assistance and to carry out the Higher Education Act of 1965. [Roll Call 46, H 1, 01/28/2009; CQ Bill Analysis HR1; New York Times, 2/14/09] Ryan Opposed Helping Schools Reduce Class-Size; Train Teachers. Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget resolution that cut all funding for the 100,000 new teachers program. This included eliminating the funding for the 30,000 teachers that were hired in 1998, the 8,000 new teachers that would be hired in 1999 and any future teachers. The budget passed 221-208 [Roll Call 77, S 68, 03/25/1999] 1999: Paul Ryan Voted To Eliminate Funding For New Teachers. Paul Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget resolution that cut all funding for the 100,000 new teachers program. This included eliminating the funding for the 30,000 teachers that were hired in 1998, the 8,000 new teachers that would be hired in 1999 and any future teachers. The budget passed 221-208. [Roll Call 77, S 68, 03/25/1999]

Student Loans
Ryan Voted to Block Federal Student Loan Money From Going to ACORN. On September 17, 2009, Ryan voted for a motion to recommit HR 3221 with instructions to add language blocking federal student loan money from going to ACORN. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House passed a landmark overhaul of the student lending system Thursday that will establish the government as the only provider of loans and put tens of billions of dollars toward various scholarship and education programs. [...] The House approved, by a vote of 345 to 75, a motion by Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to clarify that no funding under the bill would be directed toward the activist group ACORN -- a provision that Miller encouraged members to vote in favor of, as ACORN would receive no funding under the bill anyway. [Roll Call 718, H 3221, 09/17/2009; Congressional Quarterly Today, 09/17/2009] Ryan Voted to Increase Annual Loan Limits on College Loans. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a motion to concur on a Senate amendment that would increase annual loan limits on federal college loans and give the Education Department a bigger role in ensuring loan availability. Despite originally opposing the legislation, President Bush came to support it, saying the federal government had an obligation to encourage and support people pursuing higher education. By granting the Department of Education greater authority to purchase Federal student loans, the measure would ease the anxiety many students may feel about their ability to finance their education this fall, Bush said. The motion was agreed to 388-21. [Roll Call 239, H 5715, 05/01/2008; House Education and Labor Committee Release, 5/01/08, White House Release, 5/01/08] Ryan Voted for Increased in Limits for College Loans. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would increase annual loan limits on federal college loans and give the Education Department a bigger role in ensuring loan availability. The bill would increase the annual loan limits on both direct loans from the federal government and government-guaranteed loans by $2,000 for all students. The bill would also increase the total amount of federal loans students could borrow to $31,000 for dependent undergraduates and $57,000 for independent undergraduates. The bill passed 383-27. [Roll Call 204, H 5715, 04/17/2008] Ryan Opposed Largest Increase in Student Aid Since the GI Bill. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation that provided the largest increase in student aid since the G.I. Bill. The conference report of the bill cut government subsidies to student loan firms by about $20 billion and redirected most of the money to aid for students and college graduates. It also included $750 million in federal budget deficit reduction. The maximum Pell grant award would be increased by $490 in 2008 and by $1,090 over five years. It also provided debt forgiveness to certain public-sector workers after 10 years of service, and capped student loan repayments at 15 percent of discretionary income. The bill passed 292-97 [Roll Call 864, H 2669, 09/07/2007] Ryan Opposed College Student Relief Act. In 2007, Ryan voted against cutting the interest rate on subsidized student loans for undergraduates in half over five years cutting the interest rate from 6.8% today to 3.4% by 2011 helping 5.5 million students. Once fully phased in, this bill would save the typical borrower, with $13,800 in subsidized federal student loan debt, approximately $4,400 over the life of their loans. The bill passed 356-71. [Roll Call 32, H 5, 01/17/2007] Ryan Supported Cutting Student Loan Funding, Social Programs and Agriculture Funding but Prevented HMO Cuts. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of the conference agreement to cut mandatory spending programs by $39.7 billion over the following five years. Due to the billions of dollars in tax cuts passed separately, the budget reconciliation package would 133

increase the deficit. The measure cut $12.7 billion from student loan programs - the largest single cut in history. The bill also put billions of dollars in student aid at risk by cutting all of the critical funds ($2.2 billion) used to carry out and administer the student aid programs. The measure cut $2.6 billion from programs serving single-parent families, foster children and lowincome elderly and disabled people. The cuts included $1.5 billion from child support enforcement, $343 million from foster care programs and $732 million from Supplemental Security Income for the elderly. The bill reduced the amount of direct payments available to farmers in advance to 40% in 2006 and 22% in 2007 and extended the Milk Income Loss Contract through 2007, at a cost of $998 million. The bill canceled funds, for a total cut of $1 billion over five years, for several programs including the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food systems. Additionally, the bill cut important farm bill conservation programs by $934 million over five years. The measure did not touch a $5 billion HMO slush fund established by the 2003 Medicare bill, and after intense lobbying from the health insurance industry, the budget saved HMOs $22 billion dollars. The bill passed 216-214. [Roll Call 4, S 653, 02/01/2006; CQ Today, 2/1/06; Washington Post, 2/2/06] Ryan Opposed Cutting Student Loan Interest Rates, Reversing Cuts to Student Aid. In 2006, Ryan voted against a Democratic alternative to the higher education authorization bill that would have cut student loan interest rates in half (from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent) for one year for those most in need. Students taking out a subsidized loan during that year would be able to lock in the low fixed interest rate for the life of their loans, thereby saving thousands of dollars in interest costs. The average college student graduates from college with $18,000 of debt. The measure would have also reversed previously enacted cuts to student loan programs. The measure was defeated 200-220 [Roll Call 80, H 609, 03/30/2006; New York Times, 3/31/06; Committee on Education and Workforce release, 3/30/06] Ryan Supported Increasing Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would increase from $5,000 to $17,500 the amount in student loans that could be forgiven for math, science and special education teachers who serve low-income students. Loan forgiveness also would be available to reading teachers who have obtained a separate state credential in reading. Teachers would have to be highly qualified as defined in the 2001 education reauthorization law and work in a Title I school in which more than 40 percent of its students come from families below the poverty line. It also would accelerate the timetable for forgiveness to allow a teacher to have a portion of their loans forgiven after only two years of service. The bill passed 417-7 [Roll Call 343, H 438, 07/09/2003]

Vouchers
Ryan Voted to Extend D.C. School Voucher Program. On March 30, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would extend funding for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program, which provides low-income students with scholarships, also known as school vouchers, that allows them to attend the school of their choice within the District of Columbia. In 2009, Democrats closed the program to new students but kept it open to current ones. The Washington Post reported that House Speaker John A. Boehners bill known as the SOAR Act would reopen it, offering $20 million annually for five years for new scholarships, along with another $20 million apiece for D.C. charter schools and traditional D.C. public schools. [] Boehners bill would provide students from low-income families with as much as $8,000 to attend elementary school or $12,000 for high school amounts that wouldnt cover tuition at most of the citys elite private schools but would cover the costs of many parochial schools. Boehner has been a strong supporter of Washingtons Catholic schools, some of which are struggling financially.[] President Obama weighed in Tuesday, issuing a statement through the Office of Management and Budget saying that he strongly opposes expanding the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and opening it to new students. [Roll Call 204, H 471, 03/30/2011; Washington Post, 3/30/11]

134

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT


Air Quality
Ryan Voted to Ban the EPA from Regulating Farm Dust. On December 8, 2011, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would prohibit the EPA from proposing, finalizing, implementing or enforcing regulations for one year that would modify current rules regarding the emission of coarse particulate matter. It would exempt nuisance dust from regulation under the Clean Air Act. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, Legislation that would bar the EPA for one year from revising standards on nuisance dust advanced last week in the House. Lawmakers voted 268-150 on Dec. 8 to pass the bill (HR 1633), which is designed to prevent the EPA from using the Clean Air Act (PL 101-549) to regulate coarse particulates kicked up by farm operations. The EPA would, however, be allowed to regulate nuisance dust in cases where it is not regulated under state or local law and the benefits of regulation surpass the cost and potential economic effects on employment. [] Republicans say the legislation would provide regulatory certainty for farmers and rural citizens, while Democrats contend that the GOP is trying to regulate a threat that does not exist. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has said she intends to propose no change to the air pollution standard for coarse particulates, which must be reviewed every five years. Such pollution likely causes adverse health effects due to its ability to travel to the lower regions of the respiratory tract, the EPA says. [Roll Call 912, H 1633, 12/08/2011; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 12/10/11] Ryan Voted To Nullify EPA Standards For Cement Plants In Defiance Of President. On October 6, 2011 Ryan voted for passage of a bill nullifying EPA emission standards for cement plants. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla., who co-authored the delay bill with Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said the measure will remove regulatory barriers to growth in the construction and cement manufacturing industries. Republican members and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which supports the GOP bill, contend that the EPAs new rule would force one-fifth of the nations cement plants to close in the next two years and cost industry $3.4 billion a year. President Obama had threatened to veto the legislation if passed. [Roll Call 764, H 2681, 10/06/2011] Ryan Voted to Direct the EPA to Consider Feasibility and Costs When Establishing Air Quality Standards. In September, 2011 Ryan voted for an amendment to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to consider feasibility and cost in the setting of national ambient air quality standards. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the amendment effectively negat[ed] a 2001 Supreme Court decision that upheld the EPAs practice of considering only public health concerns when setting the standards. The amendment passed, 227 to 192. [Roll Call 738, H 2401, 09/23/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 9/23/11] Ryan Voted to Delay Numerous EPA Air Pollution Regulations. In September, 2011 Ryan voted for delaying, until at least 2015, the promulgation of federal cross-state air pollution rules, and require states to wait at least an additional three years to implement them. The amendment would also prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from using modeled data to determine the impact of pollution on downwind states. it would delay air toxin standards for utilities until at least 20123 and would require giving power plants at least five years to comply with the rules once they are issued. The amendment passed 234 to 188. [Roll Call 737, H 2401, 09/23/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 9/23/11] Ryan Voted to Weaken Air Pollution Permit Regulations in the Clean Air Act. On June 22, 2011, Ryan voted for legislation that would shorten the EPAs approval process for issuing air pollution permits for offshore oil and gas development. The measure (HR 2021) is the latest in a series of GOP efforts to expand domestic offshore oil production and target the EPAs rulemaking authority. It comes in response to decisions by an EPA appeals board that have stalled air pollution permits that Shell Oil needs for a drilling project off the Alaskan coast. [...] The legislation would set a six-month deadline for the EPA to take final action on air pollution permit applications for outer continental shelf exploration and bar the EPAs Environmental Appeals Board from reviewing decisions regarding such permits. It also would amend the Clean Air Act (PL 101-549) by requiring that air quality impacts be measured at a corresponding onshore location and prevent supportvessel emissions from being considered as part of the overall emissions from the drilling rig, according to Congressional Quarterly Today. [Roll Call 478, H 2021, 06/22/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 06/22/2011] Ryan Sponsored Provision To Allow EPA To Lift Bans On Clean Fuels In Smoggy Areas. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The energy bill passed by Congress this week contains a provision by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan that could 135

limit short-term gasoline price spikes in particularly smoggy parts of the country and especially the Midwest. The legislation allows the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily lift rules requiring areas with poor air quality to use cleaner burning fuels, called boutique blends, during disruptions in supply. Although there are more than 40 blends of boutique fuels, each community can access a small number, making them highly susceptible to shortages caused by pipeline or refinery problems. Ryans provision also would limit the number of boutique fuels and require the EPA to study ways of making them more widely available, steps he believes will prevent shortages and stem what he views as the monopolies that oil companies now enjoy. Oil companies didnt have their prices set by the market; they were setting their own prices, Ryan, a Janesville Republican, said in a telephone interview. It played right into their hands. What this does is streamline our gasoline so we have a stable supply of gas, and thus stable prices, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/30/05]

Alternative Energy
Ryan Voted for GOP Short-Term Federal Funding Bill that Off-Set Disaster Relief Spending With Cuts to Renewable Energy and Green Vehicle Programs. In September 2011, Ryan voted for a GOP short-term appropriations bill that would fund the federal government through November 18, 2011. The Chicago Tribune described the bills passage, It also would include $3.65 billion to replenish the coffers of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is expected to run out of money by Monday after a succession of tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. Disaster funding typically draws bipartisan support, but this year Republican leaders insist that any supplemental emergency funds be offset by spending cuts elsewhere. Democrats object, and time is running out for Congress to act. [...] The House measure would take $1.5 billion from a green vehicle program championed by Democrats as a job creator. It also would take $100 million from an Energy Department account for renewable energy firms -- including Solyndra, the Northern California solar manufacturer with ties to the White House that received a $535 million loan guarantee, then went bankrupt. The Solyndra angle may have sealed the deal for conservatives who had rejected an earlier version of the bill on Wednesday, demanding $24 billion in spending cuts. The measure passed, 219 to 203. [Roll Call 727, H 2608, 09/23/2011; Chicago Tribune, 9/23/11] Ryan Voted Against Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would extend expiring tax provisions through 2009. Specifically, the bill would provide tax incentives for carbon capture and sequestration demonstration projects, and investment in renewable energy. These tax incentives would be offset by prohibiting individuals from understating foreign oil and gas extraction income in the calculation of foreign tax credits, freezing the deduction amount for oil and gas companies and prohibiting individuals who work for certain offshore corporations to defer tax on compensations. The bill passed 257-166. [Roll Call 649, H 7060, 09/26/2008; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported Bill To Ease Requirements On Renewable-Energy Projects Under 1969 National Environmental Policy Act. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 229 for and 186 against, the House passed a bill easing requirements of the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act on renewable-energy projects such as hydroelectric power, solar energy and wind farms. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/20/04]

Climate Change
Ryan Voted to Bar the EPA from Regulating Emissions Linked to Climate Change. On April 7, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of barring the EPA from regulating emissions linked to climate change. According to the New York Times, The House voted 255 to 172 on Thursday to halt the Obama administrations program to regulate industrial air emissions linked to climate change, delivering a rebuke to a central tenet of the presidents energy and environmental policy. Nineteen Democrats joined in approving a bill that, were it to become law, would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from acting to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that the agency has declared a threat to human health and the environment. The measure would also nullify a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that gave the agency the authority to issue regulations to curb those emissions. The bill stands little chance of becoming law because a similar measure voted on in the Senate on Wednesday came up 10 votes short of the 60 votes needed to avert a filibuster. President Obama this week threatened to veto any measure that would hinder the administrations efforts to restrict emissions that scientists say are warming the atmosphere and leading to potentially devastating changes in the global climate. [Roll Call 249, H 910, 04/07/2011; New York Times, 04/08/11] Ryan Voted Against Cap-and-Trade Policy to Combat Climate Change. Ryan voted against HR 477 which created a 136

cap-and-trade system to limit greenhouse gas emissions from electric utilities and set new regulations. Under this system, the EPA would auction emission allowances, 3/4s of which would be provided to polluters free of charge. The total number of permits would be reduced over the years, thus reducing greenhouse gases. Holders of permits would be allowed to buy and sell them. The bill would also require 15% of the nations energy to come from renewable sources by 2020, as well as a 5% increase in efficiency. The bill also created programs to help consumers who have higher utility bills due to the policy and create a more efficient energy grid. [Roll Call 477, H 2454, 06/26/2009]

Energy
Ryan Voted for the Energy Markets Emergency Act of 2008. On June 26, 2008 Ryan voted for the bill that would direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to immediately curb the role of excessive speculation in oil futures trading. According to the Washington Post, The House of Representatives yesterday approved legislation that directs the regulator overseeing commodity trading to use its emergency authority to investigate and rein in speculators who lawmakers blame for the run-up in oil prices. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has not yet taken such action, arguing that oil prices are rising simply because supply cannot keep up with demand. But lawmakers who authored the bill say recent congressional hearings have shown that investors such as hedge funds, pension funds and big financial firms are flooding into commodity trading and causing oil prices to soar. The measure immediately allows the agency to use its most dramatic powers, such as imposing temporary limits on traders or halting trading altogether when oil prices swing wildly. The legislation, which passed by a 402 to 19 vote, is a sign of Congresss growing impatience with the CFTCs response to the oil crisis, lawmakers said. [Roll Call 468, H 6377, 06/26/2008; Washington Post, 06-27-08] Ryan Voted Against Energy Efficiency Loan Programs. On September 16, 2010 Ryan voted against the bill that would authorize $5 billion over five years to create two energy efficiency loan programs. The bill would include $850 million annually for the Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program to support loans to finance energy efficiency home renovations and $150 million annually for the Rural Savings Energy Program to make loans to eligible entities to provide loans for energy efficiency measures in rural areas. According to the Washington Post, the bill authorizing about $160 million annually in zero-interest federal loans to rural electric cooperatives, for the purpose of spurring energy-efficiency construction by rural property owners. Cooperatives would leverage the federal funds into billions of dollars of low-interest loans for projects aimed at cutting utility bills and creating jobs. [Roll Call 530, H 4785, 09/16/2010; Washington Post 9/23/10] Ryan Voted Against New Renewable Energy Standards for Utilities, Appliances. In 2007, Ryan voted against comprehensive energy legislation that would require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020 and direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency standards for appliances and building construction. The bill would raise automobile fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 32 years and require increased use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity. Democrats characterized the legislation as a new direction in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. The motion was agreed to 235-181. [Roll Call 1140, H 6, 12/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly; Associated Press, 12/06/07] Ryan Voted against Plan to Increase Energy Independence, Promote Renewables. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, develop innovative new technologies, reduce carbon emissions, create green jobs, protect consumers, increase clean renewable energy production, and modernize our energy infrastructure. The bill set new efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings, and create new programs to research infrastructure and delivery of alternative fuels. The bill also required oil and natural gas producers who did not pay royalties on leased federal land under existing law to either agree to renegotiate their leases or pay a new fee. In addition, the bill expanded an existing federal program to promote the capture and storage of carbon dioxide and set a goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by federal agencies by 2050. The bill also required utilities, starting in 2010, to produce at least 2.75 percent of electricity from renewable sources, with percentages rising each year to 15 percent by 2020. The bill passed 241-172. [Roll Call 832, H 3221, 08/04/2007; Congressional Quarterly; www.speaker.gov] Ryan Supported an Amendment that Increased Use of Renewable Energy. In 2007, Ryan supported an amendment that would increase the use of renewable energies. The amendment required retail electricity suppliers, starting in 2010, to produce at least 2.75 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources, with percentages rising each year to 15 percent by 2020. The amendment passed 220-190. [Roll Call 827, H 3221, 08/04/2007] 137

Ryan Voted To Repeal Light Bulb Efficiency Standards. On July 12, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that sought to invalidate standards in a 2007 energy law signed by President George W. Bush requiring bulbs to be about 30 percent more efficient, according to the Washington Post. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that The July 12 vote on HR 2417, which would have repealed the provision, was 233-193, short of the two-thirds majority required for passage of measures considered under suspension of the rules, an expedited floor procedure usually reserved for non-controversial legislation. [] The bill would repeal part of a 2007 energy law (PL 110-140) that created minimum efficiency standards for incandescent bulbs. It would also eliminate $30 million in funding authority for Energy Department research, market assessments and consumer education related to energy-efficient lighting. []The new standards are expected to lead to a phaseout of the traditional light bulb. Set to replace them are compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), light-emitting diodes and new styles of incandescent bulbs, many of which are halogen-based and use less power. But the price of the new bulbs, which can be many times that of the old incandescents, has sparked opposition to the regulation. [] Supporters of the standards contend that although the new bulbs may be more expensive, they pay for themselves. [Roll Call 563, H 2417, 07/12/2011; Washington Post, 07/13/2011] Ryan Opposed Tax Break Package, Designed To Increase Domestic Energy Production And Conservation. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 244 for and 178 against, the House approved a package of tax breaks, regulatory relief and other policy changes designed to increase domestic energy production and conservation and shore up the nation's aging electricity grid. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/20/04] Ryan Opposed Conference Report Bill To Provide At Least $23 Billion Over 10 Years In Tax Breaks To Promote Energy Exploration. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 246 for and 180 against, the House approved the conference report on a package of tax breaks, regulatory relief and other policy changes designed to increase domestic energy production and conservation and shore up the nation's aging electricity grid. The bill provides at least $23.5 billion over 10 years in tax credits and incentives crafted mainly to promote oil and gas exploration, coal production and a revival of nuclear energy. It provides $18 billion in loan guarantees to subsidize construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to Chicago and mandates increased use of the corn-based gasoline additive ethanol and of biodiesel fuel, a soybean product. A yes vote was to approve the conference report. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03]

REFORMULATED GAS REQUIREMENT


Ryan Teamed Up With Russ Feingold, Herb Kohl, And Mark Green To Ensure A Reduction In The Number Of Variations Of Reformulated Gas Used Around The Country, Would Allow Milwaukee To Pull Gas In Other Parts Of The Country. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In various ways, Ryan and his colleagues in the states congressional delegation have been working to keep the gas price more affordable this summer and in future years. Ryan teamed with Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and Republican Mark Green, to keep a provision in the federal energy bill that would reduce the number of variations of reformulated gas used around the country. The measure, which is part of the bill now being negotiated in a conference committee, would allow the Milwaukee area to pull gas from refineries in other parts of the country when Midwest supplies run low. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/2/02] Ryan Considered Asking For A Waiver Request From Reformulated Gas Requirements. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Perciasepe said that the EPA had received Wisconsin Gov. Tommy G. Thompsons request for a waiver from the reformulated gas requirement. Perciasepe said the agency had not yet responded, but that all options remained on the table. -- Several state lawmakers -- Barrett of Milwaukee and House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville, among them -- are talking about going back at the EPA with new waiver requests. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/14/00] Ryan Later Admitted That Asking For The Waiver Would Do More Harm Than Good. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, At the height of the uproar, reformulated gas was costing 20 cents more a gallon than conventional gas, and Wisconsin politicians called unsuccessfully for a waiver of the EPA requirement. But the difference has nearly vanished, conventional gas supplies are tight, and Ryan -- one of those who sought a waiver -- admitted Thursday that a waiver now would do more harm than good. A scarcity of conventional gas means that a waiver would boost prices, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/9/00]

GAS PRICES
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Editorial: Ryans Plan To Reduce the Amount Of Gasoline Varieties Proved He Was A First-Class Thinker. According to a Waukesha Freeman editorial, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is not just the 1st District congressman ... hes a first-class thinker as well. Everyone in southeastern Wisconsin should appreciate the work Ryan and Mark Green, a fellow Republican congressman, have put into a proposal to reduce the varieties of gasoline from 40 to three. The proposal makes perfect sense, which is why it might have a difficult time inside the beltways of D.C. and Madison. The essence of the plan is to have three kinds of gasoline - regular gasoline for those regions with no pollution problems; a medium grade of reformulated gas - RFG - for areas like southeastern Wisconsin; and an even less-polluting blend for cities like Los Angeles. [Waukesha Freeman, Editorial, 1/21/02] Ryan Conducted A Meeting To Investigate The Reason For The Rise In Gas Prices, Believed EPA Regulations Impacted The Cost Of Gasoline. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Still, as vice chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Economic Growth, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs, Ryan said the hearing at City Hall could provide lessons for avoiding similar situations in the future. Taylor said high prices were simply the way the market rations a scarce commodity, and he said the ethanol version of the new reformulated gas was in short supply last month. Prices had to increase dramatically because smaller increases arent enough to get people to drive less, he said. Although economic factors -- including production limits by OPEC nations -- accounted for 75% of the price boost, in Taylors opinion, he blamed EPA regulations for the remaining 25%. He said Congress should repeal the obsolete and pointless re-formulated gas rules. Lyons, Midwestern regional chief for the EPA, strongly disagreed. He said re-formulated gas has been highly successful in cutting air pollution in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, and that it was responsible for only a few cents of the price increase. Ryan said the EPA was way off the mark in its estimates of the price impact. He questioned how much of the local air pollution came from elsewhere. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/9/00]

Environmental Protection Agency


Ryan Said That The EPA Seemed To Punish The Recipients Of Pollution And Not The Source. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan, the panels vice chairman, said he wanted to hear from environmental experts about why they believe reformulated gas is needed to clean up air pollution in the six- county southeastern Wisconsin area, and about how much of this regions ozone problem is caused by air currents blowing in pollution from elsewhere. Are we in fact paying for pollution we didnt create? Ryan asked. He said EPA rules seem to punish the recipient of pollution, not the source. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/6/00]

Green Jobs
Ryan Criticized White House Effort To Transition Away From High Carbon Investments, Which He Claimed Killed Hundreds Of Wisconsin Jobs. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, Wisconsins 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan continues to speak out about the painful impact of Washingtons misguided economic policies on Wisconsin workers. News broke over the weekend that the Obama Administration killed a contract with Wisconsin employer Bucyrus International Inc. in an effort to transition away from high-carbon investments, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of Wisconsin families. [] Bucyrus International Inc., which is based in South Milwaukee, won an international competitive-bidding process to supply an estimated $600 million worth of mining equipment for this project. It is important to note that Bucyrus bid relied on favorable financing rates from the Export-Import Bank, whose stated mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets. By declining to finance Bucyrus bid, as many as one thousand American jobs will be lost, including hundreds in Wisconsin. Worse yet, construction on the Sasan project is already moving forward - but instead of using American-made products - our foreign competitors will now provide the equipment needed for the project. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 7/29/10] Ryan Called Obama Administrations Attempt To Reduce Global Warming By Reducing High-Carbon Investments Reprehensible. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, News broke over the weekend that the Obama Administration killed a contract with Wisconsin employer Bucyrus International Inc. in an effort to transition away from high-carbon investments, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of Wisconsin families. []The Administrations actions show that attempting to reduce global warming- by a fraction of a degree over the next century - is a higher priority than keeping Wisconsin residents employed now. The vibrancy and competitiveness of the American economy should never take a 139

back seat to political ideology and its reprehensible that the Administration has arrived at the faulty conclusion that we are incapable of enacting energy policies that are both environmentally friendly and economically beneficial. American products and workers can compete with the best in the world, if they are given the chance- unfortunately, in this instance, they were not. Should the Administration fail to reverse this decision, or worse, should it continue with muscling through a byzantine cap-and-trade scheme, we need only look to Bucyrus to see the repercussions[,] Ryan wrote in a statement. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 7/29/10] Ryan Said Rejection Of Environmentally Adverse Bucyrus International Contract Would Cause The U.S. To Lose Jobs To Foreign Competitors. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, News broke over the weekend that the Obama Administration killed a contract with Wisconsin employer Bucyrus International Inc. in an effort to transition away from high-carbon investments, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of Wisconsin families. [] As this flawed political ideology permeates, the U.S. will continue to lose manufacturing jobs to our foreign competitors. This isnt a question of reducing the carbon footprint of the project - Bucyrus foreign competitors will quickly fill the gap left by this narrowminded decision. Construction at Sasan will continue with or without the high-quality, environmentally friendly equipment that should have been provided by Bucyrus. Countries like India and China will use dirtier technology and production methods, which expel more carbon into the atmosphere, and ultimately, global temperatures and total emissions will remain unaffected[,] Ryan wrote in an statement. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 7/29/10] Ryan Said He Was Angered By Export-Import Banks Rejection Of Power Plant Company Reliance Power, Which Jeopardized Wisconsin Jobs At Bucyrus International. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Up to 1,000 jobs at Bucyrus International Inc. and its suppliers could be in jeopardy as the result of a decision by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, funded by Congress, to deny several hundred million dollars in loan guarantees to a coal-fired power plant and mine in India. About 300 of those jobs are at the Bucyrus plant in South Milwaukee, where the company has 1,410 employees and its headquarters. []On Thursday, the Export-Import Bank denied financing for Reliance Power Ltd., an Indian power plant company, effectively wiping out about $600 million in coal mining equipment sales for Bucyrus, chief executive Tim Sullivan said. President Obama has made clear his administrations commitment to transition away from high-carbon in-vestments and toward a cleaner-energy future, Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg said in a statement. After careful deliberation, the Export-Import Bank board voted not to proceed with this project because of the projected adverse environmental impact. Ryan said he was angered by the slippery explanation given by the Export-Import Bank for denying the loan guarantees. This is an ominous preview of the economic damage from Washingtons environmental overreach. Should they fail to overturn this decision, the administration is sending a clear signal to the Midwest that political ideology is a higher priority than the livelihoods of Wisconsin families, Ryan said. [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 6/28/10]

Land Management
Ryan Voted to Override Endangered Species Act and Alter California Water Supply Practices. On February 29, 2012, Ryan voted for the bill that would change California water supply practices around the San Joaquin Valley. It would require the Interior Department to increase the total water delivery capability of the Central Valley Project by 800,000 acre-feet of water by Sept. 30, 2016. It also would repeal provisions of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act and would impose an alternative set of water flow requirements. It also would limit the enforcement or consideration of environment rules under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would change California water supply practices around the San Joaquin Valley. The measure (HR 1837), sponsored by California Republican Devin Nunes, would facilitate increased water access for agricultural and municipal use and limit the enforcement or consideration of certain environmental rules and regulations. The House passed the bill 246-175. Democrats said the bill would override the states rights to manage its resources by overruling a California statute that requires water contractors to meet certain environmental regulations, including some stipulated in the Endangered Species Act (PL 93-205). [] Republicans charged that water deliveries to the region, especially to area farmers, have been unfairly limited due to environmental regulations protecting various fish species. [Roll Call 91, H 1837, 02/29/2012; Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/29/12] Ryan Voted In Support Of Arizona Land Exchange That Gave Federal Land To Private Company To Allow Development Of Copper Mine. On October 26, 2011 Ryan voted in support of the Arizona Land Exchange, which allowed the federal government to swap land with the Resolution Copper Company in order to develop a copper mine. According to the Arizona Republic, Resolution Copper would get about 2,400 acres in the Oak Flat area of the Tonto National Forest in 140

return for giving more than 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land throughout Arizona to the federal government. The Republic added, Once the mine is open, which is projected to happen in 2021, it would employ about 1,400 people. Resolution Copper said most of those workers will be Arizonans. The mine will also create about 2,300 non-direct jobs, including contractors who supply fuel, tires, cement and steel, company officials said. New businesses, such as restaurants, also would be expected to open to serve the workers, according to a report commissioned by the company. The total economic impact of the project on the state of Arizona is estimated to be over $61.4 billion, nearly $1 billion per year, and another $19 billion in federal, state, county and local tax revenue, Gosar said. In these tough fiscal times, I think we can all agree that the (federal government) can use this. Opponents of the project, including Grijalva, say the project would harm Apache tribal lands and threaten the regions already scarce water supply. [Roll Call 809, H 1904, 10/26/2011] Ryan Supported Conference Report On Bill To Waive Environmental Regulation On Commercial Logging In National Forests, Believed To Control Wildfires. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 286 for and 140 against, members approved the conference report on a bill (HR 1904) waiving environmental rules and limiting judicial review so that commercial logging in national forests can be increased to control wildfires. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03] Ryan Supported Conference Report On Bill Authorizing $400.5 Billion In 2004 Defense Spending. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 362 for and 40 against, the House approved the conference report on a bill authorizing $400.5 billion for defense in fiscal 2004, up 4.5 percent from the comparable 2003 sum. The figure does not reflect $65 billion in new military spending for actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. A yes vote backed the conference report. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03] Ryan Voted For An Amendment That Provided Protective Status To Land During The Formulation Of A Management Plan. On June 7, 2000 Ryan voted for an amendment to provide protective status to each section of the Conservation Area pending the completion of the management plan. The amendment was on HR 3605, The San Rafael Western Legacy District and National Conservation Act. The Act was to designate the San Rafael region of Utah under a new land management category, called a western legacy district. The amendment would have preserved land with wilderness characteristics while BLM formulated its management plan for the area, according to Boehlerts office. His amendment, which passed by 212-211, replaced one offered by Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) that would have given interim protection to lands not yet designated by wilderness study areas. [Roll Call 238, H 3605, 06/07/2000] Ryan Supported Protections for Environmentally Sensitive Land. In 2000, Ryan voted for a bill that would annually set aside $2.8 billion in royalties gained from oil and gas drilling on federal lands for the purchase of environmentally sensitive land and other conservation programs. The bill passed 315-102. [Roll Call 179, H 701, 05/11/2000]

Mining
Paul Ryan Voted Against Improving Mine Safety. Paul Ryan voted against a motion to suspend the rules and pass a bill that would provide additional authorities to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, including the power to subpoena documents and testimony in carrying out investigations and inspections. It would increase civil and criminal penalties for mines that violate safety and health regulations and create a system by which mines could be identified as having a history of citations for substantial violations. The bill would provide for independent investigations for certain mine accidents and increase whistleblower protections for mine workers. The vote required 2/3s majority to pass. [Roll Call 616, H 6495, 12/08/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Ending Federal Moratorium On Deepwater Drilling. Paul Ryan voted against an amendment that would seek to end the federal moratorium on deepwater drilling by allowing the Interior secretary to provide permits to applicants that have complied with increased safety measures outlined by the Minerals Management Service on June 8, 2010, and June 18, 2010. Applicants would also have to comply with any additional safety measures recommended by the Interior Department and complete all required safety inspections before they could be granted a permit. [Roll Call 511, H 3534, 07/30/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Mining Safety Reform. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would shorten deadlines for mining operators to conform to new safety requirements, provide the Mine Safety and Health Administration with subpoena 141

power and increase penalties for multiple safety violations. The bill would also require mine operators to install new communications equipment sooner than previously mandated. [Roll Call 10, H 2768, 01/16/2008]

Nuclear Energy
Paul Ryan Voted Against Continuing Appropriations That Provided Child Nutrition And Pre-Disaster Funding. Paul Ryan voted against a motion to concur in the Senate amendments that would provide continuing appropriations through Dec. 3, 2010, for all federal departments and agencies, none of whose fiscal 2011 appropriations bills have been enacted. It also would extend year-round child nutrition programs and the Federal Emergency Management Agencys pre-disaster mitigation operations. It includes several spending adjustments including an increase of $624 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration and $23 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [Roll Call 564, H 3081, 09/30/2010] Ryan Voted in Favor of Shipping Nuclear Fuel to India without India Signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty. On July 26, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would waive requirements for congressional approval before shipping civilian nuclear fuel to India. According to the Washington Post, The House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to allow U.S. shipments of civilian nuclear fuel and technology to India, handing President Bush a victory on one of his top foreign policy initiatives. Rep. Tom Lantos (Calif.) said the proposal, which reverses decades of U.S. anti-proliferation policy, is a tidal shift in relations between India and the United States. [] For Bush to implement his accord with India, lawmakers must first exempt New Delhi from U.S. laws that bar nuclear trade with countries that have not submitted to full international inspections. Congressional action is needed because India built its nuclear weapons program outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which provides civilian nuclear trade in exchange for a pledge from nations not to pursue nuclear weapons. Before the vote, lawmakers made last-ditch attempts to attach conditions they said were needed to make sure the United States is not supporting a massive increase in Indias nuclear stockpile. Supporters of the accord quashed proposals they said would cause India to balk and the delicately worded deal to collapse. Several lawmakers strongly questioned the initiative, arguing that it would undermine the worlds premier nonproliferation treaty. [Roll Call 411, H 5682, 07/26/2006; Washington Post, 07/27/06] Ryan Voted in Favor of Increasing Spending on Nuclear Weapons Research, funding Yucca Mountain and Cutting Spending on Water Projects. On November 18, 2003 Ryan voted in favor of a $27.3 billion energy and water appropriations bill for 2004. According to the Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, The House adopted and the Senate cleared an energy and water appropriations conference report on Tuesday that would provide significant increases for nuclear weapons research while cutting money from the Army Corps of Engineers for water projects around the country. []The bill would provide $580 million for Yucca Mountain, despite the protests of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and a leading opponent of the project in his home state. [] The $6.3 billion in the bill for nuclear weapons development -- a $358 million increase over fiscal 2003 -came under fire from some Democrats who say spending on a new generation of bombs encourages nuclear proliferation at a time when the United States is calling for other countries to give up their weapons development programs. The conference report would provide $7.5 million for the Energy Department to research and develop smaller nuclear bombs known as bunker busters. The amount is about half what Bush requested. Overall, the Energy Department would receive $22 billion, a $1.2 billion increase over fiscal 2003 and $120 million less than Bush requested. The corps, a popular agency among members of Congress because it funds hundreds of water projects, would receive $4.6 billion in fiscal 2004, about $127 million less than in fiscal 2003. Appropriators tried to keep the corps budget below last years because appropriators added $466 million to Bushs request in 2003 and a multibillion-dollar backlog for corps construction projects already exists. [Roll Call 631, H 2754, 11/18/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 11/18/03] Ryan Voted to Provide $131 Million for the Construction of the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Facility. In June 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $131 million for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. [Roll Call 325, H 4614, 06/25/2004; AP, 6/25/04]

National Parks and Preservation


Ryan Voted Against $32.3 Billion in Interior and Environmental Appropriations for FY 2010. On October 29, 2009, Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $32.3 billion in fiscal 2010 for the 142

Interior Department, the EPA and related agencies. The bill would provide $11 billion for the Interior Department, including $1.1 billion for the Bureau of Land Management; $10.3 billion for the EPA; $5.3 billion for the Forest Service and $4.1 billion for the Indian Health Service. The bill would fund the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities at $168 million each and the Smithsonian Institution at $761 million. The funding also includes $3.4 billion to fight and prevent wildfires. It also would prohibit the EPA from requiring mandatory greenhouse gas reporting from manure management systems for one year. It would provide continuing appropriations through Dec. 18, 2009, for all federal departments and agencies whose fiscal 2010 appropriations bills have not been enacted. Funding would continue fiscal 2009 levels, with some exceptions. [Roll Call 826, H 2996, 10/29/2009] Ryan Voted for Funding Department of Interior and EPA in 2007. On May 18, 2006, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $25.9 billion in fiscal 2007 for the Department of Interior, the EPA and related agencies. Congressional Quarterly reported that The House passed a $25.9 billion Interior-Environment appropriations bill Thursday, after stripping provisions that would have lifted a ban on most new offshore natural gas drilling and addressed global warming. Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, used a parliamentary challenge to strip from the bill nonbinding language declaring human activity to be a major cause of global warming and recommending mandatory, market-based measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, the bill would provide $9.7 billion for the Interior Department, $7.6 billion for the EPA, $4.2 billion for the Forest Service, $1.8 billion for the Bureau of Land Management and $3.2 billion for the Indian Health Service. As amended, it would fund the National Endowment for the Arts at $129 million and the National Endowment for the Humanities at $146 million. It would maintain the moratorium on natural gas production in the Outer Continental Shelf as well as bar the use of funds in the bill for the sale or slaughter of wild horses and burros. [Roll Call 172, H 5386, 05/18/2006] Ryan Voted for Department of Interior Funding for 2006. On May 19, 2006, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $26.2 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Department of Interior, the EPA and related agencies. Specifically, the bill would provide $9.8 billion for the Interior Department, $7.7 billion for the EPA, $4.2 billion for the Forest Service, $1.8 billion for the Bureau of Land Management and $3.1 billion for the Indian Health Service. According to The Salt Lake City Tribune, the House included $ 242 million in Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes funding in the Interior bill [] meaning the prospects are good that there will be an increase in the money going to the historically shortchanged program. According to the Washing Post, the bill would reinstate a ban on mustang and burro sales that was begun in 1971 but lifted last year by Congress. The new ban would protect at least 27,000 wild horses and 4,000 wild burros roaming on federal land in 10 western states. [Roll Call 199, H 2361, 05/19/2005; Salt Lake City Tribune 06/08/2005; Washington Post 05/22/2005] Ryan Opposed Ban On Snowmobiles In Yellowstone And Grand Teton National Parks. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 198 for and 224 against, the House refused to ban snowmobiles from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. The vote permits the operation of snowmobiles equipped with the best available technology for controlling noise and pollution. If the Senate goes along with this vote, the effect will be to uphold Bush administration regulations permitting snowmobile access. A yes vote was to ban snowmobiles from the two parks. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/20/04] Ryan Voted Against $20.1 Billion In Interior Appropriations Including Emergency Funding. On October 30, 2003, Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $19.7 billion for the Department of the Interior in fiscal 2004, plus an additional $400 million in emergency funds to repay debt by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management incurred for fighting wildfires in fiscal 2003. [Roll Call 595, H 2691, 10/30/2003] Ryan Voted Against the $19.6 Billion Fiscal 2004 Interior Appropriations Bill. On July 17, 2003, Ryan voted against passage of the bill that would appropriate $19.6 billion in fiscal 2004 in discretionary funds for the Interior Department, related agencies and cultural programs, $186 million less than the current level. The bill would include funds for the Forest Service, energy-related programs, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Endowment for the Arts. It would include $1.1 billion for land acquisition and conservation. It also would provide funds to combat wildfires including $1.6 billion for Forest Service firefighting efforts and $699 million for Bureau of Land Management suppression initiatives. [Roll Call 389, H 2691, 07/17/2003] Ryan Voted Against Designating 160,000 of the Coconino National Forest a National Scenic Area. On September 23, 2010 Ryan voted against designating approximately 160,000 acres of National Forest System land in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona, Ariz., as a National Scenic Area. [Roll Call 538, H 4823, 09/23/2010] 143

Ryan Voted Against Expanding the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. On September 23, 2010 Ryan voted against authorizing the Interior Department to expand the boundary of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona. According to the Arizona Daily Star, The measure - introduced by Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick D-Ariz. - would have enlarged the site by 415 acres. That would have nearly doubled the existing 472-acre monument, which protects ruins of Indian villages built in the 13th and 14th centuries. The expansion proposal sought to add ancient canals, ball courts, platform mounds and fields to the preserve, which is centered on a four-story casa grande, or great house. [Roll Call 537, H 5110, 09/23/2010; Arizona Daily Star, 09-24-10] Ryan Voted Against Amending the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. On July 16, 2008 Ryan voted against designating a 40mile segment of the Taunton River in Massachusetts as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. It would allow the Interior Department to acquire land only through purchase from a willing seller or through a land donation. The bill would require the Interior secretary to report on the energy resources available on the lands and waters included in the segment of the river. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House Wednesday passed a bill to protect a Massachusetts river despite Republican objections that it would block energy development. The bill (HR 415), which passed 242-175, would designate a 40-mile section of the Taunton River part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill prompted a spirited floor debate even though similar legislation is normally passed as a routine matter. One reason is that the bill would effectively block a liquefied natural gas terminal that Weavers Cove Energy, a subsidiary of Hess Corp. is trying to build in the city of Fall River. [Roll Call 507, H 415, 07/16/2008; Congressional Quarterly Today, 07-16-08] Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing Public Lands Programs. In 2008, Ryan voted against a conference bill that designated new park, wilderness and scenic areas and authorized programs and activities in the Forest Service, the departments of Interior and Energy, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Land Management. It would add 106,000 acres in Washington state to the National Wilderness Preservation System, which would be known as the Wild Sky Wilderness. The legislation provided a stable immigration policy for the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) and also provided them with a non-voting Delegate to Congress. The bill passed, 291-117 [Roll Call 226, S 2739, 04/29/2008; Congressional Quarterly, 4/29/08; Rep. Christenson Release, 4/30/08] Ryan Voted to Designate 11,000 Acres in New Hampshire as Wilderness. On September 25, 2006 Ryan voted to designate 11,000 acres in the White Mountain National Forest as wilderness. According to the Concord Monitor, The New Hampshire Wilderness Act would have classified land in the Wild River and Sandwich regions as wilderness, a label that must be approved by Congress and that prohibits logging, mining, road construction and motorized traffic. [Roll Call 472, H 5062, 09/25/2006; Concord Monitor, 09/27/06] Ryan Voted For Earmarking Dollars For Conservation Programs. Ryan voted for the bill to set aside about $2.8 billion a year in royalties, gained from oil and gas drilling on federal lands, for the purchase of environmentally sensitive land and other conservation programs. [Roll Call 179, H 701, 05/11/2000] Ryan Voted Against Redirecting Land Acquisition Funds. Ryan voted against an amendment that would redirect the $450 million allocated for land acquisition to boost funding for urban parks and recreation programs, farmland protection programs and threatened and endangered species recovery projects. [Roll Call 162, H 701, 05/10/2000] Ryan Voted against A Bill That Designated More Than 2 Million New Acres Of Protected Wilderness Areas. In 2009, Ryan voted against a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to a bill that designated more than 2 million new acres of protected wilderness areas nationwide, in addition to wild and scenic rivers, historic sites and expansions of national parks. The bill included a measure to authorize the Interior Department to approve a road through an Alaskan wetland to provide airport access to an isolated town, in exchange for land elsewhere. The measure also authorized water rights settlements in Western states and established new programs in the Interior Department on water reclamation and the effects of climate change on water availability. Some of the major new wilderness areas were created in Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Oregon. The bill passed 285-140. [Roll Call 153, H 146, 03/25/2009; CQ Today, 3/25/09] Ryan Voted Against Designating Two Million Acres as Protected Wilderness. On March 11, 2009, Ryan voted against a bill to designate two million acres of land as protected wilderness. According to the Washington Post, the bill would represent one of the largest expansions of public lands in a quarter-century [] Conservation groups and many lawmakers said the package, which combined more than 170 bills, would preserve some of the nations remaining pristine landscapes, but several Republicans argued that it would cost too much to implement and would stand in the way of needed energy 144

development. At a time when we need jobs and we need energy independence, its the wrong time to be tying up too much land, said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Utah), who added that some of the proposals merited approval, but so many of the bills could never withstand an individual vote. [] The bipartisan bill would apply to areas from Oregons Mount Hood to part of Virginias Jefferson National Forest. Other affected states are California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, Utah and West Virginia. [Roll Call 117, S 22, 03/11/2009; Washington Post, 03/12/09] Ryan Voted to Cut Spending for Interior and EPA in 2006. On July 28, 2005, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would fund the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and related agencies in fiscal year 2006. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that the bill would provide $26.2 billion, all but roughly $50 million of it discretionary funds. That includes a 0.48 percent across-the-board cut. The total is $816 million, or about 3 percent, less than the amount enacted for comparable programs in fiscal 2005. [] Funding for the EPA was set at $7.7 billion, $294 million less than the agency received in fiscal 2005. Much of the reduction came from a $191 million cut to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides money for state and local water and sewage treatment projects. [] The final bill includes $9.9 billion for the Interior Department, $30 million less than in the fiscal 2005 law. State conservation grants were cut by $61 million from the $90 million provided in fiscal 2005. The bill also included $1.5 billion in supplemental spending to cover a shortfall in veterans health care funding. [Roll Call 450, H 2361, 07/28/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 7/29/05] Ryan Voted for $19.5 Billion FY 2005 Interior Department Budget. In June 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would appropriate $19.5 billion for the Interior Department, related agencies and programs in fiscal 2005. The bill would provide $3.6 billion for fighting wildfires, including $1 billion in supplemental funding -- $500 million in each of fiscal 2004 and 2005 -that could be released for emergency fire conditions. It also would provide $3 billion for the Indian Health Service. The bill, as amended, would increase spending for the arts and humanities by $13.5million and block the use of funds to plan or construct forest development roads in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska for harvesting timber. [Roll Call 264, H 4568, 06/17/2004] Ryan Voted in Favor of Limiting Environmental Regulations of Forest Thinning. On November 21, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a forest thinning bill that limited environmental reviews of brush and tree removal. According to the Los Angeles Times, A version of President Bushs plan for thinning national forests to reduce wildfire risks cleared Congress on Friday, driven by the recent fires that ravaged California. The measure, which was sent to Bush for his expected signature, would limit environmental and judicial reviews for brush removal and tree-cutting projects on up to 20 million acres of federal land. [] Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society opposed the measure, contending that it would lead to the logging of healthy trees in the forest in the name of fire prevention, rather than focus on prevention efforts close to homes. []The bill authorizes $760 million a year for forest-thinning projects, a $340-million increase, but Congress must continue to appropriate the money at budget time. [Roll Call 656, H 1904, 11/21/2003; Los Angeles Times, 11/22/03] Ryan Voted in Favor of Legislation to Accelerate Forest Thinning. On May 20, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to accelerate forest thinning which aims to prevent wildfires. According to the Washington Post, the bill is meant to lessen the risk of massive wildfires by loosening regulations and clearing more trees deep in the wilderness. [] The bill, pushed through the House by Republicans with some Democratic support, would give the government broader leeway to thin undergrowth and trees on 20 million acres of federal land. It would provide quicker judicial review of forest-thinning projects if they are challenged in court, and it would rely on private companies to carry out more of the work. [] Opponents said the measure would go too far. They said it would undermine legal protections against excessive logging and would accelerate judicial reviews, giving plaintiffs 15 days to file lawsuits opposing thinning projects and requiring judges to rule within 100 days. In instances where the environmental impact of thinning a section of forest is disputed, the measure would require courts to give greater weight to the opinion of federal agencies than to that of outside experts hired by groups trying to block the clearing. [] One of the most contested aspects of the legislation involves which part of forests could be cleared. The bill would allow greater thinning, including of relatively large trees, in remote forest areas, as well as those nearer developed communities. [Roll Call 200, H 1904, 05/20/2003; Washington Post, 05/21/03] Ryan Voted For An Amendment To Allow Motorized Vehicles In Conservation Areas. On June 7, 2000 Ryan voted for an amendment that would have replaced language which prohibits motorized vehicle use in the conservation area with language that would allow the use of motorized vehicles where authorized by the Bureau of Land Management. The amendment was on HR 3605, The San Rafael Western Legacy District and National Conservation Act. The Act was to designate the San Rafael region of Utah under a new land management category, called a western legacy district. The amendment failed 210-214. [Roll Call 240, H 3605, 06/07/2000; Energy and Environment Daily, 6/7/00] 145

Oil
Ryan Voted Against the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. On June 24, 2008 Ryan voted against prohibiting price gouging for fuels in areas experiencing an energy emergency, set civil and criminal penalties for such price gouging, and permit states to bring lawsuits against retailers for price gouging. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that the House earlier in the week rejected, 276-146, a bill (HR 6346) aimed at retail gasoline price gouging. That measure, which also did not get the two-thirds needed, came to the floor June 24. It would have authorized the Federal Trade Commission to impose fines and other punishments for unconscionably excessive prices for motor fuels during a presidentially declared energy emergency, and was similar to a measure (HR 1252) the House passed last year and to language the Senate included in broader energy legislation. [Roll Call 448, H 6346, 06/24/2008; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 6/29/08] Ryan Voted for Bill to Crack Down on Foreign Oil Price Manipulation. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would make it illegal for foreign countries to collectively manipulate energy prices or supplies and allow the federal government to sue foreign countries for any such actions that affect the United States. The measure would create a Justice Department task force to investigate price gouging and manipulation in oil markets and require a study of the effect of oil industry mergers on fuel prices. The legislation would allow the Justice Department to pursue legal action against the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries for conspiring to restrict supplies or drive up prices. The bill passed 324-84 [Roll Call 332, H 6074, 05/20/2008; Los Angeles Times, 5/21/08] Ryan Supported Subjecting OPEC to Anti-Trust Laws. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that subjected the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil cartels to federal antitrust laws by eliminating the sovereign immunity they receive under current law. The measure was intended to crack down on OPEC members that set production quotas to manage global oil prices. According to the conservative Heritage Foundation, OPEC would send a strong and long-overdue signal to OPEC oil barons that they must stop limiting production and investment access. The bill passed 345-72. [Roll Call 398, H 2264, 05/22/2007; Chabot press release, 5/17/07; Heritage Foundation, 5/21/07] Ryan Voted Against Ending Tax Breaks for Oil Companies. On January 18, 2007, Ryan voted against the bill that would limit tax benefits and require royalty payments from certain oil and gas companies. According to the Washington Post, the bill would roll back billions of dollars worth of oil drilling incentives, raise billions more by boosting federal royalties paid by oil and gas companies for offshore production, and plow the money into new tax breaks for renewable energy sources. [Roll Call 40, H 6, 01/18/2007; Washington Post 01/04/2007] Ryan Voted Against Bill to Crack Down on Oil Speculation. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would direct foreign exchanges trading U.S. commodities to impose limits on the number of futures contracts an investor can own. Investors trading on such overseas exchanges would have to reduce positions, if they exceed the limits or their activity threatens to distort prices. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission would be authorized to set position limits on over-the-counter trading. During floor debate, Democrats seized on the weeks turmoil on Wall Street to support their argument for stricter oversight of financial markets. Critics blamed speculation in energy futures for contributing to the run-up of oil prices this year. The bill would bolster transparency in energy futures trading and require tougher regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in an attempt to pre-empt excessive speculation and ensure that futures prices reflect supply and demand. The measure also would authorize increased staffing at the agency. Several minor changes were made to ensure that the scope of the bill fell entirely within the Agriculture Committees jurisdiction. That blocked Republicans from offering a procedural motion for a vote on their energy bill which would fall within other committees jurisdiction. The changes included removing mandates to create an independent inspector general at the CFTC and to require a Government Accountability Office investigation. The House rejected a Republican motion to delay implementation of the limits on contracts until after certifying that no pension plan would be adversely affected. Democrats said the provision would effectively kill the bill. The bill was passed by a vote of 283 to 133. [Roll Call 608, H 6604, 09/18/2008] Ryan Voted to Protect Oil Companies over Renewable Energies. In 2008, Ryan voted against the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act. The legislation comprehensively invested resources into wind, solar, and geothermal energy systems. Furthermore, it extended tax credits to producers of cleaner burning bio-diesel and cellulosic alcohol based fuels. The legislation also eliminated a manufacturing tax deduction for larger oil and gas companies. The bill passed, 236-182. [Roll Call 84, H 5351, 02/27/2008; Release, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, 2/27/08] 146

Ryan Voted to Protect Oil Companies Over Green Energy Sources. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to authorize $16.1 billion in energy-related tax provisions, including new tax credit bonds to encourage energy efficiency in residential property and more production of clean energy. The bill authorized $3.6 billion in bonds for state and local governments to fund energy conservation efforts. The costs of the bill were offset primarily by reducing current tax benefits for oil and gas companies. The bill also raised taxes on the oil and gas industry and used the proceeds to extend and expand tax breaks for renewable energy, hybrid cars and energy-efficient buildings and appliances. In addition, the bill created a $6 billion green bond fund that would help local and state governments build energy-efficient projects. The bill passed 221-189. [Roll Call 835, H 2776, 08/04/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported Handouts to Big Oil, Energy Corporations. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the energy conference report that exempted oil and gas industries from some clean-water laws, streamlined permits for oil wells and power lines on public lands, and helped the hydropower industry appeal environmental restrictions. One obscure provision would repeal a Depression-era law that has prevented consolidation of public utilities, potentially transforming the nations electricity markets. It also includes an estimated $85 billion worth of subsidies and tax breaks for most forms of energy including oil and gas, clean coal, ethanol, electricity, and solar and wind power. The bill included $2 billion for risk insurance in case new nuclear plants run into construction and licensing delays and nuclear utilities would be eligible for taxpayer-backed loan guarantees of as much as 80 percent the cost of their plants. The bill passed 275-156. [Roll Call 445, H 6, 07/28/2005; Washington Post, 7/30/05] Ryan Voted to Suspend Strategic Petroleum Reserve Acquisitions. In May 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would require the Interior and Energy departments to halt acquisition of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) until the end of 2008. The departments could resume shipments if the president determined that the average price of oil in the United States for the most recent 90-day period was $75 a barrel or less. While even the bills supporters noted that its effect on prices at the gas pump would be minimal, bipartisan support for freezing SPR purchases was a breakthrough of sorts in a longstanding partisan impasse on contentious oil issues. The motion passed 385-25. [Roll Call 307, H 6022, 05/13/2008] Ryan Voted Against Energy Bill That Would Eliminate or Reduce Tax Breaks for Major Oil Companies. In 2007, Ryan voted against comprehensive energy legislation that would raise automobile fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 32 years and require increased use of renewable energy sources to generate electricity. Democrats characterized the legislation as a new direction in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. The bill would boost corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards by 40 percent, to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first such action since 1975, when Congress first enacted the federal auto fuel economy requirements. The bill would expand the use of ethanol sevenfold to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 with 21 billion gallons coming from cellulosic feedstock such as wood chips and prairie grass. The bill would require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020 and direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency standards for appliances and building construction. It also would eliminate or reduce $13 billion in subsidies and tax breaks for the five major oil and gas companies to be used for tax incentives for development of renewable energy sources like ethanol from grasses and wood chips and biodiesel and for energy efficiency programs and conservation. The motion was agreed to 235-181 [Roll Call 1140, H 6, 12/06/2007; Congressional Quarterly; AP, 12/06/07] Ryan Supported Sham Refinery Plan That Did Nothing to Lower Energy Costs. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to speed the approval of refinery permits, allow a refinery to appeal to the government for compensation if operations are stalled by unforeseen regulation or litigation and call for the president to identify new refinery sites on federal land, possibly including wildlife refuges and national forests. The United States has not built a refinery since 1976, and in a series of memos in the 1990s, major energy companies warned they needed to reduce the number of refineries to boost profits. Even a House Republican remarked that the bill will do nothing for consumers and will hurt taxpayers... but it sure will help the bottom line of oil companies. The bill passed 212-210 [Roll Call 519, H 3893, 10/07/2005; Washington Post, 8/6/05; Dallas Morning News, 10/7/05] Ryan Supported Billions In Handouts to Big Oil, Energy Corporations. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the House version of an energy bill that reflected President Bushs energy priorities. The bill included $8.1 billion in energy tax breaks and several billion in other subsidies, including $2 billion to increase research into drilling for oil and gas in extremely deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The bill included $2 billion to makers of the gasoline additive MTBE to help them defray the cost of phasing out the product, which contaminates drinking water. The House bill also would give MTBE makers, including major oil companies and refiners, protection against product liability lawsuits stemming from the water contamination. The bill 147

passed 249-183. Note: Ryan was not in office to vote on the conference report. [Roll Call 132, H 6, 04/21/2005; AP, 4/22/05]

OIL SPILLS
Paul Ryan Voted Against Making Oil Companies Responsible For Oil Spills. Paul Ryan voted against a bill to repeal the $75 million cap on liability for offshore drilling. It would create numerous new safety regulations for leases for offshore oil and gas development, including features designed to prevent well blowouts, and it would require some holders of leases to renegotiate royalty payments disputed by industry. As amended the bill would prevent oil companies from shifting oil spill cleanup costs onto taxpayers in the event one of its subsidiaries goes bankrupt. [Roll Call 513, H 3534, 07/30/2010]

DRILLING
Ryan Voted to Allow Offshore Drilling Leases in Gulf of Mexico and Off the Coast of Virginia. On May 05, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would require the Interior Department to conduct certain oil and natural gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Virginia. The bill would deem that the existing environmental impact statement issued for the current department five-year plan for 2007-2011 is sufficient to satisfy environmental requirements for the sales. According to the Washington Post, the bill would go about setting deadlines for the administration to auction certain Outer Continental Shelf leases for oil and gas exploration that were delayed for environmental and safety reasons after last years BP-Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill requires leases in the central and western Gulf of Mexico and Virginia to be auctioned within one year of enactment or sooner. [Roll Call 298, H 1230, 05/05/2011; Washington Post 05/12/2011] Ryan Voted In Favor Of Measure To Ease Environmental Regulations On Drilling Permits For The Outer Continental Shelf Of Alaska. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Members voted, 253-166, to ease environmental rules to make it easier for Shell Oil Co. and other energy firms to obtain exploratory drilling permits for the Outer Continental Shelf of Alaska. A yes vote backed a bill (HR 2021) requiring, in part, expedited action by the Environmental Protection Agency on permit applications. Ryan voted yes. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/25/11] Ryan Voted Against Amendment To Mandate Energy Companies Seeking Drilling Permits To Disclose Taxpayer Subsidies They Receive. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Members defeated, 183-238, an amendment requiring that energy companies seeking drilling permits under the terms of HR 2021 (above) disclose in their applications detailed information on the taxpayer subsidies they receive. A yes vote was to adopt the amendment. Ryan voted no. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/25/11] Ryan Voted to End Ban on Offshore Drilling. On June 29, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to end the ban on offshore drilling. According to the Washington Post, The House, voting 232-187, yesterday approved a bill to end a 25-year-old moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling. The vote came even after the White House surprised the bills supporters by estimating that the measures royalty terms would divert several hundred billion dollars away from the federal treasury over the next 60 years. Amid high oil and gas prices, the idea of allowing more offshore oil and gas exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf had widespread support in the House. The measure would let firms drill anywhere within 50 miles of U.S. coastlines, while forcing states that want to keep drilling 100 miles off their own shores to pass legislation every five years. States could also ask the federal government to allow drilling closer. [] Perhaps the most controversial section of House bill would divert from the federal government to coastal state governments large portions of royalties from drilling in federal waters. This would apply to both new leases and existing offshore oil and gas production. In a policy statement yesterday, the Office of Management and Budget said that the Bush administration agrees with the goal of expanding oil and gas production and supported passage of the House measure to advance the legislative process. But OMB also said that the administration strongly opposes revenue sharing provisions that would not create incentives for new production and would have adverse long-term consequences on the federal deficit. [Roll Call 356, H 4761, 06/29/2006; Washington Post, 06/30/06] Ryan Voted to Eliminate Moratorium on Offshore Drilling. On May 18, 2006, Ryan voted for en bloc amendments that would strike sections of the bill dealing with offshore preleasing, leasing or related activities, eliminating the moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling. Congressional Quarterly Today reported that the underlying legislation funds the Interior 148

Department, the EPA and the Forest Service as well as American Indian services and cultural programs through the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.[] The House passed a $25.9 billion Interior-Environment appropriations bill Thursday, after stripping provisions that would have lifted a ban on most new offshore natural gas drilling and addressed global warming. [Roll Call 164, H 5386, 05/18/2006; Congressional Quarterly, 05/18/06.] Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted in favor of President Bushs energy bill, which contained a provision allowing drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. The bill passed 240-189 [Roll Call 320, H 4, 08/02/2001] Ryan Voted Against Offshore Drilling, Renewable Energy. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill to give states the option to allow oil and gas offshore drilling between 50 and 100 miles off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, except for waters in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast. The federal government could permit drilling from 100 to 200 miles offshore. It stipulates that the federal government would collect all royalties from new oil and gas leases permitted under the bill. It would require utilities to obtain 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. It also includes roughly $19 billion in new tax incentives for renewable energy, new coal technologies and alternative-fuel vehicles. Despite the objections of Republicans who said it would do little to boost offshore oil and gas production. President Bush threatened a veto. A Republican attempt to stall the measure was defeated. Democrats touted the bill as a compromise that would expand domestic production and invest in alternative energy sources. It would allow drilling beyond 100 miles off U.S. shores and give states the option of allowing production beyond 50 miles from the shores. It proposes major incentives for renewable energy, building efficiency and advanced technologies for coal-fired power plants. The bill passed by a vote of 236 to 189. [Roll Call 599, H 6899, 09/16/2008; CQ Weekly, 9/16/08] Ryan Voted against Keeping Alaskan Oil in U.S., Requiring Exploration Leaseholders to Use or Lose Existing Leases. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would require energy companies to explore their existing oil and gas leases or lose them. The use it or lose it bill included new provisions to expedite oil and gas production in Alaskas Natural Petroleum Reserve, speed construction of an oil and gas pipeline from Alaska and bar the export of Alaskan oil. The bill failed 244-173. [Roll Call 511, H 6515, 07/17/2008; CQ Today, 7/17/08] Ryan Voted against Requiring Holders of Oil Leases to Drill or Release Land. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would strip oil companies of their leases to federal land not being used for drilling. Democrats referred to the bill as the use it or lose it measure, saying that oil companies already lease 68 million acres of government land and waters that they are not exploiting, and before opening new areas, the companies should be forced to use the leases they hold. Many Republicans opposed the bill, saying that it was easier to blame others for the rise in oil prices. blame it on oil companies, blame it on OPEC, Republican Minority Leader John Boehner said. Theres only one group, only one group in this chamber we ought to blame, and that is all the liberals in this House who have voted for no energy each and every time over the last 18 years that Ive been here. The bill failed 223-195. [Roll Call 469, H 6251, 06/26/2008; CQ Today, 6/26/08; CQ Today, 6/26/08] Ryan Opposed Keeping 25 Year Ban on Offshore Natural Gas Drilling. In 2006, Ryan voted against an amendment offered to the FY 07 Interior Appropriations bill that would strike a provision in the bill allowing for natural gas drilling in the outer continental shelf, which begins just three miles off Americas shores. The OCS natural gas drilling ban has existed for the past twenty-five years with bi-partisan support. The amendment failed 217-203. [Roll Call 170, H 5386, 05/18/2006; Leadership Document, Key Environmental Amendments to Interior-Environment Appropriations, 5/18/06] Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted in favor of a Republican energy bill that allowed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The bill passed 249-183 [Roll Call 132, H 6, 04/21/2005] Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted against an amendment to block drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The amendment was defeated 200-231 [Roll Call 122, H 6, 04/20/2005] Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted in favor of the Bush energy bill, which allowed drilling in Alaska. The bill passed 247-175. [Roll Call 145, H 6, 04/11/2003] Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted in favor of a phony proposal to limit drilling in the Arctic Refuge to 2,000 acres. The limitation proposal passed 226-202. [Roll Call 134, H 6, 04/10/2003] 149

Ryan Supported Drilling in Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Ryan voted against an amendment to maintain the prohibition on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The amendment was defeated, 206-223 [Roll Call 317, H 4, 08/01/2001]

KEYSTONE PIPELINE
Ryan Voted to Expand Drilling to ANWR, Approve Keystone XL Pipeline. On February 16, 2012, Ryan voted for the bill that would open up a portion of Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration and production and expand lease sales to include areas off the coast of southern California, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the mid-Atlantic coastline. The bill also would provide for approval of the 1,700-mile Canadian tar sands Keystone XL pipeline and shift permitting authority for the project from the State Department to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. As amended, it would establish a trust fund for Gulf Coast restoration efforts. Expenditures from the fund would be contingent on enactment of further legislation. According to Politico, House lawmakers on Thursday approved a plan to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline and expand drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The 237-187 victory for Republican leaders as part of one portion of a much larger energy and infrastructure strategy - was a relatively painless start to what has become a difficult endeavor for the overall package. [Roll Call 71, H 3408, 02/16/2012; Politico, 2/16/12]

Pollution
Ryan Supported Energy Bill Giving Billions of Dollars to Polluters. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the Republican energy bill, which made numerous changes to the nations energy policies including those in the areas of production, conservation, taxes, and research. The bill included allowing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, offered incentives for offshore drilling, funded nuclear energy, clean coal, and oil and gas research, extended tax credits for energyefficiency and coal technology, and increased fuel efficiency standards for sport-utility vehicles and light trucks. In addition, the bill provided billions of dollars in subsidies to polluters. The bill also provided $33.5 billion in tax credits over 10 years for energy producers and consumers. The bill passed 240-189 [Roll Call 320, H 4, 08/02/2001; Public Interest Research Group, League of Conservation Voters] Ryan Supported Energy Bill Giving Billions of Dollars to Polluters. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the Republican energy bill, which made numerous changes to the nations energy policies including those in the areas of production, conservation, taxes, and research. The bill included allowing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, offered incentives for offshore drilling, funded nuclear energy, clean coal, and oil and gas research, extended tax credits for energyefficiency and coal technology, and increased fuel efficiency standards for sport-utility vehicles and light trucks. In addition, the bill provided billions of dollars in subsidies to polluters. The bill also provided $33.5 billion in tax credits over 10 years for energy producers and consumers. The bill passed 240-189. [Roll Call 320, H 4, 08/02/2001; Public Interest Research Group] Ryan Voted To Allow States To Establish Combustion Residual Permit Programs That Would Block The EPA From Regulating Coal Ash. On October 14, 2011 Ryan voted to allow states to establish combustion residual permit programs that would block the EPA from regulating coal ash, giving control to state governments. Republicans had said that this bill would prevent the EPA from instituting a rule that would cost 316,000 jobs. According to the Houston Chronicle, The agency has proposed either subjecting coal ash to a federal hazardous-waste management law or requiring states to regulate it as a non-hazardous waste. The proposed rule comes in the wake of coal-ash spills, including a 2008 incident in Kingston, Tenn., in which 1 billion gallons of ash slurry spilled into the nearby area. The bill would allow states to regulate coal-ash disposal no less stringently than municipal waste. The EPA could run similar programs for states that dont end up regulating it. Democrat Jim McGovern said, These jobs will not happen if we pass this bill. This bill basically preserves the status quo. [Roll Call 800, H 2273, 10/14/2011] Ryan Supported Exempting Businesses from Superfund Liability. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would exempt small businesses from liability under the superfund hazardous waste cleanup program if the business dumped only a small amount of waste or just ordinary garbage. The bill also would have established an expedited settlement procedure. The bill, which required a 2/3 vote to pass, was defeated 253-161 [Roll Call 494, H 5175, 09/26/2000] 150

Ryan Opposed Arsenic Clean-up in 2000. In 2000, Ryan voted against an amendment to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to use funds to clean up contaminated lake and river sediments and to enforce arsenic drinking water standards and issue radon water standards. The amendment was defeated, 208-216 [Roll Call 304, H 4635, 06/21/2000] Ryan Opposed Funds for Arsenic Clean-up in 2000. In 2000, Ryan voted against an amendment to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to use funds to clean up contaminated lake and river sediments and to enforce arsenic drinking water standards and issue radon water standards. The amendment was defeated, 208-216. [Roll Call 304, H 4635, 06/21/2000]

Water
Ryan Voted Against a $32 Billion Energy and Water Bill; Increasing Spending on Energy Efficiency Programs. On July 17, 2007, Ryan voted against an energy and water appropriations bill that would increase the budget for energy efficiency programs. According to the Washington Post, The House passed a $32 billion measure funding the Energy Department budget and hundreds of Army Corps of Engineers water projects. The bill, which passed 312 to 111, increases the budget for programs aimed at making cars and buildings more energy-efficient, and for research on and development of alternative energy sources. President Bush who requested about 4 percent less for the programs covered by the measure, has promised a veto. [Roll Call 641, H 2641, 07/17/2007; Washington Post, 07/18/07] Ryan Voted for Funding Energy and Water Development Projects in 2006. On November 9, 2005, Ryan voted for the conference report on a bill that would provide $30.5 billion in fiscal 2006 for energy and water development projects. Congressional Quarterly Today reported that the bill funds the Energy Department and the Army Corps of Engineers. It would raise overall spending by 2 percent over fiscal 2005 and would be about a 3 percent increase over the White House request. The bill marks a departure from past appropriations legislation because it would make deeper cuts to the Energy Departments proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada. At the same time, the conference report provides the Energy Department with $50 million to develop a plan for reprocessing nuclear waste to produce more fuel instead of burying it. Specifically, the bill includes $24.3 billion for the Energy Department, $5.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers and $1.1 billion for Interior Department water projects. [Roll Call 580, H 2419, 11/09/2005; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/14/05] Ryan Voted for Funding Energy and Water Projects in 2006. On May 24, 2005, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $29.7 billion in fiscal 2006 for energy and water development projects, including $4.7 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers and $8.8 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration. It also would provide $661 million for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, including $10 million for the department to begin accepting waste for interim storage at one or more storage facilities by 2006. The administration would be barred from redirecting more than $2 million, or 10 percent of a projects value, whichever is less, from one account to another. [Roll Call 211, H 2419, 05/24/2005; Daily Record 11/09/2005; The Chronicle of Higher Education 11/25/2005; Washington Post 06/02/2005] Ryan Voted for the 2002 Energy-Water Appropriations Bill. On November 1, 2001, Ryan voted for the conference report that would appropriate $24.6 billion in fiscal 2002 for the Energy Department, the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies, $2.1 billion more than the presidents request. [Roll Call 416, H 2311, 11/01/2001] Ryan Voted to Withhold $1 Billion from Department of Energy, Including Weapons Stockpile Stewardship Program, Until National Security Issues Were Addressed. Ryan voted for an energy and water appropriations bill that cut $1.5 billion from the Department of Energy. The Albuquerque Journal reported, Under the House measure, the Energy Department budget would drop from $17 billion in fiscal year 1999 to $15.5 billion in fiscal year 2000. About $1 billion of the cut could be restored in the last quarter of fiscal year 2000. The House plan would restore the withheld money if the Energy Department reforms its much-criticized management practices in the nations nuclear-weapons complex. [Roll Call 342, H 2605, 07/27/1999; Albuquerque Journal, 7/28/99] Ryan Voted for $28.5 Billion FY 2005 Energy and Water Appropriations. In June 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $28.5 billion in fiscal 2005 spending for energy and water development projects. It would provide $4.8 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers and $9 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration. It also would provide $131 million for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. The bill, as amended, would prohibit funds from being used to deny the 151

public release of documents relating to the investigation of alleged manipulations of Western energy markets. The vote succeeded, 370-16. [Roll Call 325, H 4614, 06/25/2004] Ryan Voted to Gut Water Quality Standards. Ryan voted in favor of the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, a bill to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the States water quality standards. A New York Times editorial, titled Another Dirty Water Act, blasted the legislation saying it would strip the [EPA] of its authority to oversee state water quality standards and to take action when the states fail to measure upAbsent federal oversight, states are likely to engage in a race to the bottom, weakening environmental rules to attract business. [Roll Call 573, H 2018, 07/13/2011; New York Times, 7/14/11] Ryan Voted to Override Bush Veto on Water Resources Development Bill. On November 6, 2007, Ryan voted in favor of overriding Bushs veto of a water resources development bill. According to the Washington Post, The House voted to override a veto by President Bush for the first time yesterday, acting to save a $23 billion water resources bill stuffed with pet projects sought by lawmakers from both political parties. []The bill would authorize billions of dollars in coastal restoration, river navigation and dredging projects, levee construction and other Army Corps of Engineers public-works efforts. Seven years in the making, the measure took on particular political resonance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as Gulf Coast lawmakers secured nearly $2 billion in restoration and levee construction projects for the region. The bill would also continue projects such as the restoration of the Everglades and the dredging of the upper Mississippi River, while expanding oversight of the Army Corps. [] But the bill would merely authorize such projects. Lawmakers backing the projects must now secure funding through the House and Senate appropriations committees, with no guarantees. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said some Republicans made the case that the GOPs stand for fiscal rectitude should apply to such authorization bills, but others drew a distinction between measures such as the water bill and actual spending bills, on which they have vowed to stand with the president. [Roll Call 1040, H 1495, 11/06/2007; Washington Post, 11/07/07]

Wildlife
Ryan Supported Weakening the Endangered Species Act. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to expand privateproperty rights under the 1973 law that is credited with helping keep the bald eagle from extinction. The bill would require the government to compensate property owners if measures to protect species thwart development plans. It would also give political appointees the power to make some scientific determinations and stop critical habitat designations, which limit development. The plan passed 229-193. [Roll Call 506, H 3824, 09/29/2005; Washington Post, 9/30/05] Ryan Opposed Endangered Species Act Reform. Ryan voted against a bipartisan alternative plan to help threatened and endangered species recover without putting onerous burdens on landowners or taxpayers. The measure would dedicate resources to provide technical assistance and grants to private property owners particularly small land owners who help conserve species on or near their land. It would also use private lands to help threatened and endangered species recover to sustainable levels only if public lands like national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges - are not adequate for recovery. The proposal was defeated 206-216. [Roll Call 505, H 3824, 09/29/2005; Reps. Boehlert, Dingell and Gilchrest Press Release, 9/28/05;] Ryan Voted Against Allowing the Fish and Wildlife Service to List New Endangered Species and Habitats. On July 27, 2011 Ryan voted against the amendment that would strike language in the bill barring the Fish and Wildlife Service from listing new species and habitats for protection under the Endangered Species Act. According to the Washington Post, the amendment killed language that sought to use a funds cutoff to prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2012 from taking this first step toward attempting to protect certain declining species. About 260 species now are listed as potential candidates for protection under the law. The vote occurred during consideration of a Republican-drafted Interior Department budget. [Roll Call 652, H 2584, 07/27/2011; Washington Post 7/31/2011] Ryan Voted in Favor of Lifting Protections on Endangered Species, New Nuclear Weapons Research. On May 22, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a $400 billion dollar defense bill that would authorize small yield nuclear weapons research and allow the Pentagon to waive laws protecting endangered species. According to the New York Times, The House voted today to give the Pentagon broad discretion to waive laws meant to protect rare animal and plant species if the restrictions are judged to interfere with military training and readiness. [] Representative Duncan Hunter, the California Republican who is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said that the laws were making it increasingly difficult for the military to 152

find training grounds and that long stretches of 17 miles of beach at Camp Pendleton, Calif., could not be used for Marine landing exercises because of lawsuits, the presence of an endangered gnatcatcher and protected vegetation. [] The administration sought to lift the ban on small yield weapons, saying it wanted to study using them to penetrate deep underground bunkers. The weapons at issue are five kilotons or less, one-third the power of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in World War II. The House version would also allow the administration to begin research into the smaller nuclear weapons. [Roll Call 221, H 1588, 05/22/2003; New York Times, 05/22/03] Ryan Said It Was A Mistake For Bush To Back Off Of Conservation Efforts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said, They [Bush] made a mistake by giving the appearance they were backing off on conservation, said the Republican Ryan. They say thats no longer the case. It sure sounded like they were backing off on conservation. Thats an important part. The point Cheney was trying to make was its not the only part. But he kind of bumbled that. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/17/01] Ryan Was Undecided On Whether He Would Support Conservation $3 Billion Proposal For Conservation And Recreation Programs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The U.S. House of Representatives this week plans to consider $3 billion in funding for conservation and recreation programs -- worth $28 million a year to Wisconsin -- in a measure hailed as a historic opportunity to preserve fragile lands and dwindling species. The Conservation and Reinvestment Act has drawn together supporters from across the political and social spectrum, from bass fishermen to bird watchers and, perhaps more telling, Republicans and Democrats Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville, who is an adviser to House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), said that because of the possibility of amendments, I foresee the potential for this to change drastically between now and final passage. As a result, Ryan said, he is undecided about whether to support the bill. He said he wanted to wait and see its final form before deciding. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/8/00]

153

ETHICS AND LOBBYING


Campaign Finance
Ryan Opposed The DISCLOSE Act, Which He Accused Of Unconstitutionally Earmarking The First Amendment. According to States News Service, 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan offered the following statement regarding the DISCLOSE Act, which passed the House of Representatives earlier today by a vote of 219-206: Congress should not be in the business of earmarking the First Amendment. The DISCLOSE Act unconstitutionally empowers Congress to pick winners and losers with respect to free speech, drawing clear lines between those groups and organizations that are able to easily participate in our elections and those that are not If we want to reduce the role of special interests groups in government, we should combat the overreach and influence of government rather than combat the Constitution itself. By limiting the governments influence over our lives, we can reduce the flow of money into politics. Regrettably, the Majority took the opposite approach and proceeded with a bill that serves the interests of their own party as opposed to the interests of the American people. [States News Service, 6/24/12] Ryan Voted To Terminate The Presidential Election Campaign Fund. On December 1, 2011, Ryan voted to terminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, Taxpayer financing of presidential elections would end under a House bill passed Thursday. Mississippi Republican Gregg Harper, who introduced the bill (HR 3463), said it would terminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which has seen a decline in check-offs on tax returns, and shut down the Election Assistance Commission, an agency he says has completed the task it was assigned. The House voted 235-190 to pass the measure. [Roll Call 873, H 3463, 12/01/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/1/11] Ryan Voted to Terminate Public Financing of Presidential Campaigns. On January 26, 2011 Ryan voted to terminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which provides matching funds for presidential primary candidates and grants for general election candidates and national party conventions. As amended, the leftover amounts transferred to the Treasury from the fund would be used solely for deficit reduction. According to the Oklahoman, The House passed a bill by U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, on Wednesday that would abolish public financing for presidential campaigns, despite objections from Democrats that special-interest groups would gain more influence in elections [...] The bill, part of the new House Republican majoritys drive to cut federal spending, would save $617 million over the next 10 years, Cole said. [Roll Call 25, H 359, 01/26/2011; The Oklahoman, 01/27/11] Ryan Voted Against New Political Donation Reporting Requirements For Corporations. On June 24, 2010, Ryan voted against the DISCLOSE Act. The legislation would require corporations, labor unions, trade associations and advocacy groups to publicly declare their role in TV ads or mass mailings during the closing months of a political campaign, including where the money is coming from to pay for such activities. Foreign-controlled corporations and big government contractors would also be barred from paying for such political activities. The bill is intended to blunt the impact of the January 2010 Supreme Court ruling overturning laws that had barred corporations and unions from airing certain types of election ads. [Roll Call 391, H 5175, 06/24/2010; Politico, 6/24/10] Ryan Voted to Limit Donations to 527 Political Organizations. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to limit donations to 527 political organizations. The bill would have limited contributions to only $25,000 a year for partisan voter mobilization activities and $5,000 for direct expenditures on federal elections. These groups raised more than $400 million in 2003-2004. The bill was supported by groups including the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG. Meanwhile, conservative groups such as the Club for Growth opposed the bill. The bill passed 218-209. [Roll Call 88, H 513, 04/05/2006; Club for Growth, 4/26/0, Letter in Support of HR 513, 4/4/06] Ryan Voted to Exempt Online Speech from Campaign Finance Rules. On November 2, 2005, Ryan voted for a bill that would exempt blogs, e-mail and other online speech from campaign finance rules. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that House leaders brought up the bill (HR 1606) under suspension of the rules, a procedure usually used for noncontroversial legislation. Such bills require a two-thirds majority vote of those members present and voting, which in this case was 272. The measure thus was rejected on a 225-182 vote. []Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling, sponsor of the failed House bill, introduced his proposal in April after a federal judge ruled the Federal Election Commission could not exempt online speech from the 2002 law. The commission lost an appeal of that court decision and is currently trying to determine how the 154

law -- intended to limit the influence of money in politics -- should apply to online speech. The law bars corporations and unions from contributing to campaigns or advertising on behalf of candidates. It also imposed restrictions and disclosure requirements on campaign spending, donations and political speech. [Roll Call 559, H 1606, 11/02/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 11/5/05] Ryan Voted Against Reforming Campaign Finance Rules. On February 14, 2002, Ryan voted against legislation that would reform the nations campaign finance rules. Specifically, the bill would ban unlimited and unregulated contributions to political parties from unions, corporations and wealthy individuals, which is also known as soft money contributions. The bill would also place restrictions on issue advertising by preventing political ads from targeting specific candidates in the days leading up to elections. Finally, the legislation would increase the individual contribution limit from $1,000 to $2,000 per election for House and Senate candidates. A poll conducted by CNN/USA Today/Gallup shows widespread public support for new federal laws limiting the amount of money that any individual or group can contribute to the national political parties, with a 76% to 19% margin. However, Republicans opposed to the legislation argue that the legislation is stacked against their party and unconstitutional as well. [Roll Call 34, H 2356, 02/14/2002; Fox News, 2/14/02; Gallup, 3/20/01] Ryan Voted To Require 527 Groups To Disclose Their Political Activities. On June 28, 2000 Ryan voted to suspend the rules and pass a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and require 527 organizations to disclose their political activities. The bill passed 385-39. [Roll Call 341, H 4762, 06/28/2000]

Election Laws
Ryan Opposed Backup Paper Ballots for 2008 Election. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would pay for backup paper ballots in the November 2008 election. Specifically, the bill would authorize up to $75 million for grants to reimburse states and localities that opt to purchase pre-printed paper ballots to have ready should electronic voting machines fail on Election Day. President Bush opposed the measure, calling it expensive and unnecessary. The bill failed 248-170. [Roll Call 493, H 5803, 07/15/2008; CQ Today, 7/15/08; CQ Today, 7/15/08] Paul Ryan Opposed Funding for States to Use Paper Ballots. I. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would authorize reimbursement for states and counties that convert to paper-ballot voting machines before the November 2008 elections or need help paying for manual audits afterward. The bill would authorize a one-time-only funding to set up a paperballot-counting system or to retrofit printers onto electronic voting machines. It would also authorize federal reimbursements for hand counts and manual audits of the 2008 election results. [Roll Call 188, H 5036, 04/15/2008; CQ Today, 4/15/08] Ryan Voted for Procedure to Hold Rapid Special Elections If Large Number of Congressman Killed. On April 22, 2004 Ryan voted for the Continuity in Representation Act of 2004. The bill amended federal law concerning the election of Senators and Representatives to require States to hold special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives within 45 days after a vacancy is announced by the Speaker of the House in the extraordinary circumstance that vacancies in representation from the States exceed 100. The bill was designed to ensure the functionality of government in case of a catastrophic event. The bill passed 306-97. [Roll Call 130, H 2844, 04/22/2004; Washington Post, 4/23/04] Ryan Supported Overhaul of Election System After 2000 Florida Recount Debacle. In 2002, Ryan voted in favor of a plan to overhaul the nations election system and provide almost $3.9 billion to upgrade voting equipment and improve election administration. In addition, the measure changed many of the laws that governed how Americans register to vote and cast their ballots. The bill represented the federal governments response to the deadlocked 2000 presidential election in Florida and the chaotic recount process that was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill passed, 357-48. [Roll Call 462, H 3295, 10/10/2002; Washington Post, 10/11/02]

Ethics Votes
INSIDER TRADING
155

Ryan Voted for Congressional Insider Trading Ban. On February 9, 2012, Ryan voted for a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would clarify that members of Congress as well as officials and senior staff of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the U.S. government are covered by current regulations that bar the use of non-public information for trading stocks and bonds. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Thursday morning passed an amended version of the Senates insider-trading legislation, setting the stage for a showdown between the chambers regarding which version to send to President Obama. The House advanced, 417-2, Majority Leader Eric Cantors amendment to the bill (S 2038) that would ban lawmakers and some aides from buying or selling stock or other securities based on confidential information gathered in the course of their duties. []The bill, which the Senate passed a week ago, 96-3, would clarify that Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prohibitions on insider trading extend to lawmakers, staffers and executive branch employees. []Unlike the Senate-passed measure, the House version would add more specific disclosure restrictions on executive branch officials covered by the bill, such as barring high-level executive and judicial branch employees from employment negotiations without required disclosures. The House version also would prohibit lawmakers and other top officials from participating in initial public stock offerings on a favored basis. [Roll Call 47, S 2038, 02/09/2012; Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/9/12]

ETHICS
Paul Ryan Voted Against Ethics Bill. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against legislation to establish an independent panel of the House ethics committee to consider alleged violations by House members and employees. The measure created an independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), whose primary mandate will be to carry out probes and refer allegations of unlawful activity made against Members of Congress to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. This new independent organization would be led by a bipartisan, six-person panel whose membership will be jointly agreed to by both the Speaker of the House and the House Minority Leader. With the creation of a new Office of Congressional Ethics and previously approved lobby reform legislation, Democrats said that the New Direction Congress has demonstrated its commitment to making the 110th Congress and future Congresses more ethically transparent and morally accountable. [Roll Call 122, S 1031, 03/11/2008; Rep. Clyburn Press Release, 3/11/08]

LOBBYING
Ryan Voted in Favor of Lobbying Reform. On July 31, 2007, Ryan voted in favor of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, an ethics and lobbying overhaul bill. According to the New York Times, The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved sweeping ethics rules that would require lawmakers to disclose the names of lobbyists who gather more than $15,000 in political contributions for them within a six-month period. The measure would also impose new restrictions on accepting gifts, discounted airfare and other long-held perquisites of office. [] the final bill retained provisions doubling the current one-year ban on former senators direct lobbying contacts with onetime colleagues and that former senior Senate aides, already barred from lobbying their previous office for one year, would now be forbidden to do so anywhere in the chamber during that period. House members must continue to honor a one-year ban against directly lobbying their former colleagues. But the most far-reaching element of the bill -- and the one that caused the most contentious behindthe-scenes negotiations -- was the provisions requiring the disclosure of campaign contributions that lobbyists gather up from clients and associates to give to political candidates and the parties Congressional campaign committees. [Roll Call 763, S 1, 07/31/2007; New York Times, 08/01/07] Ryan Voted for GOP Backed Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of an ethics and lobbying reform bill that would prohibit privately funded travel by House members and their staff for the rest of the 109th Congress unless the ethics committee certified that a proposed trip complied with House rules and standards. It would deny pension benefits to House members convicted after the bills enactment of crimes related to their official positions. The House could not consider an appropriations bill unless the accompanying report listed the earmarks in the bill or report, along with the name of the member requesting the earmark. Lobbyists would be required to file quarterly reports. Lobbyists and members of Congress who fail to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements would face increased civil penalties and up to five years in prison. Newspaper editorials across the country criticized the bill as being watered-down and ineffective. The San-Antonio Express News called it a disgraceful sham, while the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called it a miserable bill. [Roll Call 119, H 4975, 05/03/2006; San Antonio News Express, 5/02/06; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/01/06] 156

CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS
Ryan Voted to Kill Effort to Force Ethics Committee to Begin Investigation into the Abramoff Scandal. The vote was for a move to kill a resolution offered by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi that would force the House Ethics committee to immediately begin an investigation into members of the House embroiled in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. [Roll Call 76, S 746, 03/30/2006] Ryan Voted to Censure Charlie Rangel. On December 2, 2010 Ryan voted to censure Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York. It would require Rangel to present himself in the well of the House for the pronouncement of censure, including a public reading of the resolution by the Speaker and require Rangel to pay restitution for any unpaid estimated taxes on income from his property in the Dominican Republic and provide proof of payment to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. According to the Baltimore Sun, The 333-79 vote matches the recommendation of the House ethics committee, which found in its investigation that the New York Democrat was guilty of 11 violations of House rules, including failure to declare rental income from a Dominican Republic villa, improper solicitation of donations on congressional letterhead and misuse of a rent-controlled Harlem, N.Y., apartment as a campaign office. In a dramatic moment that brought the often raucous body to a standstill, the 80-year-old former chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee stood in the well of the House, his hands clasped in front of him, as a somber Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., read the censure resolution. [Roll Call 607, S 1737, 12/02/2010; Baltimore Sun, 12/03/10] Ryan Voted to Remove Rep. Charles Rangel as Ways and Means Chairman Before the Conclusion of an Ethics Investigation. On October 07, 2009, Ryan voted against referring a resolution removing Rep. Charles Rangel from his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee back to committee. The Hill reported, Democrats easily thwarted the latest Republican attempt to dethrone Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) as the head of the powerful Ways and Means Committee [...] Democrats successfully passed a procedural motion referring the matter to the House ethics committee - a move that effectively sank a GOP effort to remove Rangel from the influential tax-writing panel until the ethics committee finishes its investigation into multiple allegations against him. This was the third time Republicans introduced a resolution to force Rangel from the panel but the first time any Democrats voted with the GOP to remove him. [Roll Call 759, S 805, 10/07/2009; Hill, 10/08/2009] Ryan Voted in Favor of Expelling Representative Traficant. On July 24, 2002, Ryan voted in favor of expelling Representative James Traficant (D-OH) from the House of Representatives. According to the Washington Post, The House voted overwhelmingly last night to expel Rep. James A. Traficant, an Ohio Democrat who taunted foes for years with bombastic floor speeches but now faces a likely prison term on felony convictions for bribery and corruption [] members of the House ethics committee, which unanimously recommended expulsion last week, said the extensive evidence that prosecutors presented in Traficants federal trial in Cleveland last spring left his colleagues little choice. Former aides and business associates testified they gave the House member kickbacks, as well as free labor to fix up his farm and boat, in exchange for government jobs and legislative favors. [Roll Call 346, S 495, 07/24/2002; Washington Post, 07/25/02]

Transparency
Ryan Voted Against the Electronic Message Preservation Act. On July 9, 2008 Ryan voted not to direct the National Archives and Records Administration to create regulations on the capture, management and electronic preservation of electronic messages that would be electronically searchable. All federal agencies would be required to comply with the regulations within four years of the bills enactment. The bill also would require the archivist to set standards for the management of presidential records and to certify annually that the presidents records management controls meet those standards. According to the Los Angeles Times, Hoping to boost their efforts, the Democratic-controlled House moved Wednesday to impose new rules to preserve e-mails from the White House and other federal agencies, acting in defiance of a veto threat from President Bush. The measure was in response to an uproar over e-mails found missing by recent Capitol Hill probes of Bush aides, including Rove, then the presidents chief political strategist. Investigators have tried to determine whether Rove and others used Republican National Committee e-mail accounts to conduct government business in an attempt to circumvent the Presidential Records Act, a post-Watergate law designed to preserve White House records. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has said that White House e-mails transmitted over several hundred days 157

between 2003 and 2005 also are unaccounted for, an assertion that the administration disputes. [Roll Call 477, H 5811, 07/09/2008; Los Angeles Times, 07/10/08] Ryan Said The Federal Government Did A Miserable Job Overseeing Agencies And Programs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, [Ryan] is on a quest to revamp the way the U.S. budgets and spends its money. He decries pork, wasteful spending, duplicative federal programs and what he calls the countrys miserable job of doing oversight on agencies and programs. The budget process is broken, he laments. There are a million tricks lawmakers can use to hike spending and get around existing rules meant to keep the budget in check. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/4/04]

158

FOREIGN POLICY
Foreign Aid
Ryan Voted against Funding for Global HIV/AIDS Program. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would reauthorize funding for the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).The bill would reauthorize PEPFAR for $48 billion from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2013, including $2 billion in fiscal year 2009 for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The bill would also set aside $5 billion for malaria and $4 billion for tuberculosis. Additionally, the bill would repeal a ban on HIV-positive visitors to the United States and overturn an existing law requiring that one-third of the money for HIV prevention be spent on abstinence education. The bill would also include new linkages between AIDS and nutrition programs. The bill passed 303-115. [Roll Call 531, H 5501, 07/24/2008; CQ Today, 7/24/08; CQ Today, 7/24/08] Ryan Voted against Measure to Provide Debt Relief to Poor Nations. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would require the Treasury Department to negotiate with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, as well as other lending nations, to forgive poor countries debt. The bill would require eligible countries to have a good human rights record, oppose terrorism and demonstrate a record of fighting drug trafficking. It would exclude countries with excessive military spending and forbid a reduction of aid alongside debt relief. The bill passed 285-132. [Roll Call 199, H 2634, 04/16/2008; CQ Today, 4/16/08] Ryan Voted Against Funding for AIDS, Malaria Relief in Africa. In 2008, Ryan voted against more than tripling the money available for a program fighting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa and other stricken areas of the world. The bill authorized $10 billion a year, or $50 billion through 2013. Of that, $41 billion was for AIDS prevention and treatment, significantly expanding a program credited with saving more than 1 million lives in Africa alone in the largest U.S. investment ever against a single disease. $4 billion was marked for tuberculosis and $5 billion for malaria. The $41 billion includes up to $2 billion a year for the international Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The bill limits U.S. contributions to the Global Fund to one-third of total contributions. The bill expands the AIDS program, originally focused on 15 mainly subSaharan African countries, to include Caribbean nations as well as Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho in Africa. The bill increases coordination with drinking water and nutrition programs and efforts to educate girls and women. The bill passed 308-116 [Roll Call 158, H 5501, 04/02/2008; AP, 4/03/08] Ryan Voted for Funding Foreign Operations in 2007. On June 9, 2006, Ryan voted for passage of a bill that would fund foreign operations and related programs for 2007. Congressional Quarterly reported that the House passed its $21.3 billion fiscal 2007 foreign assistance measure (HR 5522) on June 9 by a vote of 373-34, including large majorities of Republicans and Democrats. The bill would provide 10 percent less for aid programs than the White House had sought, but about 2 percent more than was appropriated for fiscal 2006. Lawmakers in both chambers say foreign aid -- currently less than 1 percent of federal spending -- can pay dividends in both humanitarian terms and for Americas economy and security. But, many say, the billions of dollars that go for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and electoral pressure to meet home front needs make it difficult to provide as much for foreign programs as the president would like. [Roll Call 250, H 5522, 06/09/2006; Congressional Quarterly, 06/09/06] Ryan Voted for Combined State Department and Foreign Aid Authorization Funding for 2006 and 2007. On July 20, 2005, Ryan voted for the combined State Department and foreign aid authorization for 2006 and 2007. Specifically, the bill would provide $20.8 billion over 2006 and 2007 for the State Department, international broadcasting activities, international assistance programs and related agencies. The bill would authorize $3.8 billion in fiscal 2006 and $3.9 billion in fiscal 2007 for the State Departments diplomatic and consular programs. It would also authorize $690 million in fiscal 2006 and $710 million in fiscal 2007 for worldwide embassy-security upgrades. The bill would authorize $2.6 billion over two years for assessed contributions to international organizations such as the United Nations, and $661 million in fiscal 2006 for international broadcasting activities. [Roll Call 399, H 2601, 07/20/2005] Ryan Voted for Increasing Access to Emergency Obstetrical Care for Women in Developing Countries. On July 19, 2005, Ryan voted for a Smith, R-N.J., amendment that would increase access to emergency obstetrical care for women suffering from obstetric fistula and increase the fiscal 2007 authorization for new treatment centers to $7.5 million. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that this amendment is a long-standing initiative of Smiths that would provide 159

Africa and elsewhere in the developing world treatment of obstetric fistula, an injury that affects women during prolonged obstructed labor. The amendment would also provide access to family planning services and abstinence education, and make these prevention activities discretionary. The underlying legislation would authorize $10.8 billion in fiscal 2006 and $10 billion in fiscal 2007 for the State Department, international broadcasting activities, international assistance programs and related agencies. [Roll Call 389, H 2601, 07/19/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 7/23/05] Ryan Voted for $1.3 Billion in Supplemental Spending, Cuts in Callable Capital. On March 24, 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a $1.3 billion supplemental spending bill that included cuts in callable capital. According to the New York Times, Against the backdrop of a veto threat by President Clinton, members of the House tonight approved a $1.3 billion emergency spending bill that included nearly $1 billion in relief to Central American countries ravaged by a hurricane and scaled back an array of Government programs to pay for the expenditures. [] Democrats criticized the cuts in the bill as unnecessary and dangerous -- particularly a $648 million reduction in callable capital, or money set aside to guarantee loans by international development banks, and a $150 million decrease in money for the disposal of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium in Russia. [Roll Call 70, H 1141, 03/24/1999; New York Times, 03/25/99] Ryan Voted Against Increasing Peace Corps Budget. On March 3, 1999, Ryan voted against legislation to increase the Peace Corps budget. According to the Washington Post, The budget for the Peace Corps would increase by 51 percent, to $365 million, over the next four years under a bill approved 326 to 90 Wednesday by the House. It would enable the agency to support 10,000 volunteers around the world by 2003. The bill also would make changes in the law so Peace Corps workers would have most of the benefits of being a member of the Foreign Service, said Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Calif.). [Roll Call 31, H 669, 03/03/1999; Washington Post, 03/05/99] 2000: Paul Ryan Voted Against Restoring $42 Million Cut From President Clintons Budget For AIDS Relief In Africa. In 2000, Paul Ryan voted against a measure that would restore $42 million that the House Appropriations Committee had cut from Clintons request of $244 for combating the AIDS epidemic in Africa. The increase would be offset by equal cuts to the International Narcotics Control and International Military Education and Training accounts. The vote was on a Lee (DCA) amendment to the fiscal 2001 foreign operations appropriations bill. [Roll Call 398, H 4811, 07/13/2000; AP, 7/13/00] Ryan Voted Against FY 2000 Foreign Operations Appropriations. Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill to provide $12.7 billion for foreign operations. The measure is $1.9 billion less than the Presidents request. The measure does not include language that would reduce funding for abortions in international family planning programs. [Roll Call 362, H 2606, 08/03/1999]

Afghanistan
Ryan Voted Against Ending the War in Afghanistan by Limiting Funding to Only Troop and Contractor Withdrawal. On May 17, 2012, Ryan voted against an amendment to HR 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013 that would end the war in Afghanistan by limiting funding only to the safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops and military contractors from Afghanistan. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, Her proposal would have limited funding for Afghanistan operations to the withdrawal of troops, but it was defeated 113-303. Overall, the proposed $643 billion authorization for fiscal 2013 Pentagon programs would be $8 billion more than the cap set by the 2011 debt limit law and $3.6 billion more than the presidents request. [Roll Call 264, H 4310, 05/17/2012; Roll Call, 5/17/12] Ryan Voted Against Withdrawing Troops from Afghanistan. On March 17, 2011, Ryan voted against withdrawing troops from Afghanistan either within 30 days, or if that was deemed unsafe, then by the end of the year. According to the Los Angeles Times, Congressional Republicans on Thursday held fast to support for the Afghanistan war, heavily opposing a troop withdrawal in a vote that tested whether conservative new members would adhere to the party leaders on a significant question of U.S. policy. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), who put forward the resolution, framed it in fiscal terms, predicting that if troops were not pulled out immediately, the war would last until 2020 and cost an additional $1 trillion. [Roll Call 193, S 28, 03/17/2011; Los Angeles Times, 03/18/11] Paul Ryan Voted To Send 30,000 Additional Troops To Afghanistan. Paul Ryan voted for a military supplemental appropriations bill that provided $33.5 billion for increasing troop levels in Afghanistan by 30,000. It also provided $3.6 billion for Afghan and Iraqi security forces and $4.9 billion for Department of Defense procurement. The bill included funds to clean 160

up the Gulf oil spill, funds for FEMA to pay for past disasters, and compensation for Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange. [Roll Call 474, H 4899, 07/27/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Reducing US Military Role In Afghanistan. Paul Ryan voted against a divided motion to concur that would limit the use of military funding for Afghanistan to activities relating to the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops and protection of civilian and military personnel in the country. [Roll Call 432, H 4899, 07/01/2010] Ryan Voted For Supplemental Funding For The Iraq And Afghanistan Wars. On May 5, 2005, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $82 billion in fiscal 2005 supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan and for disaster assistance to victims of the December 2004 tsunami. According to the Washington Post, the bill would bring total combat and reconstruction appropriations to at least $212 billion for Iraq and at least $65 billion for Afghanistan since operations began. The bill also would require states to deny drivers licenses to illegal immigrants [] Among non-military items are $656 million for victims of last years Asian tsunami, $592 million for a new U.S. embassy in Baghdad, $200 million for the Palestinian territories, funds for hiring 500 border patrol agents and more than $1 billion for members pet projects back home. [Roll Call 161, H 1268, 05/05/2005; Washington Post 05/08/2005] Ryan Voted Against $31 Billion For Operations in Afghanistan. On December 17, 2007, Ryan voted against providing $31 billion for operations in Afghanistan and prohibits the funds from being used for operations in Iraq. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, [the bill] provided $31 billion for the war in Afghanistan and certain domestic Pentagon needs. [Roll Call 1172, H 2764, 12/17/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/17/07] On Afghanistan Ryan Said Bush Methodically Put Forward A Plan And A Coalition. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan had just returned home from church with his wife when he turned on his television and learned of the airstrikes. The retaliatory attack was not a surprise, said Ryan, since briefings to Congress made it clear that America would take action if the Taliban didnt turn over Osama bin Laden. What strikes me as significant is the president didnt simply lash out after Sept. 11. He methodically put forward a plan and a coalition, Ryan said. This attack is a series of waves instead of one assault, which is designed to limit collateral damage to civilians, which is entirely appropriate. Ryan doesnt expect American support of the military strikes to waver if U.S. soldiers begin to die in the war against terrorism. You have to remember we were attacked, Ryan said. This is not an instance where were asserting ourselves somewhere across the world like Vietnam. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/8/01]

Africa
Ryan Voted for Increasing AIDS Prevention Funding. On May 1, 2003, Ryan voted for a bill that would authorize $3 billion annually over the next five years to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS in Africa. According to the Lincoln Journal Star, the bill would bring funding for AIDS and other infectious diseases in 2004 up to the $3 billion level authorized in HR 1298, including a $1 billion contribution for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Current funding in Senate spending bills for next year stands at about $2 billion, with just $400 million for the Global Fund. [Roll Call 158, H 1298, 05/01/2003; Lincoln Star Journal 10/11/2003] In August 2002, Ryan Visited Troops In Afghanistan, Did Not Stay Overnight. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The lawmakers said there were multiple objectives: to assess progress in the war and learn whats ahead; gain the perspectives of the U.S. military and intelligence communities there; meet with allies in the region; and thank U.S. troops. Ive gotten a 400 percent increase in my understanding of the situation, regarding both Afghanistan and Iraq, Ryan said. Classified briefings were part of the agenda. Ryan said that amid great devastation in Afghanistan, he was impressed with the good spirits. The biggest shock was how happy the Afghan people seem to be. Enthused. Bustling. Kids going to and from school. Men working on buildings. Women shopping and running corner markets, Ryan said. Basically, this has been the most peaceful seven months theyve had in the last 25 years According to Ryan, the delegation was not allowed to stay overnight in Afghanistan because they couldn't guarantee our security. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/30/02] Ryan Supported Free Trade with Africa. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to extend certain tariff benefits to nations of the Caribbean, Central America and sub-Saharan Africa. The bill eliminates tariffs for garments made in struggling nations, making it easier for them to reach American stores, and threatening jobs in the United States garment industry. Labor unions, human rights groups, small garment companies, traditional Democrats and some Republicans came together to fight the bill. 161

Ann Hoffman, president of UNITE, the garment workers union, called the bill a disgrace, saying that the bill gives foreign countries free access to our market, and in return they do nothing. Hoffman claimed that the bill was a major threat to the jobs of hundreds of thousands of garment workers in the United States. The bill passed on a vote of 309-110. [Roll Call 145, H 434, 05/04/2000; Washington Post, 5/5/00] Op-Ed: Ryan Was Wrong To Entertain On Voting For The African Growth And Opportunity Act Which Was Known As The As NAFTA For Africa. According to David Newby, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO who wrote in the Capital Times, A battle is brewing again over international trade with a vote expected shortly on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). On its merits, the bill deserves the NAFTA for Africa moniker the press has given it. It parallels North American Free Trade Agreement policies that have destroyed jobs, increased pollution and drawn criticism from groups here and across Africa. Growing numbers of Republicans and Democrats oppose the bill. Area representatives will be critical players in the vote. While U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, has made clear her opposition to the NAFTA-for-Africa proposal, U.S. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, says he is undecided. In a twist of fate, his decision on how to vote could well decide the fate of the bill. Support for the bill comes from a corporate coalition, including some who are propping up African dictatorships. Last week, these companies were surprised to find the bills congressional prospects diminished when a letter signed by African-American ministers in opposition to AGOA was released. The bill also faces strong opposition from many respected African organizations, from church groups to the South African COSATU labor federation. With both Africans and African-Americans saying the NAFTA-for-Africa proposal will hurt most Africans, its a mystery why Rep. Ryans office says he may support it. [Capital Times, David Newby, 7/14/99]

China
Ryan Voted Against Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Arms Sales to China. On July 14, 2005, Ryan voted against imposing sanctions on foreign companies that sell arms to China. Congressional Quarterly Today reported, House leaders underestimated the furious opposition from the defense industry, and the bills sponsors watched their legislation get killed in a dramatic vote-switching episode that one lawmaker called a wild scene on the House floor. The measure would impose trade sanctions on foreign companies that sell military technology to China. It had been placed on the House suspension calendar, which is reserved for non-controversial bills because measures considered under suspension of the normal House rules require a two-thirds vote for passage. [Roll Call 374, H 3100, 07/14/2005; Congressional Quarterly Today, 07/14/2005] Ryan Said The U.S. Should Urge China To Free Its Currency, Which He Said Gave China Unfair Price Advantage. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Speaking at the 5th annual trade policy conference of the Wisconsin World Trade Center, Ryan said the foreign effort must center on China and its surging level of exports to the U.S. Working through the World Trade Organization, the U.S. should press China to free its currency, now pegged to the dollar in a formula that gives Chinese goods an unfair price advantage of up to 40%, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/5/03] Ryan Also Urged The U.S. To Use World Trade Organization Rules To Stop Chinas Illegal Subsidies Of Business And Theft Of Intellectual Property. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, He said the U.S. also should use WTO rules to curb what Ryan described as China's illegal subsidies of business and wholesale theft of intellectual property. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/5/03]

Ryan Supported Granting Most Favored Nation Trade Status to China. Ryan voted against a joint resolution to deny the presidents request to provide normal trade relations (formerly known as most-favored-nation or MFN trade status) for items produced in China for the period July 2001 through July 2002. The resolution was defeated, 169-259 [Roll Call 255, S 50, 07/19/2001] Editorial: Ryans Support Of Granting China Favored Nation Trading Status Was Wrong As He Spun His Vote To Be Farmer Friendly. According to a Capital Times Editorial, So who doesnt get it? U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Janesville Republican, who has been under intense pressure from both sides on the issue. Ryan announced this week that he intends to vote yes on the proposal, suggesting that his southeastern Wisconsin 1st District is split on the issue -- with farmers favoring the move and autoworkers opposing it. While Ryan is right that the UAW is an out-front foe of the trade bill, hes wrong about farmers -- the National Farmers Union and every serious congressional advocate for family farming strongly oppose the deal. Ryan shouldnt try to spin his vote as farmer-friendly. Its not. Instead, he should change his stand and vote with labor, 162

environmental, human rights and farm advocates, who oppose giving a blank check to the Chinese government and its corporate partners. [Capital Times, Editorial, 5/24/00] Ryan Supported Permanent MFN Status for China. In May 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would grant permanent most favored nation status to China. The bill was strongly opposed by organized labor. The bill passed 237-197. [Roll Call 228, H 4444, 05/24/2000]

Cuba
Ryan Voted for Easing Cuba Gift Regulations. On June 15, 2005, Ryan voted for an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds in the bill to implement, administer or enforce regulations related to license exemptions for gift parcels and humanitarian donations for Cuba. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that the amendment would have relaxed the trade embargo against Cuba to allow the shipment of gift parcels [...] it encountered strong resistance from Floridas GOP delegation and DeLay, who said the goods would just wind up in the hands of the Castro regime. The White House warned last week that such an amendment might trigger a veto. [Roll Call 254, H 2862, 06/15/2005; Congressional Quarter Weekly 06/17/2005] Ryan Voted To Repeal Limits On Family Travel To Cuba. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 225 for and 174 against, the House blocked new administration limits on visits by Cuban-Americans with family members in Cuba. A yes vote was to repeal new limits on family travel to Cuba. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04] Ryan Supported An End To U.S. Sanctions Against Cuba, Backing A Measure To Allow Free, Two-Way Trade. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 188 for and 225 against, the House refused to end U.S. economic sanctions on Cuba and thus allow free, two-way trade with the Communist state. A yes vote backed free, two-way trade with Cuba. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04] Ryan Voted to Remove Travel Restrictions to Cuba. In September 2004, Ryan voted to remove barriers to agriculture sales and student exchanges with Cuba, according to the AP. The measure was part of the FY 2005 Transportation and Treasury Appropriations Act, which passed 397-12. [Roll Call 465, H 5025, 09/22/2004; AP, 9/22/04] Ryan Voted to Increase Spending for the Treasury Department, Lift Travel Restrictions to Cuba. On July 25, 2001, Ryan voted for an appropriations bill that increased spending on the Treasury Department and the Postal Service, in addition to lifting travel restrictions on Cuba. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, A showdown between Congress and President Bush over Cuba policy is threatening to slow progress on the fiscal 2002 Treasury-Postal Service appropriations package. The House voted 334-94 to pass its version of the legislation (HR 2590) July 25, after adding language that would lift restrictions on travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba. The next day the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 29-0 to approve a bill that is silent on Cuba, the two measures are otherwise strikingly similar. As a result, Cuba is the main point of disagreement at the moment. But the bill will be managed on the Senate floor by Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D., [] Dorgan said he would either offer his own amendment or ask the Senate to adopt the same travel provision added by the House. [Roll Call 274, H 2590, 07/25/2001; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 07/27/01] Ryan Voted to Lift Restrictions on Travel to Cuba. On July 25, 2001, Ryan vote in favor of an amendment to end restrictions on travel to Cuba. According to the Washington Post, The House voted yesterday to lift restrictions on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens, which sponsors said would be a first step toward ending the communist nations economic isolation and hastening democratic reforms. [] The 240 to 186 vote in favor of lifting the restrictions came on an amendment by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to the $ 32.7 billion fiscal 2002 spending bill for the Treasury Department, Postal Service, White House and other agencies. The House passed a similar amendment last year, but it died in the Senate. [Roll Call 270, H 2590, 07/25/2001; Washington Post, 07/26/01]

Europe
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Ryan Voted Against Adoption Of A Resolution Directing The Removal Of US Forces From Yugoslavia. Ryan voted against a concurrent resolution to direct the removal of U.S. armed forces from the conflict in Yugoslavia. [Roll Call 101, S 82, 04/28/1999]

Iran
Ryan Voted for Tougher Sanctions on Iran. On September 25, 2007, Ryan voted for tougher economic sanctions against Iran. This was largely in response to the continued development of the Iranian nuclear program and a U.S. visit by Ahmadinejad to address the UN general assembly. According to the Washington Post, Lawmakers in Washington weighed in on Ahmadinejads visit. The House voted 397 to 16 to block foreign investment in Iran, particularly the energy sector, and to bar Bush from waiving U.S. sanctions. Congressional Quarterly Today reported that, the bill would strengthen sanctions President Bush signed into law in 2006 (PL 109-293) that have been waived since their initial enactment in 1996. It would bar all Iranian imports, including carpets, to the United States and would expand sanctions on exports to Iran. It also would remove Bushs ability to waive sanctions on corporations doing business with Irans energy industry. It would expand the definition of those who can be sanctioned for making investments to include financial institutions and insurers to the list of entities already barred from investing in Iran. The measure also would block U.S. nuclear cooperation with countries that assist Irans nuclear program and would decrease U.S. contributions to the World Bank by the same amount as the banks loans to Iran. It calls on Bush to declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group and would grant the president the authority to block the assets of any entity supporting the Revolutionary Guard. It also would authorize $60 billion for the Treasury Departments Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. [] the House bill specifically states that the administration cannot interpret anything in the legislation as a congressional authorization of a military strike on Iran. [Roll Call 895, H 1400, 09/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today, 09/25/07; Washington Post, 09/26/07] Ryan Voted in Favor of Extending Sanctions on Iran and Libya. On July 26, 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a five year extension of sanctions against Iran and Libya. According to the New York Times, The House joined the Senate today in overwhelmingly backing a five-year extension of sanctions against Iran and Libya, intended to curb foreign investment in their oil and gas sectors. The measure, approved 409-6, gives the president the authority to assess penalties on any foreign company that invests more than $20 million in the energy sectors of either country. [] The 1996 law, due to expire in August, was meant to punish the two countries and limit funds for what Washington says is their support for international terrorism and the development of weapons of mass destruction. Both countries have dismissed the charges. [] The law allows the president to waive the sanctions, and no sanctions have been imposed since it was enacted in 1996. [Roll Call 276, H 1954, 07/26/2001; New York Times, 07/27/01]

Iraq
Ryan Wanted Faster Withdrawal Of U.S. Troops From Iraq After Surge. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,, In his statement afterward, Ryan said that although hed prefer to see a faster drawdown of troops than Petraeus has proposed, I understand that drawing down our forces suddenly, without regard for the conditions on the ground or the ability of the Iraqis to defend themselves, would forfeit the progress our troops have made and have devastating consequences. Ryan said of the surge, Its clear the troops are succeeding, but it is unclear the Iraqi government is working, and the congressman said the U.S. needed to step up pressure on Iraqi leaders to reach a political breakthrough among rival factions there. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/07] Ryan Voted to Condemn the Abuse Of Iraqi Prisoners In U.S. Custody. On May 6, 2004, Ryan voted for a resolution that would condemn the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in U.S. custody, regardless of the circumstances of their detention. It also would urge the secretary of the Army to investigate any allegations of abuse and bring to justice any member of the armed forces who violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice. [Roll Call 150, S 627, 05/06/2004] Paul Ryan Voted against Requiring Administration to Begin Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against an amendment that would require a troop withdrawal from Iraq within 30 days of the bills enactment, with a goal of completing the withdrawal of combat troops by December 2009. It would also limit agreements between the U.S. and Iraqi governments and impose other restrictions on Iraq War policy by requiring Congress to authorize any agreement 164

between the U.S. and the Iraqi government committing U.S. forces. The amendment would require the Iraqi government to match reconstruction aid and to sell fuel to the U.S. military at the same price it is sold to Iraqi consumers. The amendment would prohibit any combat unit not assessed as fully mission capable from deploying to Iraq and limit deployment time, but allow for presidential waivers. It would also prohibit interrogation techniques not authorized in the Army Field Manual on the subject and prohibit establishing a permanent base in Iraq. [Roll Call 329, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08] Ryan Answered Present on a Vote for Funding for War in Iraq. In 2008, Ryan answered present on an amendment to add the war money to an appropriations bill that would provide $162.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with $96.6 billion for fiscal 2008 and $65.9 billion for fiscal 2009. 132 Republicans voted present in a strategy concocted by Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana and members of a conservative faction, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), who pressed for a dramatic demonstration to Democrats of how dependent they are on Republican votes to keep money for the troops flowing. The motion was rejected 141-149 [Roll Call 328, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08] Ryan Voted Against Funding Troops, Against Accountability in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that appropriated $50 billion in emergency supplemental funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until Feb. 1, 2008. The bill would require troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq within 30 days of enactment, with a goal of withdrawing most troops by Dec. 15, 2008. The measure would restrict U.S. armed forces to missions of force protection, counterterrorism and training of Iraqi security forces. It also would prohibit the deployment of troops who are not fully trained and equipped, and require all U.S. personnel, including CIA, to follow the Army field manuals rules against torture. We all view this as a significant statement, a turning point, Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) said. This is the beginning of the end of the war in Iraq. The bill passed 218-203. [Roll Call 1108, H 4156, 11/14/2007; Congressional Quarterly; The Hill, 11/14/07] Ryan Supported an Amendment Concerning Government Silence on Iraqi Corruption. In 2007, Ryan supported a resolution rebuking the Bush administration for withholding information on the corruption and criminality that has plagued the Iraqi government. After the State Department instructed its staff not to address corruption in the Iraqi government, the department retroactively classified two reports by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that concluded the government is not capable of even rudimentary enforcement of anticorruption laws. The resolution stated that it is an abuse of the classification process to withhold from Congress and the people of the United States broad assessments of the extent of corruption in the Iraqi government. The resolution passed 395-21 [Roll Call 969, S 734, 10/16/2007; Congressional Quarterly, 10/16/07] Ryan Voted For Reporting Requirements on the Redeployment of Forces in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted for a motion to suspend the rules and pass a bill requiring the Secretary of Defense to report on the status of planning for the redeployment of Armed Forces from Iraq. The Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would be required to meet with and brief Congress on those reports within sixty days after the enactment of the Act and every ninety days thereafter. The bill also recognized that it is necessary for the security of U.S. Armed Forces, civilians, contractors and Iraqi nationals who have aided the mission in Iraq for the Department of Defense to have comprehensive contingency planning. The bill was called a rarity in the 110th Congress a war question on which most members of both parties could agree. The bill passed 377-46. [Roll Call 927, H 3087, 10/02/2007; Congressional Quarterly, 10/03/07] Ryan Was Unsure If Iraq Surge Was Successful. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Many Republican lawmakers - and presidential candidates - who oppose timetables for withdrawal are hoping the surge represents the kind of progress that will make lower U.S. troop levels possible (beyond the anticipated reductions once the surge runs its course next spring). It looks like the surge is working from the military side. Its the political side of things I want to know more about, Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville said. Ryan said he expected that a sizable troop drawdown is in the cards in the not-too-distant future. He cited several reasons: U.S. troops are overstretched, more Iraqis are being trained, and, he said, U.S. success in making deals with local tribes will make it possible to pull troops out of combat. I am waiting to interpret the surge until I hear (Petraeus). My mind has not been made up one way or the other, said Ryan, referring to congressional testimony Monday and Tuesday by the U.S. commander in the region. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/9/07] Ryan Voted to Prohibit Permanent Base in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to prohibit any funding for the creation of a permanent military base in Iraq. The bill prohibited any funds made available by any act of Congress to be obligated or expended to establish any military installation or base for the permanent stationing of U.S. armed forces in Iraq, 165

or to exercise U.S. economic control of the oil resources of Iraq. The bill passed 399-24 [Roll Call 717, H 2929, 07/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed Accountability in Iraq, Redeployment of Troops. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to require the Defense secretary to begin redeploying U.S. troops and contractors out of Iraq within 120 days of the bills enactment. The redeployment, except for a limited presence, would have to be completed by April 1, 2008. It would require the president, no later than Jan. 1, 2008, to transmit to Congress a comprehensive U.S. strategy for Iraq that includes a justification of the minimum force levels required to protect U.S. national security interests in Iraq after April 1, 2008, a description of the specific missions of U.S. forces to be undertaken, the cost of maintaining such a force and the expected duration of the missions. President Bush opposed the bill. The bill passed 223-201 [Roll Call 624, H 2956, 07/12/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported Iraq Benchmarks without Deadline for Troop Withdrawal. . In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to appropriate $97.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending. The measure included $87 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and $3.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund. In addition, the bill would establish 18 benchmarks for the Iraqi government and require the president to report on progress towards meeting the benchmarks. It would permit, but not require, the president to withhold reconstruction funds if the benchmarks were not met. Many Democrats opposed the measure because it did not contain language calling for a deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Iraq. The motion passed 280-142. [Roll Call 425, H 2206, 05/24/2007; Congressional Quarterly, CQ Weekly, 5/28/07] Ryan Opposed Accountability in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation that would provide $42.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill required another congressional vote in late July to release the remaining $52.8 billion for the Pentagon, and would withhold funds until the president reports by July 13 on progress the Iraqi government has made toward meeting specified benchmarks and goals set by the bill and Congress has adopted a joint resolution releasing the fenced off funds. In addition, the bill provided $6.8 billion for hurricane recovery and relief, $3.3 billion for military healthcare costs and $2.25 billion for homeland security anti-terrorism programs. It also would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provide $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives. President Bush opposed the bill. The bill passed 221-205 [Roll Call 333, H 2206, 05/10/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted Against Emergency Spending in Iraq & Afghanistan Tied to Benchmarks; Minimum Wage Hike; Hurricane Recovery. On May 10, 2007, Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would provide $42.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and require another congressional vote in late July to release the remaining $52.8 billion for the Pentagon. It would withhold funds until the president reports by July 13 on progress the Iraqi government has made toward meeting specified benchmarks and goals set by the bill and Congress has adopted a joint resolution releasing the fenced off funds. The measure would provide $6.8 billion for hurricane recovery and relief, $3.3 billion for military healthcare costs and $2.25 billion for homeland security anti-terrorism programs. It also would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provide $4.8 billion in small- business tax incentives. The resolution passed 221-205. [Roll Call 333, H 2206, 05/10/2007] Ryan Opposed Override Veto of Iraq Accountability Legislation. In 2007, Ryan voted against a measure to overturn President Bushs veto of legislation to require accountability in Iraq. The original bill, which was vetoed by Bush on May 1, 2007, would provide $124.2 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency funding, as well as set as a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks, and by the end of 2007 if he cannot. The measure also provided $95.5 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, $6.8 billion for hurricane recovery and relief, $3.5 billion in crop and livestock disaster assistance and $2.25 billion for homeland security anti-terrorism programs. Also included in the bill was a provision to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provide $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (284 in this case) of both chambers are necessary to override a veto. The veto override attempt was defeated 222-203. [Roll Call 276, H 1591, 05/02/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed Override Veto of Iraq Accountability Legislation. In 2007, Ryan voted against a measure to overturn President Bushs veto of legislation to require accountability in Iraq. The original bill, which was vetoed by Bush on May 1, 2007, would provide $124.2 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency funding, as well as set as a goal of redeploying most U.S. combat troops in Iraq by the end of March 2008, if the president can certify the Iraq government is meeting benchmarks, and by the end of 2007 if he cannot. The measure also provided $95.5 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, $6.8 billion 166

for hurricane recovery and relief, $3.5 billion in crop and livestock disaster assistance and $2.25 billion for homeland security anti-terrorism programs. Also included in the bill was a provision to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provide $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (284 in this case) of both chambers are necessary to override a veto. The veto override attempt was defeated 222-203 [Roll Call 276, H 1591, 05/02/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed Supporting Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that provided $95.5 billion for the Department of Defense. This provided support for the 140,000 troops deployed in Iraq and 20,000 in Afghanistan. It also fully funded the original surge force of 21,000 soldiers plus an additional 4,729 personnel in Iraq and 7,200 in Afghanistan. It included $3.3 billion for Defense Health and $1.8 billion for Veterans Health, while the President requested nothing for Veterans Health in the supplemental. The bill included a timeline to begin withdrawal, but removed the date certain for when all troops need to be out of Iraq. The bill passed 218-208 [Roll Call 265, H 1591, 04/25/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-1] Ryan Opposed Measure To Bring Our Troops Home By August 2008. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that would set in motion a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008 and establish requirements that could be waived for unit readiness and deployment lengths. The bill included $2.8 billion to enhance medical services for active duty forces, mobilized personnel and their family members and $1.7 billion for veterans health care priorities including maintenance at VA health care facilities like Walter Reed. The measure passed 218-212 [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3] Ryan Called Iraq Sure A Big Gamble, Gave It A Six Month Window To Succeed. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan returned Thursday from a trip to Iraq, expressing support for the new U.S. strategy and buildup there but warning that it is our last chance to get this right before going to Plan B and starting to withdraw troops. This whole thing is a big gamble, but its probably the best gamble to take before throwing in the towel and allowing sectarian genocide to take over, said Ryan, who was visiting Iraq for the first time. I personally give this three to six months to find out. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/23/07] Ryan Said The US Made Colossal Mistakes In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Sentinel, Ryan said the trip also gave him a better appreciation of the colossal mistakes that the U.S. made after the invasion of Iraq. Weve made so many mistakes, Ryan said. Number one, they sent about half to a third as many troops as were needed at the beginning, so the Tommy Franks-Rumsfeld-Bush master strategy was way off on troop levels. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/23/07] Ryan Said It Was A Mistake For Congress To Place Conditions On Funding For Troops In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said soldiers told him that I dont want my buddies to have died in vain. He labeled as a mistake efforts in Congress to place conditions on funding of new or current troop levels, but he said Congress had a huge role to play in oversight of the effort in Iraq. We are going to know within three to six months if this is going to work or not, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/23/07] Ryan Accused Democrats Of Playing Politics With Debate Over Troop Funding In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In the meantime, Ryan lashed out at Democrats for playing politics while Iraq is at a critical point. He said pursuing the right strategy - and he did not elaborate - was our last chance to enable freedom to take hold in Iraq, and prevent a lot more bloodshed and quite possibly genocide. Alluding to the coming debate, Ryan complained: Its definitely the worst time to play politics, and I think its wrong for Congress to pass a non-binding resolution that does nothing but tell our servicemen and women that we dont believe their mission is achievable. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/11/07] Ryan Supported Bushs Plan for Escalation of Troops in Iraq. In 2007, Ryan voted against a resolution that would express support for U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq, while disapproving of the President Bushs decision to deploy more than 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops to that country. [Roll Call 99, S 63, 02/16/2007] Ryan Wanted Generals To Create Comprehensive Strategy In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Paul Ryan said, I think we need to develop a more comprehensive strategy to win in Iraq. We need to listen more to what the commanders on the ground want and need to do their jobs. Failure in Iraq will compromise our national security and create a safe haven like we had in Afghanistan. We need to be more open-minded as a government on what it really will take to bring the troops home and also for democracy to take hold and take root in Iraq. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/5/06] 167

Ryan Endorsed Bush Strategy. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a resolution endorsing President Bushs Iraq policy while declaring that the United States will prevail in the war against terrorism. The resolution, written entirely by the GOP, also took a stand against setting withdrawal dates. Democrats were barred from proposing an alternative. Many Democrats felt the resolution was unfair because it conjoined non-controversial measures, such as declaring support for the ongoing Global War on Terror, with controversial measures, such as joining the War in Iraq to the War on Terror. The resolution passed 256-153. [Roll Call 288, S 861, 06/16/2006; CQ Today, 6/16/06] 2005: Ryan Called Iraq War Opponents Defeatists According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, After spending the past two weeks in his southern Wisconsin district, Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville says he is more confident today, not less, about the publics will to succeed in Iraq. I got the strong impression people think its important we see it through and push for victory, not defeat, said Ryan, who believes critics of the war have overplayed their hand by sounding defeatist. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/8/05] 2005: Ryan Said The U.S. Was Succeeding In Its Mission In Iraq; Declared The Score Was U.S. 3, Terrorists: 0. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan was a little more emphatic when asked if the U.S. is succeeding. We wanted to hand over sovereignty, help write a constitution, and hold elections. Every one of the benchmarks for democracy has been accomplished, he said. Its democracy, three, terrorists, zero. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/8/05] 2005: Ryan Said If The U.S. Failed In Iraq That We Will Never Be Safe And Secure. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan described the war as central in a generational struggle against what he called Islamic fascism. Right now, the front line is in Iraq. If we do not succeed, we will never be safe and secure, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/8/05] 2005: Ryan Said His Confidence In Donald Rumsfelds Leadership Was Shaken. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, While supportive of the war, Green and Ryan both suggested that Bush hasnt done an adequate job reminding Americans of the progress they think is being made there. Both said Bush had begun to do a better job of that in the last week with the first of a series of speeches on Iraq. The second of those speeches was delivered Wednesday. Green said Bush should lay out benchmarks for progress and repeat them over and over and constantly remind people why were there. Ryan said he believed important mistakes had been made in the prosecution of the war, including insufficient troops on the ground at the time major combat ended and the disbanding of the Iraqi army. Asked about his view of the performance of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Ryan said, You know, I must confess my confidence in some areas has been shaken. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/8/05] Ryan Supported Additional Funding for Military Operations in Iraq. In March 2005, Ryan twice voted in favor of a bill (HR 1268) that appropriated $76.8 billion for U.S. military operations for the then-current fiscal year in Iraq and Afghanistan. For Iraq, the bill raised total appropriations for combat and reconstruction to at least $212 billion since early 2003. For Afghanistan, military actions and reconstruction received at least $65 billion in appropriations since late 2001. Almost all of HR 1268 was deficit spending. Among the bills other large items were $656 million for victims of the December 2004 Asian tsunami and $558 million for international peacekeeping, mainly in the Sudan. The bill passed 388-43, passed again in its conference version 368-58, and was signed into law [Roll Call 77, H 1268, 03/16/2005; Washington Post, 3/20/05] Ryan Supported Billions Of Dollars In Spending On The Reconstruction Of Iraq. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan voted for billions of dollars in spending for the reconstruction of Iraq. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/5/04] Ryan Voted To Commend The Removal Of Saddam Hussein And The Liberation Of Iraq. On March 17, 2004 Ryan voted for a House Resolution relating to the liberation of the Iraqi people and the valiant service of the United States Armed Forces and Coalition forces. The resolution stated that the House of Representatives: (1) affirms that the United States and the world have been made safer with the removal of Saddam Hussein and his regime from power in Iraq; (2) commends the Iraqi people for their courage in the face of unspeakable oppression and brutality inflicted on them by Saddam Husseins regime; (3) commends the Iraqi people on the adoption of Iraqs interim constitution; and (4) commends the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Coalition forces for liberating Iraq and expresses its gratitude for their valiant service. The resolution passed 327-93. [Roll Call 64, S 557, 03/17/2004] Ryan Voted to Urge France, Germany, and Russia to Forgive Iraqi Debt. On October 16, 2003, Ryan voted for adoption of the resolution that would express the sense of the House that France, Germany and Russia should forgive debts owed to them by Iraq as part of their Iraqi reconstruction efforts. [Roll Call 545, S 198, 10/16/2003] 168

Ryan Supported $87 Billion Emergency Funding Package For Post War Iraq And Afghanistan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on the on the presidents request for $87 billion in emergency funding for postwar Iraq and AfghanistanRyan, a Republican, supports the package, saying, Its critical that we not allow Iraq to fail. [] Ryan [] notes that its a critical time in Iraq. We are in the business of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people right now, and bringing them toward a republic and away from a chaotic state. Its important we invest in democracy. [] Ryan favors outright grants, rather than loans repaid from future oil revenue, and would prefer the $20.3 billion for reconstruction offset by cuts in the foreign-aid budget. Hes not sure, though, if lawmakers will have the opportunity to vote on such an amendment. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/5/03] Ryan Said That He Was Pleased With The High-Quality Of Defense Briefings On Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ever since the fighting began in Iraq, the Pentagon has made sure that one key audience -Congress -- isnt getting all its war news from embedded journalists, armchair generals and 24-hour cable TV. Almost every weekday, Defense and State department officials have been holding confidential briefings on the war for members of the House and the Senate in rooms swept for bugging devices. Most lawmakers in both parties are happy with the practice, though some acknowledged past unhappiness with the Bush administration over information-sharing. Theyre high-quality. Theyre taken very seriously, Wisconsin Senate Democrat Russ Feingold said of the sessions. Theyre a lot better than the briefings we got prior to this thing. It would have been so helpful if theyd tried to answer some of these questions prior to the invasion. House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville said the briefings help lawmakers decipher whether what youre hearing on CNN or Fox News is true or not. By providing hard numbers on things such as attrition rates of divisions, troop movements, troop locations, its easier to see the progress on each of these points, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/3/03] In 2003, Ryan Said that He The We Are Doing Very Well In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said he has used the briefings to educate himself about things military and put battlefield events in context. Ryan said the briefings have helped him understand why U.S. forces hadnt engaged the Republican Guard sooner (Were decimating them from the air in an antiseptic way that has not cost us one soldier) and the negative impact of not having a northern front from Turkey. Ryan said his view of the war is that We are doing very well. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/3/03] Six Weeks Before The Iraq War, Ryan Conducted 36 Town Hall Meetings. According to the Washington Post, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who has conducted 36 town hall meetings in the past six weeks, said his surveys showed that although a majority of constituents opposed an attack on Iraq in early January, nearly 90 percent now favor it. It was not what I expected, said Ryan, who noted there had been a couple of pro-war rallies in his district recently. [Washington Post, 3/19/03] When It Came To The Iraq Situation, Ryan Said The US Must Be Consistent And Morally Clear. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But Bush gets high marks from Wisconsin Republicans, who say the world will likely fall in line behind a U.S.-led war and for rebuilding efforts in Iraq. This is a case where we do have to be consistent and morally clear, said Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville, who dismissed the idea of waiting and working to secure more international support. We cant coddle dictators and turn a blind eye. Republican Reps. Ryan, Tom Petri of Fond du Lac, F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. of Menomonee Falls and Mark Green of Green Bay expressed strong support for Bushs Iraq policy. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/16/03] Ryan Supported The Iraq War Resolution. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In one of his only campaign efforts, Thomas recently sent out a news release opposing U.S. military involvement in Iraq, offering subtle criticism of Ryan for his position on the issue. The congressman voted with the majority on the resolution giving President Bush authority to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein fails to disarm. I believe this resolution is the best thing we can do to hopefully get a peaceful settlement, Ryan said. This will show force to Saddam Hussein. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/2/02] Paul Ryan Voted for Iraq Use-of-Force Resolution. On October 10, 2002, Paul Ryan voted for H J Res 114, a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. The resolution, however, required the administration to report to Congress that diplomatic options had been exhausted diplomatic options no later than 48 hours after military action had begun. The president was also required to submit a progress report to Congress at least every 60 days. The House passed the resolution 296-133. [Roll Call 455, S 114, 10/10/2002] 169

In August 2002, Ryan Said He Was Undecided About Going To War In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Janesville Republican Paul Ryan also will vote for the resolution supported by the White House and the top House leaders in each party. Im no longer wavering. In August, I was very undecided about this, Ryan said. His briefings, meetings with administration officials and reading on the subject had convinced him that Iraq is a significant threat to U.S. security, and that Hussein would do all he could to evade international inspections and resolutions, he said. But if he knows we are serious and have the authority and will to act unilaterally, it will give us a better chance to get him to comply, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/9/02] A Group Of Nuns Called On Ryan To Support Ending Iraq Sanctions, He Supported Ending The Sanctions. According to the Capital Times, Economic sanctions against Iraq are unjust, killing thousands of women and children who have committed no crime, a group of Dominican nuns told U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville. Hoping to dramatize the Iraqis plight, the nuns handed Ryan a pound of rice and sugar, 5 pounds of flour, and dashes of salt, tea, cheese, lentils and cooking oil -- what the nuns say Iraqi citizens are forced to live on. The very small rations of food have to last a month, Sister Mary Michna said Wednesday. At least 5,000 people are dying a month because of malnutrition. Ryan voiced agreement with the nuns and said he would co-sign a letter to President Clinton calling for an end to the sanctions. We dont have anything against the Iraqi people. We have a problem with Saddam Hussein, Ryan said. [Capital Times, 1/22/00]

Israel
2004: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of the appropriations bill for foreign operations and export financing. The bill passed 365-41. [Roll Call 390, H 4818, 07/15/2004] 2003: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of the appropriations bill for foreign operations and export financing. The bill passed 370-50. [Roll Call 429, H 2800, 07/24/2003] 2003: Ryan Opposed Aid for Israel. Ryan voted against the Consolidated Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003, which contained the appropriations for the foreign operations and export financing. The bill passed 338-83. [Roll Call 32, S 2, 02/13/2003] Ryan Said It Was About Supporting Democracy And Defeating Terrorism In Vote For Resolution Supporting Israel. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, When the House took up its resolution of support for Israel on May 2, Madison Democrat Tammy Baldwin wouldnt vote for it because it was one-sided and inflammatory. She wouldnt vote against it because of my solidarity with Israel Yet the votes suggest at least two things about the two parties. There are more reservations among Democrats, especially African-Americans and white liberals, about Israels use of force. And congressional Republicans in particular are identifying Israels experience of suicide bombings with Americas losses on Sept. 11. For conservatives, the issue is just supporting democracy and defeating terrorism, says Janesville Republican Paul Ryan. He backed the resolution, saying you can clearly take issue with the timing, but once this hits the floor of Congress, we need to stand united with our ally. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/12/02] 2001: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of the conference version of appropriations bill for foreign operations and export financing. The bill passed 357-66. [Roll Call 505, H 2506, 12/19/2001] 2000: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of the appropriations bill for foreign operations and export financing. It passed 239-185. [Roll Call 400, H 4811, 07/13/2000] 2000: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of the conference version of the appropriations bill for foreign operations and export financing. The bill passed 307-101. [Roll Call 546, H 4811, 10/25/2000] 1999: Ryan Supported Aid for Israel. Ryan voted in favor of a foreign operations appropriations bill. President Clinton vetoed it over language the House had inserted into the bill regarding international family planning. The bill passed 214-211. [Roll Call 480, H 2606, 10/05/1999]

170

Korea
Ryan Voted to Condemn North Korean Abductions as Terrorism and Human Rights Violation. On July 11, 2005, Ryan voted for a motion to suspend the rules and adopt the concurrent resolution that would condemn and call upon the North Korean government to immediately cease and desist in the abduction and continued captivity of citizens of South Korea and Japan. [Roll Call 363, S 168, 07/11/2005]

Kosovo
Ryan Opposed Clintons Actions In Kosovo From The Start. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan has opposed President Clintons actions from the start. Now, with some of his colleagues talking about the next steps, he said, I have grave concerns about sending ground troops. Ive yet to see a clearly defined mission and strategy. . . . Troops into Belgrade? I wouldnt be in favor of that. [Wisconsin State Journal, 4/8/99]

Libya
Ryan Voted Against Prohibiting Defense Department Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya. On June 24, 2011, Ryan voted against a GOP-led attempt to cut off funding for the U.S. role in the NATO-led operation in Libya [...] The House rejected, 180-238, a Republican-backed bill (HR 2278) that would prevent the use of funds to pay for U.S. participation in any aspect of the NATO effort except intelligence, surveillance, search-and-rescue and other non-hostile support activities, according to Congressional Quarterly Today. [Roll Call 494, H 2278, 06/24/2011] Ryan Voted Against Authorizing Limited Use of Force in Libya for One Year. On June 24, 2011, Ryan voted against a resolution that would authorize limited use of U.S. military forces in support of the NATO-led mission in Libya for at least one year after the resolutions enactment, Congressional Quarterly Today reported. The resolution would state Congress opposition to putting U.S. forces on the ground in Libya, except to protect government officials or rescue troops. It also would direct the president to consult regularly with Congress and provide regular briefings on the situation. [Roll Call 493, S 68, 06/24/2011] Ryan Voted to Bar Use of VA Appropriations Funds to Contravene the War Powers Resolution. On June 13, 2011, Ryan voted for an amendment that would bar the use of funds in the bill to contravene the War Powers Resolution. [Roll Call 415, H 2055, 06/13/2011] Ryan Voted Against Removing Troops from Libya. On June 03, 2011, Ryan voted against a resolution that would direct the president, pursuant to the War Powers Resolution, to remove U.S. armed forces from Libya within 15 days of the resolutions adoption. [Roll Call 412, S 51, 06/03/2011] Ryan Voted to Prohibit the Use of Ground Forces in Libya. On June 03, 2011, Ryan voted for a resolution barring the use of American ground forces in Libya and demanding the White House turn over internal documents related to President Barack Obamas decision to order U.S. forces to take part in the NATO-led campaign, according to Politico. It would state that the armed forces should be used exclusively to defend and advance the U.S. national security interests, that the president did not provide compelling rationale to Congress regarding the action in Libya, and that the president should not deploy ground forces in Libya unless it is to rescue a member of the armed forces in imminent danger. [Roll Call 411, S 292, 06/03/2011; Politico.com, 06/03/2011] Ryan Voted to Block the Use of Funds Provided by the Bill to Contravene the War Powers Resolution. On June 02, 2011, Ryan voted for a Sherman, D-Calif., amendment that would bar the use of funds in the bill to contravene the War Powers Resolution. According to Bangor Daily News, Sherman said the amendment was needed to prevent the Obama administration from sending our forces into battle for an unlimited duration, unlimited in scope, and for whatever purposes the executive branch finds worthy. An opponent, Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., said the amendment was not germane to the bill because it applied to the use of military force. The underlying legislation would fund the Department of Homeland Security. [Roll Call 394, H 2017, 06/02/2011; Bangor Daily News, 6/4/11] 171

Ryan Said Death Of Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi Was The End To A Sad Chapter Of A Brutal Dictator. According to the Associated Press, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan says the death of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is the ending of a very sad chapter of a brutal dictator. The Wisconsin Republican made the comment Thursday after a listening session in Muskego. He says he hopes the Libyans can build a strong society with Gadhafi gone. [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 10/20/11] Ryan Voted Against Bill To End Funding For Direct U.S. Military Intervention In Libya War. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Members defeated, 180-238, a bill to end funding for direct U.S. military involvement in the ongoing NATO-led war over Libya. A yes vote was to end most funding. (HR 2278) Ryan voted no. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/25/11] Ryan Voted Against Authorization Of U.S. Participation In NATO Coalition To Support Rebels In Libya Conflict. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Members defeated, 123-295, a measure (HJR 68) under which Congress would authorize for one year U.S. participation in the NATO coalition that is supporting rebel forces in Libyas ongoing civil war. A yes vote was to authorize U.S. actions over Libya. Ryan voted no. [Wisconsin State Journal, 6/25/11]

Pakistan
Ryan Voted Against Pakistan Troop Withdrawal. On July 27, 2010 Ryan voted against the adoption of the concurrent resolution that would direct the president to remove U.S. armed forces from Pakistan within 30 days of adoption, or by Dec. 31 if the president determined that a withdrawal could not be accomplished safely within 30 days. The bill would remove all U.S. military personnel from Pakistan under the 1973 War Powers Act. That law requires presidents to end combat operations after 90 days unless Congress authorizes the deployment. There is dispute over whether the U.S. forces in Pakistan are in combat or advisory roles. [Roll Call 473, S 301, 07/27/2010; The Houston Chronicle 8/1/2010]

Russia
Ryan Voted for Restricting the Implementation of the New START Treaty. On May 18, 2012, Ryan voted for an amendment to HR 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013, that would ban reductions to the United States Nuclear Missile Inventory unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that they are needed to meet requirements for the New START treaty and Russia is not developing new nuclear systems not covered by the treaty. The amendment would also prevent the complete elimination of any one part of the nuclear triad; which includes land based missiles, submarine based missiles, and airplane based delivery systems. According to the Billings Gazette, Rehberg offered an amendment last Friday that passed on the U.S. House floor, saying no U.S. Department of Defense funds can be spent in 2013 to reduce nuclear weapons delivery systems unless the president certifies that Russia makes a commensurate reduction. Rehberg, R-Mont., said New START requires the United States to reduce its nuclear weapons to meet a ceiling, while Russia is already at or below the ceiling. [Roll Call 288, H 4310, 05/18/2012; Billings Gazette, 5/24/12]

Worldwide Organizations
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Calling On The United Nations To Refund $179 Million In Overpayments Of U.S. Dues. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 259 for and 169 against, the House on Feb. 9 failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to pass a Republican bill (HR 519) calling upon the United Nations to refund $179 million in U.S. dues overpayments. If the U.N. balks, Congress would cut future dues payments by same amount. The bill would thwart a State Department plan to divert $100 million of the $179 million to security improvements at U.N. headquarters in New York City. Backers called the bill fiscally responsible, while opponents said it would increase New Yorks vulnerability to terrorist attacks. Ryan voted yes in favor of the bill. [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 2/12/11] Ryan Voted to Withhold US Dues from the United Nations Unless Specific Reforms Were Met. On June 17, 2005, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would withhold up to 50 percent of U.S. dues to the United Nations unless the 172

secretary of State certifies by Oct. 1, 2007, that the U.N. has complied with 32 of 39 changes in its operations, such as more rigorous budget control, the creation of a U.N. independent oversight board and detailed financial disclosure for top U.N. officials. Overall U.S. contributions would be capped at 22 percent of the regular (non- peacekeeping) U.N. budget. The secretary of State would have some discretion in certifying compliance with most of the specified goals, with the exception of 14 conditions, including those requiring the United Nations to establish a new independent oversight and ethics office and prohibiting countries that violate human rights from serving on the U.N. Human Rights Commission. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The chamber on June 17 passed legislation (HR 2745) that would cut hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. dues if the United Nations does not make 46 specific changes recommended in the bill. The debate comes amid continued investigations into allegations that contractors received kickbacks as part of the U.N. Oil-for-Food program that permitted an embargoed Iraq to sell oil in exchange for food and medical supplies. [Roll Call 282, H 2745, 06/17/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 06/17/2005] Ryan Supported A Block On Aid To The United Nations Population Fund, Which Supported Family Planning And Womens Reproductive Health Programs In 140 Countries. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, The House on July 15 voted, 216 for and 211 against, to block U.S. aid to the United Nations Population Fund, which supports programs in 140-plus countries on family planning and women's reproductive health. This removed $50 million for the fund from a $32.2 billion foreign affairs budget (HR 1950) for fiscal 2004, which awaits Senate action. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Supported Reduction In U.S. Dues To The United Nations To The Level Paid By France. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 187 for and 237 against, the House on July 15 refused to reduce U.S. dues to the United Nations to the level paid by France. In 2003, this would lower the U.S. payment from $341 million to about $87 million, a 74 percent cut. The amendment specified that U.S. dues could not exceed those paid by any other permanent member of the Security Council. At $87 million, France ranks second to the U.S. Dues to the U.N. are based on a country's share of the world's gross domestic product. A yes vote was to slash U.S. dues to the U.N. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Voted Against A Resolution Withdrawing Congressional Approval Of The WTO. Ryan voted against a joint resolution that would withdraw Congressional approval from the agreement establishing the World Trade Organization. [Roll Call 310, S 90, 06/21/2000] Ryan Voted Against A Resolution Withdrawing Congressional Approval Of The WTO. Ryan voted against a joint resolution that would withdraw Congressional approval from the agreement establishing the World Trade Organization. [Roll Call 310, S 90, 06/21/2000]

173

GLBT Hate Crimes


Ryan Voted Against Expanding Federal Hate Crime Law. In 2009, Paul Ryan voted against expanding federal hate crime law to cover offenses based on a victims sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition the bill would also cover crimes based on a victims physical or mental disability. At the time of the bill passage, the law only covered the use of threat or force based on race, color, religion or national origin. [Roll Call 223, H 1913, 04/29/2009; CQ Weekly, 5/04/09] Paul Ryan Voted Against Making Hate Crimes Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Stand-Alone Offenses. On May 3, 2007, Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would expand federal hate-crimes law, despite a White House veto threat issued before lawmakers took up the measure. The bill would add to federal law definitions of hate crimes motivated by the victims sexual orientation or gender, making them stand-alone offenses. Proponents of the legislation say current law does not readily allow federal law enforcement officials to work with state and local officials who prosecute those types of hate crimes, or to bring such cases themselves. More than 15,000 crimes based on sexual orientation were reported from 1991 to 2005, the proponents say. Opponents of the bill say it would unfairly elevate a special category of crime victims above others. Social conservatives argue that the legislation would make clergy members more reluctant to denounce homosexuality, out of fear that they could somehow be liable for a subsequent crime committed against a homosexual person by someone in their congregation. The bill passed 237-180. [Roll Call 299, H 1592, 05/03/2007; CQ Today, 5/3/07]

Marriage, Civil Unions


Paul Ryan Voted for Constitutional Amendment to Ban Same Sex Marriage. In 2006, Paul Ryan voted for passage of a joint resolution to propose a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as consisting only of the union of a man and a woman. It would provide that the U.S. Constitution or any states constitution could not be construed to require that marriage or any other constructs of marriage be conferred to any other union. A two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting was required to pass this constitutional amendment. A yea was a vote in support of the presidents position. The joint resolution failed 236-187. [Roll Call 378, S 88, 07/18/2006]

DADT
Ryan Voted Against Repealing Dont Ask, Dont Tell Policy That Bans Openly Gay Service Members. On December 15, 2010, Ryan voted against legislation that would repeal dont ask, dont tell, the law that bans openly gay men and women from military service. The legislation would require a written certification, signed by the president, the secretary of Defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that repeal is consistent with military readiness and effectiveness. In November 2010, This can be done, and should be done, without posing a serious risk to military readiness, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said. [Roll Call 638, H 2965, 12/15/2010; New York Times, 12/18/10; Washington Post, 11/30/10]

DOMA
Ryan Voted for Preventing Funds Being Spent in Contravention to the Defense of Marriage Act. On May 9, 2012, Ryan voted for an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that would prevent funds from being spent in contravention to the Defense of Marriage Act. According to Roll Call, As President Barack Obama endorsed gay marriage Wednesday, the House prepared to vote on language barring the Department of Justice from arguing against the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. [] Facing increasing pressure from gay civil rights organizations, Attorney General Eric Holder has begun intervening in DOMA cases in California and other states, arguing the law is not constitutional. That decision has angered conservatives. According to Huelskamp, that decision, along with Vice 174

President Joseph Bidens endorsement of gay marriage on Meet the Press on Sunday, prompted his decision to offer the amendment. The most immediate reason was the comments of the vice president of the United States. Stating his position is fine, but you tie that together with the issues with the lawsuit in California in which, essentially, the attorney general walked away from DOMA and said, Im not going to defend that, Huelskamp said. [Roll Call 235, H 5326, 05/09/2012; Roll Call, 5/10/12]

175

HEALTH CARE
Affordable Care Act
Ryan Voted for Republican Substitute Amendment to the Health Care Overhaul Bill. On November 7, 2009, Ryan voted for the Republican substitute amendment to the health care overhaul bill that would require each state to establish a reinsurance health care program or high-risk pool by 2010, allow small businesses to pool together through association health plans and allow consumers to purchase licensed health insurance in any state, not just their state of residence. According to the Washington Post, the amendment would grant states tens of billions of dollars over 10 years as an incentive for them to expand health-insurance coverage and reduce insurance premiums for their residents. The GOP bill also would pay states up to $25 billion over 10 years to finance pools for insuring high-risk individuals and reinsurance programs to help private insurers cover catastrophic costs and thus lower their premium levels. The bill would cover up to five million of the uninsured. The Republican measure would not require individuals to obtain insurance or employers to offer it and would allow insurance firms to continue to deny coverage or charge higher premiums on the basis of pre-existing conditions. The amendment would prohibit any federal funding from being used to pay for abortions, unless the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or if the womans life is in danger. [Roll Call 885, H 3962, 11/07/2009; Washington Post 11/15/2009] Ryan Voted Against a Resolution to Express Disapproval with Rep. Joe Wilson For Shouting You lie! During the Sept. 9, 2009 Joint Session of Congress. On September 15, 2009, Ryan voted against adoption of the privileged resolution that would express the disapproval of the House over the behavior of Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., in breaching decorum and degrading proceedings to the discredit of the House during the joint session of Congress on Sept. 9, 2009. According to the Washington Post, In a rare action, the House rebuked one of its members Tuesday for shouting You lie! at President Obama last Wednesday, ending a week-long standoff during which Democrats demanded a public apology that the lawmaker refused to give. On a largely party-line vote, the House voted 240 to 179 to ratify a resolution of disapproval against Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for interrupting Obamas health-care speech before a joint session of Congress. [Roll Call 699, S 744, 09/15/2009; Washington Post, 09/16/2009]

REPEAL EFFORT
Ryan Voted to Repeal CLASS Program Authorized Under Health Care Reform. On February 1, 2012, Ryan voted for the bill that would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program authorized as part of the 2010 health care overhaul law. It also would shift funding for the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information from a mandatory appropriation to an authorization. According to Politico, The Republican-led House on Wednesday voted to repeal a financially troubled part of the 2010 health care law that was designed to provide affordable long-term care insurance. The House vote comes months after the Obama administration suspended the Community Living Assistance Services and Support program, known as the CLASS Act. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in October said she was unable to find a way to make the program financially solvent. Still, the White House has said it does not support repealing the program, under which workers would pay a monthly premium during their careers and collect a daily cash benefit if they become disabled later in life. Republicans have targeted the program as part of their overall goal of dismantling the health care overhaul law. [Roll Call 18, H 1173, 02/01/2012; Politico, 2/1/12] Ryan Said He Was Confident Mitt Romney Would Repeal The Affordable Care Act If Elected President. According to The Frontrunner, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (R) indicated on Tuesday that he has come around to Mitt Romney on the issue of healthcare. Romneys been very clear that hes against ObamaCare and hes going to repeal it. So I for a second dont worry about whether hes going to shy away from repealing the presidents health care law, Ryan said in an interview with The Weekly Standard. Ryan, who had previously said that the healthcare overhaul Romney signed as governor of Massachusetts wasnt that dissimilar to ObamaCare, told the Weekly Standard of the similarities between the two laws, I dont think this question matters that much anymore. [The Frontrunner, 11/2/11] Ryan Touted House GOPs Vote To Repeal Federal Health Care Reform. According to the Miami Herald, in his State of The Union response, Ryan touted the House Republicans largely symbolic vote to repeal healthcare reform, but 176

acknowledged that voters are wary of both Democrats and the GOP. Americans are skeptical of both political parties and that skepticism is justified, he said. So hold all of us accountable. [Miami Herald, 1/26/11] Ryan Said Repealing The Affordable Care Act Was Possible, But Would Be Tough. According to The Oklahoman, Repealing the legislation is possible, but wont happen quickly, [Ryan] said. It is doable, its tough, its a steep hill to climb, Ryan said. It will take us two elections to repeal it but thats what we should be focusing on doing. We spent the last year and a half fighting the government takeover of our health care sector. Just because it passed doesnt mean all of a sudden we give up. Its going to take a new Congress and a new president to repeal and replace it, said Ryan, whose in-laws are from Madill; he comes to Oklahoma about four times a year. We also need to articulate what we would replace it with. [The Oklahoman, 4/1/10] Ryan Called For New American Revolution To Stop The Health Care Reform Bill From Being Enacted. According to Enid News & Eagle, Ryan was keynote speaker for Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs 2010 citizenship dinner. Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, focused on the recent passage of the government health care bill during the majority of his keynote address. He called passage of the bill a travesty, and said one political party was trying to decide the future of America. In order to thwart the bill and the challenges Americans now are facing, Ryan said it was up to the people to start a new American Revolution, this time a peaceful one, with ballots. (We need) men and women who go to Congress and are running to stand up and fight for what this country is all about, Ryan said. [Enid News & Eagle, 3/31/10] Ryan Said The Affordable Care Act Was Another Attempt Of The Federal Government To Control The Rights Of Individuals. According to Enid News & Eagle, To Ryan, the health care legislation is another example of Washingtons attempt to control the rights of individuals in the United States. What kind of society will we hand down to children in future generations? Ryan said. We will choose one of two paths, and once we make that choice, there really is no going back. The first choice, Ryan said, is a future where people are dependent on the government for everyday living. But Ryan didnt specifically blame one party over the other. The U.S. (has) been slowly moving down that path for a long time, and Democrats and Republicans share in this blame, he said. [Enid News & Eagle, 3/31/10] Ryan Said The Earliest The Health Care Reform Bill Could Be Repealed Was 2013. According to Federal News Service, during an interview with Greta Van Susteren of On The Record, Ryan was asked how he intended to repeal the health care reform bill. He responded: So I try to explain to people, this isnt easy. This isnt going to be done right away. Youve got to have a House thats a Republican majority. Youve got to have a Senate not only that can pass a bill but that can get 60 votes. And you have to have a president willing to sign a different law into law, repealing this law, and thats not this president. So the earliest a real repeal and replace agenda can take place is 2013. So thats a ways away. The subsidies, the real entitlement kicks off in 2014. So this is really a thread-the-need kind of thing, which is, we have to make the case to the American people that we shouldnt turn our entire health-care system over to government. We shouldnt create two new openended unfunded entitlements on top of the ones we al-ready have that we cant pay for. [Federal News Service, 3/25/10] Ryan Said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen Would Be Able To File Lawsuit Against The Affordable Care Act After 2010, Under A Republican Governor. According to Federal News Service, during an interview with Greta Van Susteren of On The Record, Susteren said I have a letter here, a copy, from your home states attorney general and J.B. Van Hollen who wrote the governor saying, I need your authority, because I would like to file suit on behalf of the state of Wisconsin. And the governor has sent his letter back. I guess he didnt waste much time. Theyre both dated March 25th. And he said, youre out of luck, pal. This is constitutional, and its going to help the state of Wisconsin, and he goes through a list. Ryan responded: Well, J.B. is our Republican attorney general. Jim Doyle is our Democratic governor. I think our next governor after 2010 is going to be probably Scott Walker or Mark Neumann, and those are Republicans. I think were going to win the governors mansion. J.B. is going to get reelected. So this is just delayed, as far as Im concerned. The legislature in Wisconsin is Democratic So youre not going to see the Wisconsin attorney general have the power and authority between now and 2010 to be able to do this, like you have seen that kind of authority extended to attorney generals around the rest of the country. [Federal News Service, 3/25/10] Ryan Voted To Defund Health Care Overhaul Law. On January 19, 2011, Ryan voted for legislation that would repeal the 2010 health care over law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires most individuals to buy health insurance by 2014. The bill would restore the provisions of law amended or repealed by the health care overhaul, and repeal certain provisions of the health care reconciliation law. The Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage to 31 million previously uninsured Americans, prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals with preexisting medical conditions and required employers with more than 50 workers to provide health insurance for either 177

employees. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it is estimated that repealing the health care legislation would cost Americans $230 billion in ten years and would leave an additional 32 million people without health insurance. [Roll Call 14, H 2, 01/19/2011; Congressional Quarterly Weekly; 2/5/11]

CRITICISM
Ryan Said Decision On Health Care Reform Bill Would Decide What Kind Of Country The U.S. Would Be. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Transcript of Congressman Ryans closing remarks in opposition of the Majoritys health care bill: Were not just here to pass a healthcare bill. We are being asked to make a choice about the future path of this country. The speakers to my left are correct: this is history. Today marks a major turning point in American history. This is really not a debate about prices, coverage, or choosing doctors. This is ultimately about what kind of country we are going to be in the 21st century. America is not just a nationality - its not just a mass of land from Hawaii to Maine, from Wisconsin to Florida. America is an idea. Its the most pro-human idea ever designed by mankind. Our founders got it right, when they wrote in the Declaration of Independence that our rights come from nature and natures God - not from government. [States News Service, 5/21/10] Ryan Said Democrats Philosophy On Health Care Reform Was Paternalistic And So Arrogant. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Transcript of Congressman Ryans closing remarks in opposition of the Majoritys health care bill: Do we believe that the goal of government is to promote equal opportunity for all Americans to make the most of their lives - or do we now believe that governments role is to equalize the results of peoples lives? The philosophy advanced on the floor by the Majority today is so paternalistic, and so arrogant. Its condescending. And it tramples upon the principles that have made America so exceptional. My friends, we are fast approaching a tipping point where more Americans depend on the federal government than on themselves for their livelihoods - a point where we, the American people, trade in our commitment and our concern for our individual liberties in exchange for government benefits and dependencies. [States News Service, 5/21/10] Ryan Said Americans Were Not Happy With The Health Care Reform Bill. According to The Oklahoman, Ryan, a leading critic of the health care reform bill approved last week by Congress, said he believes most Americans are unhappy with the package that won the unanimous approval of Democratic U.S. House members; every Republican House member voted against it. Never before has such a huge entitlement program passed with just one-party rule, said Ryan 40, who is serving his sixth term in Congress. This is the largest expansion of government in 40 years and it was done with just one-party rule running it through. The American people dont like that and its very clear that they have great concerns about it. [The Oklahoman, 4/1/10] Ryan Said He Believed The Affordable Care Act Would Make Health Care Worse And Hurt The Economy And Medicare. According to Federal News Service, during an interview with Greta Van Susteren of On The Record, Ryan said You dont stop fighting for what you believe in. And I really do believe that this is going to make health care worse. Its going to raise premiums. Its going to cause job losses, half a trillion (dollars) in tax increases is going to hurt the economy, half a trillion (dollars) taken out of the Medicare system into this new entitlement is going to hurt that program, and its not going to help its solvency. [Federal News Service, 3/25/10] Ryan Said Health Care Reform Bill Would Deny Americans Health Care Options And Reduce The Quality Of Care. According to Federal News Service, during an interview with Greta Van Susteren of On The Record, Ryan said: I really think the American people, once they see what [the health care reform bill] does, the new mandate thats going to be enforced upon them, the denial of the kinds of options that they have in health-care reform right now and the reduction in the kind of quality of care I think that were going to be experiencing over the next few years, especially after this thing is enacted, I like to think that were going to be able to make the case to the public, you know, lets get a new crew in town here, lets get new leadership in Washington that agrees with the American idea, not a cradle-to-grave social welfare state. And were going to have to make that case very forcefully to our constituents. [Federal News Service, 3/25/10] Ryan Believed Health Care Reform Debate Was Less About Policy And More About Ideology. According to Federal News Service, in an interview on MSNBCs The Dylan Ratigan Show, Ryan was asked: whether its you or Ron Wyden, why do you think plans like that have basically been pushed into the ditch? Ryan responded, Because I think this is less about health-care policy and more about ideology. I really believe this. And its just the conclusion that I have reluctantly come 178

to, which is they could have had good bipartisan deals with many of us to address cost and quality and health insurance for the uninsured, and those are the pre-existing conditions. We could have done that before August. I believe this is really more about political philosophy and agenda, which is an ideological idea to have the government take this whole system over. And that to me is something that is basically having the American idea of promoting equal opportunity being replaced with more of a Western European cradle-to-grave social democracy, welfare state, where the goal of government isnt promoting equal opportunity but to equalize the results of our lives. And I just think thats the ideology that dominates the White House and the people running Congress right now. [Federal News Service, 3/10/10]

TAX LANGUAGE
Ryan Voted Against Repealing Tax Compliance Language in Health Care Overhaul that Hurts Small Businesses. On July 30, 2010 Ryan voted against the bill that would repeal tax compliance language in the health care overhaul law that would require businesses to file information reports to the IRS for payments of $600 or more made to any vendor in a single year. The repeal of the reporting requirement would be offset by placing new limits on the ability of U.S.-based companies to use certain foreign tax credit transactions to lower their tax liability. According to the Bangor Daily News, the bill would have eliminated certain tax reporting requirements for small businesses and eliminated tax loopholes for foreign operations by U.S. companies. [Roll Call 514, H 5982, 07/30/2010; Bangor Daily News 8/7/2010]

Health Care Reform


Paul Ryan Voted Against Health Care Reform Reconciliation Package Which Expanded Access To Health Care And College. Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would make changes to the previously passed health care reform bill HR 3590. The bill covered 32 million previously uninsured Americans at a savings of $143 billion over 10 years. The reconciliation package increased federal subsidies to help low- and moderate-income families purchase coverage through health insurance exchanges established by the overhaul measure, phase out the coverage gap for Medicare prescription drug enrollees and adjust the federal matching funds for Medicaid. It would change penalties on employers that do not offer health benefits. It would freeze Medicare Advantage payments in 2011, which are higher than traditional Medicare, and then re-formulate payments according to local costs. The federal government would cover 100 percent of the cost of coverage to newly eligible Medicaid recipients in 2014-16. It would delay until 2018 the effective date of a tax on high-cost health plans and adjust the dollar amounts used to determine who would be affected by the tax. The bill was financed in part by repealing a tax credit for a paper-processing byproduct called black liquor. It also would make the federal government the sole originator of federal student loans and direct the savings generated to education programs, including Pell grants. The bill would shift all new federal student lending to the Direct Loan Program beginning July 1, 2010. It would increase the maximum annual Pell Grant scholarship to $5,975 in 2017 and provide $2.6 billion for minority-serving institutions. [Roll Call 167, H 4872, 03/21/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Expanding Health Care To 31 Million Americans. Paul Ryan voted against the motion to concur with the Senate amendment to HR 3590. The bill would over haul the nations health insurance system and require most Americans to purchase insurance by 2014. The Congressional Budget Office found the bill will reduce the deficit by $132 billion and cover 31 million uninsured Americas. The bill would create a system of national private insurance plans supervised by the Office of Personnel Management and create state-run marketplaces for purchasing health insurance. Those who do not obtain coverage would be subject to an excise tax. Employers with more than 50 workers would have to provide coverage or pay a fine if any employee gets a subsidized plan on the exchange. Certain small businesses would get tax credits for providing coverage, and those with low incomes, excluding illegal immigrants, could get subsidies. It would bar the use of federal funds to pay for abortions in the new programs, except in the cases of rape or incest or if the womans life is in danger. Insurance companies could not deny coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions beginning in 2014, and could not drop coverage of people who become ill. It would expand eligibility for Medicaid, shrink the coverage gap under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program and create an advisory board to reduce the per capita growth rate in Medicare spending. [Roll Call 165, H 3590, 03/21/2010] Ryan Claimed The Affordable Care Act Created A $701 Billion Deficit. According to a transcript of On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, Ryan said, The CBO just scored the health care legislation, which was written to manipulate that score. What they when they wrote that bill was they double counted lots of money. They didnt count the $115 billion of new bureaucratic spending that CBO says has to occur. They double counted money from Social Security, this new Class (ph) Act, 179

from Medicare they double count. They didnt count the doc fix. So if you take away all the budget gimmicks, and all the smoke and the mirrors, this thing has about a $701 billion deficit. CBO cant say that. CBO has to score the legislation as its drafted. The problem is, the Democrats drafted it in such a way, with so many spending gimmicks, that it was done to manipulate that score. Make no bones about this. This things a budget buster. [Fox News, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, 1/6/11] Paul Ryan Voted To Allow Health Insurance Companies To Deny Coverage For Pre-Existing Conditions. Paul Ryan voted against the motion to concur with the Senate amendment to HR 3590. Under this bill, insurance companies could not deny coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions beginning in 2014, and could not drop coverage of people who become ill. [Roll Call 165, H 3590, 03/21/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Historic Bipartisan Health Insurance Reform, Put Big Insurance Companies First. In 2009, Paul Ryan voted against the historic bipartisan Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill was to reduce health care costs for the middle class, protect families health care choices, end discriminatory practices by insurance companies, and provide more security for seniors. The bill passed 220-215. [Roll Call 887, H 3962, 11/07/2009; Chicago Tribune, 11/11/09; Washington Post, 11/08/09] Paul Ryan Voted To Allow Health Insurance Companies To Deny Coverage For Pre-Existing Conditions. Paul Ryan voted against HR 3962 which prohibited health insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. [Roll Call 887, H 3962, 11/07/2009] Paul Ryan Voted Against Bill To Expand Access To Health Care And Reduce The Deficit. Paul Ryan voted against HR 3962, an overhaul of health insurance that would expand access to health care and reduce the deficit by $109 billion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill would reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 36 million. The bill mandated most Americans purchase health insurance by 2013 and created the Health Choices administration to setup and administer exchanges from which consumers can purchase health insurance on an open market. The bill also created a public health insurance option for consumers to choose from. It includes a premium support system for those making up to 400% of the federal poverty line to help them purchase insurance. Employers are required to provide coverage or pay a fine of up to 8% of their payroll and individuals who do not purchase insurance are subject to fines. The system is funded by an excise tax on high cost health insurance plans as well as $500 million cuts to the Medicare Advantage plan, a program which allowed seniors to purchase private insurance, but costs more than traditional Medicare. Health insurance companies would be required to spend a certain amount of premiums on direct health care costs and the bill prohibited companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. It also included provisions that allow the purchase of health insurance across state lines. The bill would bar the use of federal funds to provide abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or if the womans life is in danger. [Roll Call 887, H 3962, 11/07/2009] Ryan: I Am Not In Favor Of Socialized Medicine. In a Capital Times editorial Paul Ryan wrote, As for health care, it is no secret that I am not in favor of socialized medicine. Perhaps this is ultimately where The Capital Times and I disagree. Yet, I think both of us would agree that the health care status quo in America is unsustainable. I believe more power must be placed into the hands of consumers, not government or HMO bureaucrats. Does this mean shifting costs from businesses to individuals? Far from it. I am pushing reforms that give the consumer the financial resources, the clout and the information to be the driving force of our health care system, rather than the recipients of annual double-digit cost increases. [Capital Times, 6/16/05] Ryan Criticized Ted Kennedy Health Care Plan As Socialized Medicine. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, During his last face-to-face with Ryan two years ago, [Democratic candidate Jeffery] Thomas pounded on health care as his major campaign issue. He supported the government-run single payer, universal health care plan put forward by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Ryan called it socialized medicine and voiced strong opposition to having the government run health care, pointing out the government already has a hand in health care with Medicare and Medicaid and the Federal Childrens Health Insurance Plan. Ryan agreed that health care needs to be overhauled and took steps during his last term to push such programs as the creation of Health Savings Accounts and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Modernization and Improvement Act. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/24/04]

180

Health Insurance
Ryan Voted To Repeal Funding for State Insurance Exchanges. On May 03, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would repeal the section of the 2010 health care overhaul that allocates mandatory funding for state insurance exchanges and would rescind unobligated funds made available for the exchanges. According to the Washington Post, the bill would prohibit spending to establish the state-run exchanges that will become core elements of the new health law starting in 2014. The bill would lower spending by $13 billion over five years and apply the savings to deficit reduction. It would also have the effect of expanding federal involvement in U.S. health care, because the law requires the federal government to establish exchanges in states that fail to do so. [Roll Call 285, H 1213, 05/03/2011; Washington Post 05/12/2011] Ryan Was One Of Only 19 Representatives To Oppose Proposal To Strip Insurance Companies Of Antitrust Exemptions. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Last week, he was one of just 19 members of the House who voted against a proposal to strip antitrust ex-emptions for insurance companies. According to the American Medical Association, most local markets in the U.S. are dominated by a single insurer. What that means is that there is no real competition, a circumstance that allows big insurers to impose radical rate hikes. The vast majority of House Republicans got it. A total of 153 GOP representatives voted with 253 Democrats to create real competition. On the losing end of that vote, Ryan was a lonely defender of insurance industry monopolies and duopolies, which can raise prices at will because they face little real competition. For all his talk about being for free markets, the Janesville Republican joined a tiny minority of House members who opposed freeing up the market to foster competition and reduce insurance prices. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/28/10] 2010: Since Election To Congress, Ryan Received $528,751 From Insurance Industry Donors. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Since coming to Congress, Ryan has collected $528,751 from insurance industry donors. No industry pro-vides Ryan with more campaign money, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And his take is going up. Over the past year, he has taken in more than $74,720 in contributions from insurance industry-related political action committees and executives. As it turns out, Ryans a good investment. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/28/10] Wisconsin State Journal: State Health Insurance Rates Were Expected To Increase By 17.2%. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin has filed a notice with the Wisconsin Office of the Insurance Commissioner that the company intends to increase its composite premiums in Wisconsin by 17.2 percent, effective April 1, 2010. The company projects a 17.2 percent composite rate increase for its Blue Access, Blue Economy, Blue Value, and Blue Preferred Plus products in Wisconsin, BizTimes.com reported. Politicians like Paul Ryan, the Janesville congressman who accepts millions in special-interest money and then defends those interests in Congress, have opposed every effort to crack down on the excesses and abuses of health insurance corporations dont blame Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin for the rate hike. Blame the people who make it possible for companies like Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to do whatever they please. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/28/10]

Ryan Said Health Insurance Reform Would Be His Priority In 2004. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said that if he is re-elected, his priorities would include seeking a refundable tax credit for people without health insurance that, in effect, would provide them vouchers for health care. He said he would renew his efforts for legislation that would allow small businesses to create health insurance purchasing pools. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/23/04] Ryan Co-Sponsored A Bill That Would Allow Small Businesses Purchase Health Insurance Through Trade Associations. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Small businesses in Wisconsin, beset with ever-rising health insurance costs, would be helped by a bill passed last week in the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow small businesses to purchase health insurance through trade associations. Thats the claim of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) who cosponsored the bill approved Thursday in a 262 to 162 vote. The bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, where Ryan said Friday he feels it will pass, although on a closer vote. Escalating costs are making it tougher and tougher for Wisconsins small businesses to offer good health care coverage for their workers, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/23/03] Editorial: Ryan Supported Expanding The Pool Of Larger Health Insurance Plans To Allow Individuals To Join And A Refundable Tax Credit. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, On the overarching issue of health care, Ryan says the system should be consumer- and physician-based rather than dictated by insurance companies or overseen by the federal government. He supports expanding the pool of larger health insurance plans to allow individuals to join, and favors a refundable tax credit or deductibility for insurance premiums paid to private insurance carriers. [Editorial, Wisconsin State Journal, 10/27/02] 181

Ryans 1998 Opponent Said Ryan Should Be Held Accountable For A Health Insurance Portability Bill That Sen. Sam Brownback Opposed When Ryan Served As His Legislative Director. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryans support from groups that favor privatizing Social Security is at odds with the ads claim about protecting Social Security, said Spottswood campaign spokesman Jonathan Brown. In addition, when Ryan was legislative director for Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Brownback voted against a bill to guarantee the transfer of health benefits to a new job, Brown said. He said voters could hold it against Ryan if they come to regard the ads claims as inaccurate. This ad is a far better example of the Spottswood campaign platform than the Ryan campaign platform, Brown said. Ryan aide Murray said those criticisms missed the mark because Ryan has endorsed a Republican version of health-insurance portability and has said that while he would consider plans to privatize Social Security, he has not committed to it. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/8/98]

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS


Ryan Co-Authored Plan To Create Health Care Savings Account. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan co-authored health care savings account legislation that the House Ways and Means Committee approved in September, and he has introduced legislation that would allow health care providers to use a paperless system that would maintain privacy standards. He also intends to work on providing more information to consumers about health care providers and health care systems so they can be more easily compared and analyzed. I have a lot of initiatives that Im fighting for to bring down health care costs, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/5/06] Capital Times Editorial: Ryans Health Savings Accounts Are A Dangerous Fantasy. According to a Capital Times editorial, Ryan will counter that he is doing something to help protect the Janesville plant by promoting health savings accounts as a means to lower insurance costs for employers such as GM. But that is a dangerous fantasy. Such accounts only shift the cost of health care away from corporations and onto their employees. Workers at GM, who are lucky enough to have a strong union, would not accept this arrangement willingly. And they are right to resist. The answer to what ails GM is not the nickel-and-diming of workers to fake up a short-term fix. Part of the answer is to develop a health care infrastructure that ensures that all workers have access to affordable care, as is the case in Canada and other countries. (Notably, GM says that one of the reasons it has shifted so much work to Canada over the years is because that country has a national health care system that holds costs down.) [Capital Times, 6/9/05] Ryan Called Health Savings Accounts His Most Important Accomplishment In 2004. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said his most important accomplishment this past term was being co-author of a law that created health savings accounts. They allow people with high-deductible health insurance policies to save money for health care expenses tax free. Its actually proving to bring down health care costs for people, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/23/04] Ryan Praised Health Savings Accounts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, become available on New Years Day. They are a totally federal tax-free way for Americans to accumulate money to pay for medical expenses, but they come with a big condition: To qualify, a person must be covered only by a high-deductible health insurance policy, one with annual out-of-pocket costs of at least $1,000 for an individual or $2,000 for a family. The goal of the HSAs is to spark a consumer revolution in health care, to get the consumer back in the game, to give the consumer the resources and wherewithal to make choices, said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Janesville Republican who helped to steer the measure through Congress as part of the larger Medicare reform bill enacted earlier this month. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/28/03] Ryan Said He Would Provide The Poor, Who Could Not Afford Health Savings Accounts, With Tax Credit To Pay Deductible For Their Health Insurance. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, While Ryan is excited about HSAs, he realizes they will not make health insurance affordable for everyone. The working poor might have trouble coming up with money to fund them, he said. To fix that, he would like to amend the law to provide such people with a tax credit to pay for the deductible. The credit would be refundable -- that is, payable no matter how low a persons tax bill. This is by no means the final answer toward solving the uninsured problem, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/28/03]

182

Childrens Health
Ryan Voted for Creating Programs to Decrease Infant Mortality. On September 22, 2010 Ryan voted for a bill that would authorize the creation of pilot programs to reduce infant mortality. According to the Banger Daily News, the bill would establish $10 million in 1-year grants for each year from fiscal 2011 through fiscal 2015 for the purpose of cutting infant mortality in 15 metropolitan U.S. areas that have had the highest infant mortality rates over the last three years. The grants will help to develop improved access, utilization and quality of social, educational, and clinical services to promote healthy pregnancies, full-term births, and healthy infancies through counseling on infant care, feeding and parenting, postpartum care and the prevention of premature delivery. [Roll Call 533, H 3470, 09/22/2010; Bangor Daily News 9/25/2010] Ryan Voted Against Expanding the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. On January 14, 2009, Ryan voted against expanding the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. According to the Washington Post, The House easily approved an expansion of government health coverage for low-income children yesterday, a top priority for President-elect Barack Obama and the first in a series of stalled measures expected to move quickly through the Democratic Congress as President Bush leaves office. [] The president-elect vowed as a candidate to provide health coverage to every child, and the expansion of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, is a major step toward that goal. [] The House legislation would cost nearly $33 billion over 4 1/2 years and would be funded in part by a cigarette tax increase of 61 cents to $1 per pack. [] The House bill would provide health insurance to an additional 4.1 million children and parents, including legal immigrant children and pregnant women, who currently must wait five years before becoming eligible for the program. A total of 11 million individuals could now receive coverage. [] In a policy statement, House Republicans outlined their objections, chiefly that the measure would place a new burden on states already struggling to meet soaring Medicaid costs and would permit states to enroll children from households with incomes of up to $80,000. [] Republicans also object to the tobacco tax as an unstable revenue source. [Roll Call 16, H 2, 01/14/2009; Washington Post, 01/15/09] Ryan Voted against Veto Override for SCHIP. In 2008, Ryan opposed overriding President Bushs veto of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program SCHIP. The vote fell 26 short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass. SCHIP would provide. The bill reauthorized SCHIP at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 BILLION. To offset the costs it raised the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents, to $1 per pack and raised taxes on other tobacco products. The bill limited program eligibility to families earning three times the federal poverty level or less. It also required the Social Security Administration to verify the citizenship of all applicants and required states to phase out coverage of childless adults by the end of 2008. The override failed 260-152. [Roll Call 22, H 3963, 01/23/2008; CongressNow, 1/23/08] Ryans Opposition To The State Childrens Health Insurance Program Was Met With Protests In His District. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Protesters demonstrated outside Rep. Paul Ryans Racine office on Friday to call attention to his opposition to the expansion of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. Two people, members of Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Americans for Democratic Action, participated. They said they will continue to hold the vigils from noon to 12:30 p.m. Fridays until the reauthorization passes. The organizations are hoping the vigils will help pressure Ryan to change his position and support the reauthorization as proposed. Ryan voted against the bill and did not vote to override President Bushs veto of the proposal last week. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/28/07] Ryan Said His Votes Against SCHIP Were Not A Reflection Of His Non-Support. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryans votes are not a reflection of non-support of SCHIP, his office said. Instead, the votes reflects his concern that the changes proposed under the most recent reauthorization would expand it to an unreasonable extent. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/28/07] Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, the bill would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. The bill would limit program eligibility to families earning three times the federal poverty level or less. It also would require the Social Security Administration to verify the citizenship of all applicants and require states to phase out coverage of childless adults by the end of 2008.The bill is nearly identical to an earlier version of the SCHIP expansion; HR 976. The most substantive change is that HR 3963 would limit SCHIP eligibility to families earning at or less than three times the federal poverty level -- about $62,000 for a family of four. The bill passed 265-142 [Roll Call 1009, H 3963, 10/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 10/27/07] 183

Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing and Expanding Childrens Health Insurance. In 2007, Ryan voted against an attempt to override President Bushs veto of the bill that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, the bill would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. The bill would provide coverage to pregnant women and dental coverage to children enrolled in the program. States would have to meet new requirements before being allowed to expand eligibility beyond 300 percent of poverty. It also would authorize $100 million to fund state outreach and enrollment efforts and establish a contingency fund for states with funding shortfalls due to increased enrollment. The bill failed 273-156. A two-thirds majority was required to override the veto. [Roll Call 982, H 976, 10/18/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted Against Expanding the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. In 2007, Ryan voted against an amendment that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, it would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. The amendment would provide coverage to pregnant women and dental coverage to children enrolled in the program. States would have to meet new requirements before being allowed to expand eligibility beyond 300 percent of poverty. It also would authorize $100 million to fund state outreach and enrollment efforts and establish a contingency fund for states with funding shortfalls due to increased enrollment. The motion was agreed by a vote of 265-159 [Roll Call 906, H 976, 09/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted against Expansion of Childrens Health Care. In 2007, Ryan voted against the Childrens Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007, legislation to expand the current State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by $47.8 billion. The bill expanded the current State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by $47.8 billion in order to bring 5 million children into the government health insurance program in addition to the 6.6 million children already enrolled. The measure also expanded the federal subsidy program for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, eliminates the current penalty for those enrolling late in the new Medicare prescription drug program, requires that the poorest Medicare beneficiaries be put in prescription drug plans that cover 95% of the 100 most used drugs, and makes permanent the program that helps lowincome people pay their Medicare premiums. The White House has threatened to veto the bill as an ill-advised expansion of government-run insurance. According to the Washington Post, the bill included two noteworthy innovations. It would focus additional federal health-care spending on ensuring that poor children eligible for coverage actually receive it. And it would end expensive and unnecessary subsidies for managed-care programs for seniors while making new efforts to help the poorest seniors. The bill passed 225-204. [Roll Call 787, H 3162, 08/01/2007; Congressional Quarterly House Action Reports, No. 110-21/July 31, 2007; Washington Post, 7/30/07]

General Health Care


Ryan Voted Against Motion To Prevent Cuts In Health Care Spending In Student Loan Bill. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Members defeated, 178-231, a Democratic bid to prevent cuts in health care spending in the GOP student loan bill (HR 4628, above) from reducing benefits in or raising the cost of private health insurance for women and children. A yes vote backed the motion. Voting yes: Baldwin, Kind, Moore; Voting no: Ryan, Sensenbrenner, Petri, Duffy, Ribble. [Wisconsin State Journal, 4/28/12] Ryan Claimed He Put Forth A Bill That Would Create Universal Health Care Coverage Without Increasing The Deficit. According to a transcript of On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, Ryan said, We can have a system where everybody in America has affordable health insurance, regardless of preexisting conditions Even if youre poor, especially if youre poor, without having the government take it over. Tom Coburn and I put out a bill last year that doesnt increase the deficit at all, that gets guaranteed universal access to health insurance for everybody, especially lower-income people and for people with preexisting conditions. [Fox News, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, 1/6/11] Paul Ryan Voted Against Mental Health Parity Bill. In March 2008, Paul Ryan voted against the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. The bill would require health insurers to offer mental health benefits equal in cost and scope to medical health benefits and to cover a wide variety of mental health conditions. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), would also bar insurers from requiring larger co-payments or imposing lower reimbursement ceilings for mental health conditions. Earlier, the White House issued a policy statement saying the administration opposed any bill that 184

expanded mental health parity benefits beyond those laid out in the Senate legislation, which passed Sept. 18, 2007. [Roll Call 101, H 1424, 03/05/2008; Congressional Quarterly Today, 3/05/08] Ryan Voted Against Extending Abstinence Education Funding and Transitional Medical Assistance Program. On July 11, 2007 Ryan voted against the bill that would provide for an extension of the Transitional Medical Assistance program and the abstinence education program through Sept. 30, 2007. According to Congressional Quarterly, the program, which expired June 30, is designed to ease the transition off of welfare rolls by allowing families to continue their Medicaid coverage for up to four months as their income levels rise above the normal allowable ceilings. Congressional Quarterly also reports, The measure also would keep alive through Sept. 30 a $50 million per year grant program for abstinence education. [] The measure would offset the costs of extending the Medicaid program by sunsetting a program that allows certain Medicare beneficiaries to enroll throughout 2007 and 2008 in Medicare Advantage plans that do not cover prescription drugs. The bill would sunset the provision this month, on July 31. The legislation also would cut funding for the Medicare Advantage Stabilization Fund. Current law provides $3.5 billion for the fund in 2012 and 2013 combined. Under the bill, total funding over the two-year period would be cut by $110 million. It would provide $1.6 billion in 2012 and $1.79 billion in 2013. The fund offers incentives for HMOs and PPOs to join and remain in the market. [Roll Call 610, S 1701, 07/11/2007; Congressional Quarterly Today 07/11/2007] Ryan Voted in Favor of a Bill to Encourage the Use of Electronic Medical Records. On July 27, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would encourage the expanded use of electronic medical records in doctors offices and hospitals. According to the Washington Post, The House approved federal guidelines to help the U.S. health-care system convert its paper files to electronic files that could be instantly shared over the Internet by doctors, hospitals and insurance companies. The Republican-drafted bill (HR 4157) gives the industry at least three years to set technical standards for the sharing of medical information. The bill contains no substantial federal funding, on the rationale that the conversion will pay for itself through efficiencies. Specifically, the bill would authorize $15 million per year in fiscal 2007 and 2008 for a grant program to assist in the coordination of health care for the uninsured, underinsured, and medically underserved through new or improved health information technology. [Roll Call 416, H 4157, 07/27/2006; Washington Post, 07/30/06] Ryan Voted Against Plan to Lower Health Costs for Small Businesses. In 2005, Paul Ryan voted against an alternative proposal to lower health insurance costs for small businesses. The plan allowed small employers access to state and federal low-cost health insurance plans that pool all health risks and provided subsidies to help small employers with low-wage workforces afford family coverage. The Department of Labor would establish the Small Employer Health Benefits Plan (SEHB) giving similar benefits to those enjoyed by federal employees and members of Congress. Under the substitute, states could establish state small employer health pools while small businesses would be eligible for premium assistance, as would employees earning below 200 percent of the poverty level. The proposal has the potential of providing health insurance coverage to 33 million Americans who currently go without it today. The alternative failed, 197-230. [Roll Call 424, H 525, 07/26/2005; Leadership Document Association Health Plans, Education & Workforce Committee, Minority Staff] Ryan Voted for Allowing Rollover of Funds in Flexible Spending Accounts. In May 2004, Ryan voted to permit up to $500 of unused funds in an employees health flexible spending account (FSA) to be carried over to next years FSA or transferred to the employees health savings account. The vote succeeded, 273-152. [Roll Call 163, H 4279, 05/12/2004; AP, 5/12/04] Ryan Voted For FY 2004 Labor HHS Bill Which Underfunded Health Care. In 2003, Ryan voted for the Republicancrafted FY 2004 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill which critically underfunded health care. According to the AFL-CIO, The bill also eliminated funds for the Labor Departments international initiatives that help foreign countrieseducate their workers about HIV/AIDS. [Roll Call 353, H 2660, 07/10/2003; 2003 AFL-CIO Scorecard] 2003: Ryan Voted For Medicare Rx Drug Benefit Plan That Would Require Medicare To Compete With Private Plans. In June 2003, Ryan voted for House passage of the bill that would create a new prescription drug benefit under Medicare. The House version would force the traditional government-run Medicare program to compete with private plans on price beginning in 2010 an issue that will be a major sticking point in conference, Congressional Quarterly reported. [Roll Call 332, H 1, 06/27/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 6/27/03] Ryan Supported Deregulation of Small Business Health Plans. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would allow small businesses to join together to form association health plans across state lines without having to adhere to state-mandated coverage requirements for certain diseases. Democrats claimed the bill would weaken coverage for diseases such as autism, 185

breast cancer, prostate cancer and mental illness. The bill passed 262-162 [Roll Call 296, H 660, 06/19/2003; American Health Line, 6/13/03; States News Service, 6/20/03] Ryan Voted for GOP Smallpox Vaccination Compensation Fund that Failed, with Critics Saying It Was not Generous Enough. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a GOP-backed bill establishing a set of payments to compensate people injured by the smallpox vaccine. Democrats complained that the Republican bill which met a rare defeat for House Republicans was not generous enough to persuade health care workers and others to sign up for the vaccine. The vote was on a Tauzin (R-LA) motion, which Ryan voted for, to suspend the rules and pass the compensation fund bill. [Roll Call 92, H 1463, 03/31/2003]

PREVENTATIVE CARE
Ryan Voted to Repeal Funding for Preventive-Care Clinics. On May 04, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would repeal the section of the 2010 health care overhaul that allocates mandatory funding for school-based health center construction. It also would rescind unobligated funds made available for such construction. According to the Washington Post, the bill would defund a program in the new health law that finances the construction of preventive-care clinics at schools. These wellness clinics are intended to provide primary care, dental services and mental-health care for youths who otherwise would not receive early medical attention, and thus cut health-care costs in the long run. The health law provides $200 million over several years in mandatory spending for the construction program, about $100 million of which has been obligated. [Roll Call 290, H 1214, 05/04/2011; Washington Post 05/12/2011]

HEALTH FUND
Ryan Voted to Repeal Funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund. On April 13, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would repeal the section of the 2010 health care overhaul that establishes and allocates mandatory funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund. It also would rescind unobligated funds made available for the program. According to the Evansville Courier & Press, the bill would repeal the healthcare laws Prevention and Public Health Fund, which will grant nearly $18 billion over eight years to states and communities for preventive healthcare, or wellness, programs. Backers said that by promoting healthier lifestyles, the fund would reduce treatment costs, while critics called it a slush fund run by the secretary of Health and Human Services with loose fiscal controls. [Roll Call 264, H 1217, 04/13/2011; Evansville Courier & Press 4/17/2011]

Medicaid/Medicare
MEDICAID
Ryan Voted To Tighten Eligibility Requirements For Medicaid And Other Health Programs. On October 27, 2011 Ryan voted to tighten eligibility rules for Medicaid and other programs that would count Social Security benefits as income. The passage of this bill was part of a deal to repeal a tax on government contractors. According to the Los Angeles Times, The House sought to make up the gap by passing a separate bill that would tighten eligibility requirements for Medicaid and other health programs. That bill passed 262 to 157, over Democratic opposition. Democrats had instead proposed paying for the repeal by closing a tax loophole for major oil and gas companies, but Republicans blocked that effort. [Roll Call 813, H 2576, 10/27/2011] Ryan Voted For Paul Ryan Plan To Overhaul Medicare. On April 15, 2011, Ryan voted for the GOP-created budget for fiscal year 2012 authored by Paul Ryan (R-WI). The GOP budget included proposals to convert the federal share of Medicaid to a block grant to states. It also called for converting Medicare for persons currently younger than 55 into a premium support system through which the government would pay private insurance companies directly for each enrollee. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported that The Ryan budget plan would cut federal spending on Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, and begin distributing money by block grant to states. The plan would do away with Medicares direct payment for health care for seniors, replacing it with a voucher system in which recipients choose private insurers. The 186

Congressional Budget Office found that part of the plan, which would take effect in 2022, could nearly double out-of-pocket costs for seniors. In an April 7th, 2011 editorial, the Newark Star-Ledger warned that Paul Ryans plan would end Medicare as we know it. [Roll Call 277, S 34, 04/15/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, Senate GOP Stands Behind Budget, 5/25/11; Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 4/16/2011; Newark Star-Ledger Editorial, 4/7/11] Ryan Voted to Block Legislation that Provides Medicaid Assistance to States and Prevents Thousands of Teacher Layoffs. On August 10, 2010, Ryan voted to block legislation that would help prevent thousands of teacher layoffs and help states cover their Medicaid payments for the first six months of 2011. Specifically, the legislation would invest $10 billion to save the jobs of approximately $160,000 teachers and $16 billion to help cover state Medicaid payments. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, the Medicaid funds will save 158,000 jobs, including preventing the layoff of police officers and firefighters. More than half the saved jobs will be in the private sector. The bill pays for itself through a combination of tax reforms and other spending cuts. [Roll Call 518, H 1586, 08/10/2010; CNN, 8/10/10; Politico, 8/10/10] Ryan Voted Against Funding for Health Care and Medicaid. Ryan voted against the conference report of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included $86.6 billion to help states with Medicaid costs based on increases in the states unemployment rate. The bill provided a 65 percent subsidy for COBRA continuation premiums for up to nine months for workers and their families that had been involuntarily terminated. [Roll Call 70, H 1, 02/13/2009; CQ Bill Analysis HR1] Ryan Voted For $2.6 Trillion Budget Resolution That Cut $10 Billion From Medicaid and $13.5 Billion From Veterans Health While Increasing the Federal Deficit. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the conference report on the Republican budget plan (HCR 95), which projected $2.6 trillion in spending and a $382 billion deficit for fiscal 2006.The budget cut Medicaid spending by $10 billion, spent every penny of the Social Security surplus, increased the nation deficit by $167.5 billion over five years and paved the way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Furthermore, the conference report cut funding for veterans health care by $13.5 billion over five years. Yet the budget still found room for $106 billion in tax cuts for those who need it the least. The measure passed, 214-211. [Roll Call 149, S 95, 04/28/2005; House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, Summary and Analysis of FY 2006 Budget Resolution Conference Report, 4/28/05] Ryan Opposed Delay to Medicaid Cuts. In 2008, Ryan voted against a moratorium on the implementation of new Medicaid rules that the Bush Administration said were aimed at ending federal payments for services that Medicaid shouldnt cover and curtailing abuses in the system. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) decried the bill on the Senate floor the week prior to the House vote on the measure. He argued that HR 5613 would spend $1.7 billion to delay the Medicaid regulations suggested by President Bush until 2009. Grassley also cautioned that if the regulations were indefinitely delayed, the cost to taxpayers could be almost $20 billion over the next five years and almost $50 billion over the next ten years. The motion passed 34962. [Roll Call 209, H 5613, 04/23/2008; Congressional Quarterly, 5/02/08; U.S. Senate, 4/16/08]

MEDICARE
Ryan Said Medicare Could Run Out By 2024. According to The Leader-Telegram, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, has said on his website that Social Security is going broke and faces a $6.5 trillion deficit over 75 years. Medicare, a federal health insurance program for elderly and disabled Americans, could run out of money by 2024, Ryan said. [The Leader Telegram, 12/7/11] Ryan Dismissed Suggestion That Medicare Costs Could Be Cut By Implementing Payment Reforms, Saying The Idea Was Too Similar To The Independent Payment Advisory Board. According to the National Journal, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) 4/28 dismissed Pawlentys recent suggestion that Medicare costs could be cut by implementing payment reforms that would direct money to doctors and hospitals for better healthcare out-comes. Ryan said the idea hews too closely to the Independent Payment Advisory Board proposed in Obamas healthcare law, which both Pawlenty and Ryan oppose. Ryan, telling the Weekly Standard: Medicare has yet to do this successfully. The president wants his IPAB to do essentially the same thing. [] Ryan said that Pawlentys idea would rely too heavily on centralized bureaucracy to be effective (The Hill, 4/28). [National Journal, 4/29/11] Ryan Said Gradual Reform Was The Most Compassionate Way To Tackle Medicare Solvency Crisis. According to Buffalo News, Medicare ideas [in [Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders] come from Ryans 187

Roadmap for Americas Future legislation in the past two sessions of Congress. While it has received only limited attention, it could gain ground if Republicans win control of the House. Ryan said Medicare was on shaky financial ground; Medicares trustees in August called for changes to address short-term liabilities. The sooner we get ahead of this solvency issue, the more likely we can guarantee the existing system, Ryan said. Gradual, phased-in reform is the most compassionate way to move forward. [Buffalo News, 10/29/10] Ryan Said That The Problem With Medicare And Private Plans Was The Third-Party-Payer System. According to a Fortune Magazine in a Ryan press release, His prescription for health care is radical: Ryan would eliminate the exclusion allowing companies to lavish on employees tax-free benefits and give the tax breaks to the workers themselves through a rebate of $5,700 a family, or a check for that amount if they dont pay taxes. The problem with both Medicare and private plans is the third-party-payer system, says Ryan. Consumers, spending their own money, will drive down prices. Ryan proposes a classic flat-tax solution: Americans could choose between using todays byzantine rules and a simplified, post-card model with two rates, 10% and 25%. Believe it or not, the simplified system would disallow mortgage and other deductions. [Ryan Press Release, Fortune, 3/4/10] Ryan Voted Against New Medicare Payment System. On November 19, 2009, Ryan voted against the bill that would create a new Medicare payment formula for physician services. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the bill would avert the 21 percent cut to Medicare reimbursements scheduled for Jan. 1. The bill also would revamp the formula for Medicares sustainable growth rate, which routinely calls for cuts to physician payments, and replace it with a new formula that considers the rising cost of running a medical practice. [Roll Call 909, H 3961, 11/19/2009; Chattanooga Times Free Press 11/23/2009] Ryan Voted to Override President Bushs Veto to Prevent Cuts in Medicare Physician Payments. On July 15, 2008 Ryan voted to override President Bushs veto that would prevent a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2008, by holding payments at current rates for 18 months. It would give doctors a 1.1 percent increase in payments in 2009 and provide $16.6 billion over 10 years for changes to Medicare beneficiary programs. The costs would be partially offset by provisions to reduce the cost of Medicare Advantage plans. According to the Gannett News Service, Congress worked late Tuesday to avert a cut in Medicare reimbursements to physicians and other health care providers that a trade organization said might limit access to health services and pharmaceutical coverage for a majority of the 2.86 million New Yorkers who rely on the program. In New York state, the average payment rate for a midlevel office visit would be cut from $57 to $51, according to the American Medical Association. Sixty percent of physicians surveyed nationally by the AMA predicted they would limit the number of Medicare patients they accept if the cuts take effect. [Roll Call 491, H 6331, 07/15/2008; Gannett News Service, 07-17-08] Ryan Voted Against the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. On June 24, 2008 Ryan voted not to replace a 10.6 percent cut in payments to physicians treating Medicare patients, scheduled for July 1; hold payments at current rates for 18 months; and provide a 1.1 percent increase in 2009. The bill would provide an additional $16.6 billion over 10 years for changes to Medicare beneficiary programs. The costs would be partially offset by phasing out bonus payments to Medicare Advantage plans and requiring private fee for service plans to form networks with health care providers, thereby slowing the plans growth. According to the National Journals Congress Daily, The 355-59 House victory and Reids decision to abandon a fresh bipartisan compromise puts tremendous pressure on some Senate Republicans because it could be their last chance to vote to stop the 10.6 percent Medicare physician pay cut set to begin Tuesday. Republicans grumbled about voting on the bill under suspension of the rules, but a majority of House GOP members felt the heat being turned up on their Senate counterparts and ignored their leaderships pleas to oppose the House bill Tuesday. [Roll Call 443, H 6331, 06/24/2008; National Journals Congress Daily, 06/25/08] Ryan Supported Bushs Medicare Reform Plan, Which Would Allow Privatized Option To Seniors. According to the Associated Press, The new law allows private companies to compete with the traditional government program for the first time. Seniors will also be eligible for prescription drug coverage. Thompson and Ryan said the law will increase federal reimbursements to Wisconsin hospitals and doctors by millions of dollars through use of the same Medicare reimbursement rates used for urban counties in suburban and rural counties. Some people at the meeting expressed concern that the new law will help drug companies and HMOs while eroding a government safety net for senior citizens. Ryan said in addressing such concerns that the law allows seniors to maintain the current Medicare plan. The new options are not mandatory, said Ryan, who conducted the first half of the two-hour meeting on his own because Thompson arrived late. Nobody has to do anything they dont want to do. [Associated Press, 12/19/03] 188

Ryan Voted In Favor Of Bill To Increase Private-Sector Competition With Medicare And To Establish Prescription Drug Entitlement. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 220 for and 215 against, the House on Nov. 22 approved the conference report on a bill that increases private-sector competition with Medicare and establishes a prescription-drug entitlement under Medicare at a ten-year cost of at least $400 billion. Upon enactment, the bill uses taxpayer subsidies to enable private insurers to offer Medicare-style policies in less profitable regions. In 2010 in six metropolitan areas, it allows insurers to begin direct competition with traditional Medicare. The measure awaits Senate action. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03] Ryan Opposed Motion To Repudiate GOP Plan For Private Competition With Medicare. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 197 for and 209 against, the House defeated a bid by Democrats to repudiate a GOP plan for private insurance competition with Medicare. With their non-binding motion, Democrats urged that the proposal be killed in ongoing House-Senate talks over the final version of a bill adding a drug benefit to Medicare. A yes vote opposed partial privatization of Medicare. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03] Ryan Persuaded Blue Cross & Blue Shield Of Wisconsin And All Saints Healthcare System To Offer Medicare+Choice. According to the Associated Press, The reimbursement system, Barrett said, runs against the grain of medical economics because where its hardest to attract physicians, we get paid the lowest. Ryan confronted the problem directly last year when Humana and PrimeCare Gold discontinued their Medicare+Choice health care coverage in Racine County. Medicare+Choice is a supplemental Medicare insurance program in which HMOs agree to provide managed care for seniors at county rates. After Congress passed some modifications to provide financial incentives to health providers to maintain or enhance health service options for seniors, Ryan persuaded Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin, and All Saints Healthcare System Inc., to provide the Medicare+Choice coverage. [Associated Press, 3/26/00] Ryan Said His Biggest First-Year Success Came When He Was Able To Retain Supplemental Medicare Benefits For 3,000 Racine County Residents. According to the Capital Times, Ryan said his biggest first-year success came when he was able to retain supplemental Medicare benefits for 3,000 Racine County residents, most of whom were seniors living on Social Security. Ryan added an amendment to last years Medicare bill that allowed him to restore the funding. Their supplemental insurance was being canceled on Dec. 31, 1999, Ryan said. So on Jan. 1, 2000, all these seniors would have to go out and buy a new supplemental plan of $ 180 a month just to get the same kind of Medicare health plan they already had. [Capital Times, 3/6/00] Ryan Also Worked On A Piece Of Medicare Legislation That Could Lure Health Service Providers Back To Parts Of His District As They Left Due To Low Medicare Reimbursement Rates. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan said he was also glad he was able to work with the House Ways and Means Committee to craft Medicare legislation -included in the final spending bill -- that could lure health service providers back to parts of his district. They had left due to low Medicare reimbursement rates. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/22/99] Ryan Charged That The Medicare Federal Funding Formula Punished Wisconsin And Sponsored Legislation That Would Provide Equal Reimbursement Rates. According to the Associated Press, Plans by two insurance companies to cancel medical policies in southeastern Wisconsin demonstrate faults with a federal funding formula that punishes the state, a congressman says. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says the formula penalizes states like Wisconsin where surveillance of Medicare reimbursements is so efficient that costs are down and the government sends proportionately less money. Ryan met Saturday with about 500 people who are angry that two health maintenance organizations, PrimeCare HealthPlan Inc. and Humana Inc., are reducing coverage that supplements Medicare for people over 65. PrimeCare, whose cancellation applies to Kenosha and Racine counties, says the formula does not provide it with enough federal reimbursement to cover its expenses in those counties. Ryan said he is helping sponsor legislation that would provide equal reimbursement rates for all counties. [Associated Press, 8/16/99] Ryan Blamed The Reduced Medicare Reimbursements On The Balanced Budget Act Of 1997 And Said His Medicare Health Care Plan Fair Payment Act Of 1999 Would Require Reimbursement Rates To Be More Fairly Distributed Nationwide And Would Prevent Companies From Leaving Areas. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan blamed the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 for reduced reimbursements. He touted his own legislation, the Medicare Health Care Plan Fair Payment Act of 1999, which he said would require reimbursement rates to be more fairly distributed nationwide and would prevent companies from leaving areas. The bill is in the Ways and Means Committee, and Ryan said he wanted it treated as emergency legislation when Congress resumes work after its August recess. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/15/99] 189

Medicare Fair Payments Act


Ryan Joined The House Fairness Caucus And Co-Sponsored The Medicare Fair Payments Plan Act, Which Would Equalize Medicare Reimbursements. According to the Associated Press, Four Wisconsin congressmen have joined a bipartisan caucus seeking to overhaul the nations Medicare reimbursement system. Democratic Reps. Tom Barrett, Jerry Kleczka and Ron Kind and Republican Rep. Paul Ryan have joined the new House Fairness Caucus, which has about 40 members. All four also are co-sponsors of the Medicare Fair Payments Plan Act, which would equalize Medicare reimbursements. The state of Wisconsin filed suit against the federal government earlier this month challenging the Medicare reimbursement formula. Attorney General James Doyle, who brought the suit, contends the state comes up $130 million a year short because of the formula. He said an HMO in Milwaukee, for example, would get $452 a month to care for a senior citizen, while the reimbursement rate for a senior resident in Dade County, Fla., which includes Miami, is $778. Dade County is the poster child for this, Barrett said. It has one of the highest rates in the country. [Associated Press, 3/26/00] Ryan Included A Non-Binding Sense Of The Congress Provision In The FY 2001 Budget Resolution Calling For The Passage Of The Fair Payments Plan Act. According to the Associated Press, Ryan included a non-binding sense of the Congress provision in the fiscal year 2001 House Budget resolution calling for passage of the Fair Payments Plan Act. [Associated Press, 3/26/00]

RYAN-WYDEN
Ryan Introduced Bipartisan Proposal Aimed At Strengthening Medicare, With U.S. Senator Ron Wyden. According to U.S. Fed News, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. (1st CD), issued the following press release: This morning, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced a new proposal that represents a major advance in the effort to build a more secure future for the millions of seniors who rely on Medicare. The new report from Sen. Wyden and Rep. Ryan, titled Guaranteed Choices to Strengthen Medicare and Health Security for All: Bipartisan Options for the Future, outlines a bipartisan path forward on expanding health care choices for seniors while preserving a traditional Medicare plan as an option. The report also proposes to give Americans under 65 more power and freedom to purchase coverage they can carry with them into retirement. [] Rep. Paul Ryan stated: [] Todays report represents a major advance toward building the kind of bipartisan consensus that is going to be absolutely critical as we seek to meet our nations greatest fiscal and economic challenges. By empowering seniors to use choice and competition to control costs and improve quality, our plan ensures that Medicare remains a guaranteed, affordable option for all seniors for decades to come. [U.S. Fed News, 12/15/11] Ryan Called Sen. Wyden A Strong Leader On Market-Based Health Insurance Who Was A True Fighter In Protecting Seniors. According to U.S. Fed News, This morning, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced a new proposal that represents a major advance in the effort to build a more secure future for the millions of seniors who rely on Medicare. Rep. Paul Ryan stated: Ron Wyden has been a consistently strong leader on market-based health insurance reform and a true fighter when it comes to protecting seniors, so it was only natural that we should work together on a plan that saves Medicare from fiscal threats, strengthens the program through expanded choice, and guarantees that all seniors will have the means and the freedom to purchase coverage that is tailored to their needs. I am also proud to support Sen. Wydens efforts to empower small businesses and their employees, so that Americans under 65 can find better health care options that they can carry with them into retirement. [U.S. Fed News, 12/15/11]

Patients Choice Act


Ryan Was Among Group Of Republican Lawmakers Who Introduced Health Reform Legislation The Patients Choice Act. According to The Oklahoman, Ryan, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, and two other Republican lawmakers earlier this year introduced comprehensive health reform legislation called The Patients Choice Act. They said it would put patients and physicians back in control of health care decisions. That to me is what we have to focus on - repeal and replace with real reform, Ryan said. Weve got to go straight to the people about this. This new law doesnt kick in in earnest until 2014 so I think theres going to be an opportunity before the new law fully turns on to repeal and replace it. [The Oklahoman, 4/1/10] 190

Patients Rights
Ryan Voted for GOP Version of Patients Bill of Rights. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the GOP version of the Patients Bill of Rights. Specifically, the bill would provide federal health care protections, such as access to specialty and emergency room care, and require that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have an appeals process for patients who are denied care. A patient denied care could sue an HMO in state and federal court but first must exhaust internal and external appeals processes. Federal law would govern a state court suit and an employer could remove the case to federal court. Economic damages would not be limited but non-economic and punitive damages would both be capped at $1.5 million. An employer could select a designated decision maker to assume liability. The bill would reauthorize and lift current law restrictions on medical savings accounts and allow association health plans. Arizona Senator John McCain, the lead sponsor of the Senates version of the Patients Bill of Rights, stated that the compromise favors the H.M.O. over the patient. Dr. Timothy Flaherty, chairman of the American Medical Association, said the GOP bill helps HMOs more than it helps patients. It overrides strong patients rights laws already enacted by many states. [Roll Call 332, H 2563, 08/02/2001; AMA press release, 8/2/01; New York Times, 8/02/01] Ryan Voted For Patients Bill Of Rights That Favored Health Insurance Companies. Paul Ryan voted for a Patients Bill of Rights that capped damages at $1.5 million, which a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial called chump change to large insurance companies. The bill also made it less likely that HMOs would be found liable. Its hard to believe that a firm that size would be deterred by the small penalties in this bill. [Roll Call 332, H 2563, 08/02/2001; Editorial, St. Louis PostDispatch, 8/3/01] Ryan Opposed Patients Ability to Sue HMOs. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of an amendment to the patients rights bill to limit lawsuits against health maintenance organizations. Opponents of the proposal charged it would set up obstacles for patients seeking to enforce their rights, give advantages to HMOs and pre-empt patient protection laws in states such as California, Georgia, Texas and New Jersey. Specifically, the amendment would allow HMOs or employers who make medical decisions to transfer a case filed against them to federal court. It also provided that when cases against health plans were tried in state courts, the proceedings would be conducted under federal rules that offer greater protections for them than state laws. It limited non-economic damages to $1.5 million. The amendment passed 218-213. [Roll Call 329, H 2563, 08/02/2001; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/03/01; Baltimore Sun, 8/03/01] Ryan Opposed Patients Bill of Rights in 1999. In 1999, Ryan voted against the bipartisan Patients Bill of Rights, which would give patients much-needed protection against the managed care and HMO abuses. The bill required health plans to cover emergency care when a prudent layperson could reasonably believe such care was required. Health plans would have to allow direct access to gynecological and pediatric care. The bill also established an internal and external appeals process to review denial of care. Patients or their estates would have the right to sue their health plan in state courts when they make negligent decisions that result in injury or death of patients. The bill passed 275-151 [Roll Call 490, H 2723, 10/07/1999] On The Patients Bill Of Rights Bill, Ryan Said That Employer Protection-Language Differentiated The Democratic And Republican Bills. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said the one item separating the Democratic and Republican bills is the employer-protection language. Ryan said Republicans dont want to leave the door open for suits against employers under any circumstances, an item not reflected in the Democrats bill. If we solve that problem, we will have a law. If not, employers tell me they will drop their health insurance, Ryan said. Ryan predicted that a conference committee would resolve the difference and said he expected a bill to be signed this summer. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/27/01] Paul Believed That A Patients-Rights Bill Should Not Expose Employers To Lawsuits Unless Employers Interfere In Health-Care Decisions. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan contends that the health-care measures he and Republicans back are superior to those supported by Thomas and Democrats. For example, Ryan said, efforts to enact a patients-rights bill shouldnt expose employers to lawsuits unless employers interfere in health-care decisions. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/5/00] Ryan Believed Health Care Legislation That Would Allow Patients To Sue Their Employers Would Make Small Business Less Willing To Offer their Employees Health Insurance. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, House passage of sweeping health-care reform legislation Thursday is a tremendous victory for the people, said Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. But Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., warned that enabling patients to sue their employers in some cases, as this 191

measure would, might make some small businesses less willing to offer their employees health insurance Opponents called the bill a veiled boon for trial lawyers because it would make it too easy for patients to sue their health-care providers. When small businesses are a lawsuit away from going bankrupt we need to make sure that health- care reform does not drive small businesses to dropping health insurance for their employees, said Ryan. We need to protect those small businesses and give employees the rights that they are entitled to in getting quality health care. Ryan voted in favor of two substitute measures with less stringent liability provisions. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/8/99]

Prescription Drugs
Ryan Voted to Prevent Reimportation of Prescription Drugs. In 2007, Ryan voted against an amendment to the Department of Agriculture appropriations bill to prevent the reimportation of prescription drugs. The amendment would have removed language in the bill which barred the use of funds by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent individuals, wholesalers and pharmacists from importing FDA-approved prescription drugs. The amendment was defeated 152-278. [Roll Call 806, H 3161, 08/02/2007; Congressional Quarterly, 8/2/07] Ryan Opposed Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation. In 2007, Ryan voted against requiring the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The bill included discounts, rebates, and other price concessions that may be charged for drugs covered under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. The bill passed 255-170. [Roll Call 23, H 4, 01/12/2007; Chicago Tribune, 1/13/07; CQ Weekly, 1/08/07] Ryan Supported Cutting Health Programs by $976 Million. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the Labor, HHS & Education appropriations conference report that cut $1.5 billion from key domestic priorities. The measure cut efforts to address rural health needs like clinics, expanded dental and mental health services and telemedicine by 73 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were cut by $249 million, while the bill cut by 11 percent funds granted to state and local health departments to improve preparedness against bioterrorist attacks and naturally occurring epidemics. The bill failed 209-224. [Roll Call 598, H 3010, 11/17/2005; House Appropriations Committee Democratic Staff, Summary of the Conference Agreement - HR 3010, 11/16/05] Ryan Supported $534 Billion Medicare Drug Bill. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan voted $534 billion for a Medicare drug bill that provides little benefit to seniors but continues profits for pharmaceutical companies. Ryan has failed to explain how we're going to pay for these expensive programs. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/5/04] Ryan Opposed Canadian Prescription Drug Plan Proposed By Oak Creek, Wisconsin Aldermen. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender on Wednesday vetoed a Canadian prescription drug plan approved by aldermen last week, saying that if the Common Council overrides his decision, it is choosing to break the law. I believe it is improper to support breaking the law because there is disagreement with the law, Bolender wrote in his veto. The six-member council would need four votes to override the veto on Tuesday. []But other elected officials share Bolenders concerns, including U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who said he had spoken with Bolender for the first time Wednesday. Bolender said he had spoken to Ryan's staff about the issue earlier. I'm for reimportation. I vote for it every time it comes up in Congress," Ryan said. "But I'm not in support of breaking the law. I'm for changing the law. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/04] Ryan Supported Measure To Permit U.S. Consumers To Buy U.S. Made And Federally Approved Drugs In Canada And Other Countries. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 237 for and 176 against, the House called for language in HR 1 (above) to permit U.S. consumers, pharmacies and wholesalers to buy U.S.-made, federally approved drugs from U.S. Food and Drug Administration-certified outlets in Canada and certain other countries. Despite this non-binding vote, the final bill allowed reimportation only when certified by the Food and Drug Administration. A yes vote urged inclusion of drug reimportation in the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03] Ryan Supported Safe Drug Reimportation. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to allow for reimportation from industrialized nations, including Canada, the European Union nations, Australia, Iceland, Japan, Norway and Switzerland. The bill contained measures to ensure patient safety. Importation would be allowed only if the FDA approves the drugs and the facilities where they are made. Drugs would have to be packaged and shipped using counterfeit-resistant technologies similar to those used to secure U.S. currency. Any drugs imported by a pharmacist or wholesaler that werent packaged in this fashion 192

would have to be tested for quality and purity. The bill passed 243-186. [Roll Call 445, H 2427, 07/25/2003; Scripps Howard News Service, 7/25/03] Ryan Voted For GOP Proposal To Administer Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Through Private Insurance Plans. In 2002, Ryan voted for House passage of a Medicare prescription drug bill that would spend $320 billion over 10 years to offer limited coverage of prescription expenses through drug-only private insurance policies that did not currently exist. Costs to seniors could vary, depending on the private policies available a sharp contrast with the traditional Medicare program, which guaranteed the same benefits to all for the same premiums and out-of-pocket payments. During debate, Republicans accused Democrats who said the bill was the first step toward privatization of Medicare of wanting a budgetbusting plan that would hurt Medicare in the long run. [Roll Call 282, H 4954, 06/28/2002; AP, 6/28/02] On The Medicare Prescription Bill, Ryan Said That If He Were King He Would Have Written It Differently But Believed It Was A Good Bill. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Paul Ryan, House Republican from Janesville, echoed Petri, saying, If I were king, I would have written it a little differently, but I think its a good bill. Ryan said Medicare would be involved as the arbitrator of prescription drug benefit plans offered by private insurers. He said, too, that the GOP plan would give seniors a choice of providers and would not force those with existing coverage to leave to go on a government plan. And he is high on portions of the bill that he said would send millions more dollars to Medicare providers in Wisconsin. A huge victory, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/27/02] Ryan Hoped A Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Would Come In The Form Of Block Grants To States So That They Could Craft Their Own Programs. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin is in line to get tens of millions of federal dollars to help people 65 and older pay for prescription drugs, members of the states congressional delegation agree. But big questions remain: When is the money coming? How much will it be? What strings are attached?... Ryan hopes the federal money is given to Wisconsin and other states in the form of block grants. That way, he said, state leaders could craft their own program, potentially helping people such as Silvers whose drug bills account for such a high percentage of his income. We still need a lot of details, Ryan said. From my perspective, I want to make sure the parameters arent too restrictive on Wisconsin, and the formulas (for distributing federal aid to individual states) are done equitably. [Wisconsin State Journal, 5/20/01] Ryan Said Canadian Drugs Were Cheaper Than U.S. Drugs Because Was Financing The Rest Of The Worlds Drug Consumption. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, It is true drugs are cheaper in Canada, said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Why are retail prices so high? It costs $ 500 million to bring a drug to market. We are financing the rest of the worlds drug consumption. But Congress is not going to enact the kinds of price controls enacted in other countries any time soon, Ryan said. We dont want to stop all the forces that bring about these new drugs we need, he said. Price controls stifle research and development and would bring on drug rationing. Underlining a point made by the drug industry, Ryan said new medications have saved Medicare money by keeping people out of the hospital and away from other costly medical and surgical treatments. Thats a wonderful thing, he said. It gives us longer and healthier lives, and that needs to be encouraged. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/2/01] 2000: Ryan Voted For GOP Prescription Drug Benefit Plan That Critics Said Was A Giveaway To Pharmaceutical Companies. In 2000, Ryan voted for House passage of a plan that would help let seniors afford prescription drug coverage. Costs under the GOP plan would vary by policy, but Republicans estimated a $250 annual deductible, a $35 to $40 monthly premium, and a 50-50 split on the first $2,100 in expenses. Catastrophic coverage would begin after a senior had spent $6,000 out of pocket. President Clinton threatened to veto the GOP plan, which he said would benefit pharmaceutical companies rather than seniors. [Roll Call 357, H 4680, 06/28/2000; AP, 6/28/00] Ryan Did Not Make A Patients Bill Of Rights A Priority In His 1998 Campaign, But Did Eventually Support A Republican Version. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Spottswoods TV ad flashes an image from one of Ryans commercials in which he vows to protect your paycheck. Then the ad says Ryan opposes the law to guarantee doctors make our health care decisions, concluding that Ryan actually favors protecting insurance companies profits. The ad claim was based on a July article that said Ryan didnt back any proposals then before Congress on the topic, Spottswood spokesman Jonathan Brown said. Ryan countered that he announced his support for a Republican version of a patients rights bill later that month, though he hasnt made the issue as much of a campaign focus as Spottswood has. Spottswood and congressional Democrats dont like the measure because instead of subjecting health insurers to liability, the GOP version would limit malpractice lawsuit damages. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/14/98] 193

Wisconsin Health Costs


Ryan Requested The Government Accountability Office Conduct A Study To Find Out Why The Milwaukee Area Health Costs Were Higher Than Rest Of The Nation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The U.S. General Accounting Office said Thursday it will conduct a study to find out why Milwaukee and other regions have higher health care costs than other parts of the nation. Fearing that health care costs could damage the economy in southeastern Wisconsin, U.S. Congressmen Tom Barrett, a Democrat, and Paul Ryan, a Republican, asked the GAO to do the study, which could take a year to complete The audit is necessary to get to the bottom of the extraordinary high health care prices, Ryan said. We need to know the facts surrounding these high health care costs. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/24/02]

194

HOUSING
Foreclosure
Ryan Voted to Terminate the Home Affordable Modification Program. On March 29, 2011, Ryan voted to terminate the Home Affordable Modification Program meant to prevent mortgage foreclosures. According to the Los Angeles Times, The House voted 252 to 170 to end the Obama administrations main mortgage foreclosure prevention program, saying the muchcriticized initiative has been ineffective and given false hope to hundreds of thousands of homeowners who ultimately lost their homes anyway. The vote [] follows votes this month [] to end three smaller federal programs designed to help homeowners and communities deal with the foreclosure crisis. [] HAMP is the centerpiece of the Obama administrations efforts to keep struggling homeowners in their houses but has drawn bipartisan criticism for failing to meet its objectives. It was launched with great fanfare in early 2009 with the goal of helping 3 million to 4 million homeowners avoid foreclosure through 2012 by providing cash incentives for lenders to reduce monthly payments. Funded with as much as $30 billion from the $700-billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, HAMP has permanently lowered payments for about 540,000 homeowners through January. [Roll Call 198, H 839, 03/29/2011; Los Angeles Times, 03/30/11] Ryan Voted to Terminate Neighborhood Stabilization Program. On March 16, 2011, Ryan voted in favor of terminating a neighborhood stabilization program designed to aid redevelopment in cities with large numbers of vacant properties. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, HR861 would end a Neighborhood Stabilization Program that gives money to state and local governments to buy and resell foreclosed properties. Only $1 billion remains in this program. [Roll Call 188, H 861, 03/16/2011; San Francisco Chronicle, 03/10/11] Ryan Voted Against Providing Legal Assistance to Homeowners Facing Foreclosure. On December 17, 2010 Ryan voted against allowing the Treasury secretary to use unobligated funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to provide legal assistance to homeowners of owner-occupied homes who have mortgages that are in default or delinquency, or in danger of default or delinquency, or are subject to or at risk of foreclosure. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Friday rebuffed legislation to provide legal aid to homeowners in states with the highest unemployment rates and sharply declining home prices. The House voted, 210-145, to reject the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (HR 5510). A two-thirds majority of those present and voting was required to advance the measure. The bill would allow states eligible for Hardest Hit Fund assistance to designate unused money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) for legalaid services to homeowners facing foreclosure. [Roll Call 655, H 5510, 12/17/2010; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12-1710] Paul Ryan Voted For Veto Override Of Bill That Required Federal And State Courts To Recognize Legal Documents Notarized In Another State. Paul Ryan voted to override the veto of a bill that would require federal and state courts to recognize legal documents that have been notarized in another state. President Obama argued the bill could worsen problems related to recent revelations that some mortgage lenders have been evicting homeowners using fraudulent or awed methods to expedite foreclosures. [Roll Call 573, H 3808, 11/17/2010] Ryan Voted Against Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. In 2009, Ryan voted against the Helping Families Save their Home Act. The bill allowed bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages and made permanent an increase in the insurance limit for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bill made several changes to the Hope for Homeowners Program, which guarantees mortgages to help refinance at-risk borrowers into viable mortgages. It also provided a safe harbor to mortgage servicers that participate in mortgage modification programs. The provisions that related to mortgage modifications only applied to mortgages issued before the bills enactment. The bill passed 234-191. [Roll Call 104, H 1106, 03/05/2009; CQBill Analysis HR1106] Paul Ryan Voted Against $4 Billion In Housing Relief. Paul Ryan voted against HR 4173. It included a provision to provide $4 billion for housing relief for homeowners struck by the financial crisis. The funds were allocated from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). [Roll Call 968, H 4173, 12/11/2009] Ryan Voted Against Grants and Loans for Foreclosed Properties, Housing Assistance for Working Families. In May 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would establish a loan and grant program, administered by the Department of Housing 195

and Urban Development, for states and localities to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. The bill would authorize $7.5 billion for zero-interest loans and $7.5 billion for grants. The bill would direct states to allocate funds to the 100 largest cities with high foreclosure rates and 50 most populous counties. Properties purchased for rental with the funds could serve only families having incomes at or below the areas median income. [Roll Call 299, H 5818, 05/08/2008; Congressional Quarterly, 5/20/08]

Housing and Urban Development


Ryan Voted Against $105.6 for the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Transportation, and for Related Agencies. On November 14, 2007 Ryan voted against the conference report on a bill that would appropriate $105.6 billion in fiscal 2008, including $51 billion in discretionary spending, for the departments of Housing and Urban Development and Transportation, and for related agencies. It would provide $66.7 billion for the Transportation Department, including $40.2 billion for the federal aid highway program, and $38.7 billion for the Housing and Urban Development Department. It would appropriate $14.6 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration and fund grants to Amtrak at $1.4 billion. It would provide $9.6 billion for the Federal Transit Administration. The measure would provide $16.4 billion for the Section 8 TenantBased Rental Assistance program. It would increase the obligation limitation for the Highway Trust Fund by $1 billion to repair aging bridges. It also would bar the use of funds to establish a demonstration program to allow Mexican motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones along the U.S.-Mexican border. [Roll Call 1102, H 3074, 11/14/2007] Ryan Voted Against Authorizing Section 8 Low-Income Housing Voucher Program through 2012. On July 12, 2007, Ryan voted against the bill that would authorize the Section 8 low-income housing voucher program through fiscal 2012 and alter calculations of income, tenant rent and public housing authority funding. According to the Washington Post, the bill would revamp the Section 8 Voucher Program that helps 2 million poor families pay for rental housing. In part, the bill makes formula and rules changes that would expand the program by 100,000 vouchers over five years and establishes incentives for recipients to obtain work and higher education. The voucher program currently has a $16 billion annual budget. [Roll Call 629, H 1851, 07/12/2007; Washington Post 07/15/2007] Ryan Voted for the 2002 Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. On November 8, 2001, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would provide $112.7 billion for the departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and related agencies including the EPA, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. The agreement would require the EPA to adopt a new standard for arsenic in the drinking water consistent with the Safe Drinking Water Act and provide $407 million for the AmeriCorps community service program. [Roll Call 434, H 2620, 11/08/2001] Ryan Voted for $2.5 Billion Emergency Funding for FEMA and $4.2 Billion Advanced Funding for Section 8 Housing Included in Veterans Affairs and HUD Spending Bill. Ryan voted for the conference report on the VA-HUD Appropriations Act. The spending measure included $44.3 billion in VA funding and $26 billion for HUD. The conference report total includes $4.2 billion in advance funding for HUDs Section 8 rental subsidy program for 2001, and $2.5 billion in emergency funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. [Roll Call 500, H 2684, 10/14/1999; Congressional Quarterly, 10/14/99]

Mortgage Reform
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Repealing The Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Designed To Help Jobless Homeowners. According to Herald Times Reporter, Voting 242 for and 177 against, the House on March 11 passed a bill (HR 836) to repeal the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program, which is designed to help homeowners who have lost their jobs meet mortgage obligations and keep their homes. Authorized as part of last years Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law, the assistance is available for up two years to those who have fallen behind in mortgage payments due to loss of work or a serious medical condition. Participants could receive taxpayer-subsidized loans for purposes such as paying arrearages and capping monthly payments at 31 percent of gross monthly income. The program is projected to cost $840 million in 2011-2012. Rep. Ryan voted yes in favor of repealing the program. [Herald Times Reporter, 3/13/11] 196

Ryan Voted Against Motion To Allow Veterans And Military Families To Continue Under The Program. According to the Herald Times Reporter, Voting 182 for and 238 against, the House on March 11 defeated a motion by Democrats to continue the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program for active-duty service personnel, veterans, and Gold Star families. Backers noted that foreclosure rates in towns near military bases are more than twice the national average, while opponents said the national debt is also a threat to military personnel and families. Ryan voted no against the motion. [Herald Times Reporter, 3/13/11]

Rep. Paul Ryan Voted To Repeal the Federal Housing Administrations Refinance Program Designed To Help Struggling Homeowners. According to Herald Times Reporter, Voting 256 for and 171 against, the House on March 10 passed a Republican bill (HR 830) to repeal a six-months-old initiative known as the FHA Refinance Program. The program is designed to help homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their house is worth, who are current in their loan payments and whose loans are not insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Projected to cost up to $175 million over two years in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds, the program enables eligible homeowners to refinance into less costly, FHA-insured loans. The financial institution servicing the loan must agree to write off at least 10 percent of the unpaid balance in order to bring the loan-to-home-value ratio to nearly 100 percent. Critics said the program so far has helped fewer than 50 homeowners, while defenders said it should be given time to prove itself. Rep. Paul Ryan voted yes to repeal the program. [Herald Times Reporter, 3/13/11] Ryan Voted Against Motion To Allow Seniors Over 62 Years Of Age To Continue Under The Program. According to the Herald Times Reporter, Voting 185 for and 243 against, the House on March 10 defeated a bid by Democrats to continue the FHA Refinance Program for seniors, who are defined in the measure as those 62 and older. Ryan voted no against the measure. [Herald Times Reporter, 3/13/11]

Ryan Voted to Terminate Refinancing Program for Underwater Borrowers. On March 10, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would terminate the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Refinance Program that was established to provide refinancing assistance to homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home. According to the New York Times, Struggling homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth have had few options to restructure their loans, but that may soon be changing for a few of them. Six months after the Federal Housing Administration announced an $11 billion refinancing initiative for these underwater borrowers, nearly two dozen lenders have agreed to take part in a new loan modification program. [] The F.H.A. program -- called Short Refi -- requires major concessions from lenders, which must agree to write off at least 10 percent of the principal balance, and from investors, who, if they own the mortgage, must also agree to the deal. To qualify, homeowners must be current on their monthly mortgage payments and not already have an F.H.A. loan. The size of the new primary loan cannot be more than 97.75 percent of the current value of the property; refinanced loans for homeowners whose properties carry second liens cannot exceed 15 percent of the property value. [] Even so, it faces challenges in Congress; on Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to end it. [Roll Call 171, H 830, 03/10/2011; New York Times, 03/13/11] Ryan Voted to Repeal Emergency Authority of FHA to Insure Loans up to $720,000 in Certain Areas. On June 10, 2010, Ryan voted for a Turner, R-Ohio, amendment that would repeal the emergency authority that allows the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure loans up to $720,000 in certain high-cost areas. The amendment would create a maximum FHA-insured loan limit of $500,000 for a single-family unit and a percentage of the same ratio for two-, three- or four-family residences. [Roll Call 350, H 5072, 06/10/2010] Ryan Voted to Cap Number of Mortgages FHA can Insure. On June 10, 2010, Ryan voted for the amendment that would cap the number of mortgages the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) can insure to 10 percent of total loans originated in each year, starting in 2012. Within 90 days of enactment, FHA would have to submit a plan to Congress to decrease FHA market share to 10 percent of loans originated each year. [Roll Call 349, H 5072, 06/10/2010] Ryan Voted for Increasing the FHA Loan Minimum. On June 10, 2010, Ryan voted for the amendment that would increase the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan minimum. According to the Washington Post, the amendment sought to increase the minimum down payment for FHA-insured home loans from 3.5 percent to 5 percent. Such an increase would lead to fewer defaults on FHA-backed loans while excluding many moderate- and low-income borrowers from home ownership. [Roll Call 348, H 5072, 06/10/2010; Washington Post 06/13/2010]

197

Paul Ryan Opposed Sweeping Mortgage Relief Bill. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to HR 3221 with House amendment #1. The House amendment would provide government backing to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by allowing government purchase of the entities stock, and create an independent agency to regulate the two mortgage entities and the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The House amendment would also overhaul the Federal Housing Administration and provide $300 billion in new loan guarantee authority for the FHA to help refinance borrowers in danger of losing their homes, create a $7,500 tax credit to some first-time homebuyers, raise loan limits for FHA-backed loans, and provide a standard tax deduction of $500 for single filers and $1,000 for joint filers on property taxes. The House amendment would also authorize S3.92 billion in Community Development Block Grants to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties, and increase the federal debt limit to $10.6 trillion. [Roll Call 519, H 3221, 07/23/2008] Paul Ryan Opposed Mortgage Reforms. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against an amendment that combined several major pieces of housing-related legislation into one package that was aimed at slowing the pace of foreclosures and stimulating the real estate market. The package provided an overhaul of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, loan programs aimed at helping borrowers get out from under mortgages they cant afford. It also would overhaul the Federal Housing Administration and expand its loan guarantee program. It also would provide legal protections for mortgage servicers who made certain loan modifications, permit federal savings associations to make investments designed primarily to promote the public welfare through the provision of housing, services and jobs, and expand access to reverse mortgages. [Roll Call 301, H 3221, 05/08/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Congressional Quarterly Today, 5/08/08] Ryan Voted Against Overhaul of Mortgage System. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that would create a nationwide mortgage licensing system and registry. The bill would also establish minimum standards for home loans and expand certain limits on high-cost mortgages and prohibit brokers from steering consumers to mortgages they are unlikely to be able to repay. Opponents of the bill included the mortgage banking industry and the White House, who were concerned that tightening mortgage regulations could make it harder for potential homebuyers to get loans. [Roll Call 1118, H 3915, 11/15/2007; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 11/18/07; Congressional Quarterly, 12/28/07] Ryan Voted Against Mortgage Relief. On October 10, 2007, Ryan voted against mortgage relief. According to the New York Times, House Democrats squared off against the Bush administration yesterday over measures to help homeowners trapped in a vise of unaffordable subprime mortgages and falling home prices. The Democratic-controlled House passed a bill that would require the nations two government-sponsored mortgage finance companies and the Federal Housing Administrations insurance program to channel up to $900 million a year into a new fund for affordable housing. [Roll Call 958, H 2895, 10/10/2007; New York Times, 10/11/07] Ryan Supported Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007. The legislation was designed to lessen the tax burden on struggling homeowners, fixing an unfair anomaly in the tax code. The bill also extended the deduction for private mortgage insurance and slightly broadened the definition of housing cooperatives to allow more people to deduct payments they made to cooperatives as mortgage interest. The bill passed, 386-27. [Roll Call 948, H 3648, 10/04/2007] Ryan Co-Sponsored A Bill That Would Make Home-Mortgage Insurance Premiums Tax-Deductible. According to the Washington Post, The Capitol Hill campaign to make home-mortgage insurance premiums tax-deductible took a giant step last week with the introduction of a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by key members of the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means. The bill (HR 1336) would affect the mortgages of more than 12 million American homeowners and reverse a decades-old Internal Revenue Service prohibition against write-offs of mortgage insurance payments. Co-sponsored by Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and William J. Jefferson (D-La.), the bill would apply to home loans with private mortgage insurance, Federal Housing Administration insurance, veterans guaranty coverage and Rural Housing Service mortgages. [Washington Post, 3/29/03]

198

HOMELAND SECUIRTY
9/11 Commission
Ryan Voted for September 11th Commission Recommendations. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of the conference report on the bill that would implement recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission. The recommendation included requiring homeland security grants based mainly on risk while ensuring minimum amounts for each state and creating a new grant program to support the development of interoperable communications. It also required all cargo bound for the United States to be scanned for radiation and density before being placed on a ship in a foreign port by July 1, 2012, and authorized new sanctions on foreign individuals or entities that engage in the improper transport or sales of nuclear weapons materials. The bill passed 371-40. [Roll Call 757, H 1, 07/27/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Was At A White House Meeting During The September 11th Attacks. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan was at a White House meeting when the attacks began. By the time the Janesville Republican got back to his Capitol Hill office, the Pentagon had been hit. At the time, I didnt think a congressional office was the place to be, Ryan said, so some members of his staff went home while others gathered in his apartment. Later, he said, Ryan and his wife, Janna, went to church to pray for the victims. Were going to survive this. Were going to pass this test, Ryan said. We have to come together as a nation and put aside all partisan differences. [Wisconsin State Journal, 9/12/01]

Bin Laden Death


Ryan Called News Of Osama Bin Ladens Death Fantastic News And A Major Blow Against Al Qaeda. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: In response to the news that Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by U.S. forces, Wisconsins First District Congressman Paul Ryan offered the following statement: The Presidents announcement that Osama Bin Laden has been found and killed is simply fantastic news. After ten years of dedicated effort across two administrations, we have struck a major blow against alQaeda and achieved a momentous turning point in our nations ongoing War on Terrorism. While we must remain vigilant in defense of freedom and democracy in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and on other fronts, we can rest assured that the murderer who orchestrated the deaths of thousands of our countrymen has finally met justice at the hands of the brave men and women of our military and intelligence community. [States News Service, 5/2/11]

Cybersecurity
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Bill Expansion Of Data Sharing To Increase U.S. Defense Against Cyber Attacks. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Cybersecurity: Members on Thursday voted 248-168 to expand data-sharing between businesses and federal security agencies to bolster U.S. defenses against Internet attacks by terrorists, foreign government and others. A yes vote backed HR 3523 over arguments it violates privacy and other civil liberties. Voting yes: Ryan, Petri, Duffy, Ribble. [Wisconsin State Journal, 4/28/12]

Detainees and Terror Suspects


Ryan Voted Against Eliminating Indefinite Military Detention of Suspects Caught on U.S. Soil. On May 18, 2012, Ryan voted against an amendment to HR 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013, which would ban indefinite military detention for individuals detained under 2001s Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) on U.S. soil or territories or possessions. According to the New York Times, The House on Friday turned back an unusual coalition of liberals and conservatives and voted down legislation to reject explicitly the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects apprehended on United States soil. This year, Democratic leaders had some surprise support. Representative Justin Amash of Michigan, a Tea Party-backed freshman Republican, teamed up with Representative Adam 199

Smith, Democrat of Washington, to declare that terrorism suspects apprehended on United States soil should not be detained indefinitely without charge or trial. But the left-right coalition fizzled in the face of charges that the two lawmakers were coddling terrorists. On the 238-to-182 vote against the amendment, as many Democrats -- 19 -- voted against it as Republicans voted for it. [Roll Call 270, H 4310, 05/18/2012; New York Times, 5/19/12] Ryan Opposed Accountability at Guantanamo. In 2007, Ryan voted against an amendment to the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that would require the office of the Defense secretary to submit a report that contains a plan for the transfer of all individuals presently detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The report would identify the number of detainees who, as of Dec. 31, 2007, will have been charged with a crime, will be subject to release, or have not been charged with a crime but who the Defense Department wishes to continue to detain. President Bush opposed the amendment. The amendment passed 220208. [Roll Call 370, H 1585, 05/17/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Voted to Authorize the Use of Military Tribunals to Try Suspected Terrorists. On September 27, 2006 Ryan voted to authorize the use of military tribunals to try suspected terrorists, allow prosecutors to make only certain portions of classified evidence available to defendants and permit trials to proceed without the defendants presence if the judge finds that the defendant is disruptive. It also would set standards for the interrogation and treatment of detainees, and provide for an appeals process for those convicted by military commissions. Detainees would be barred from filing habeas corpus suits challenging their detentions, preventing them from initiating any judicial proceedings. According to the New York Times, The House, in a politically charged decision, voted 253 to 168 in favor of extensive new rules governing the questioning of terror suspects and bringing them before military tribunals. The Senate was expected to follow suit on Thursday, which would deliver Republicans a major national security victory before the elections. [Roll Call 491, H 6166, 09/27/2006; New York Times, 09/28/06]

Disasters
Ryan Voted for Short-Term Federal Funding Bill that Off-Set Disaster Relief Funds. In September 2011, Ryan voted for a GOP bill to extend federal funding through November 18, 2011. The bill, according to The National Journal, was largely opposed by the Democratic Party because it off-set $3.65 billion in disaster relief funding with cuts to the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program by $1.5 billion. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sought $7 billion for FEMA for disaster relief without funding off-sets. The bill failed, 195 to 230. [Roll Call 719, H 2608, 09/21/2011; The National Journal, 9/21/11] Ryan Voted Against Renewing the National Flood Insurance Program. On July 15, 2010 Ryan voted against passage of the bill that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program through September 2015. According to the Washington Post, the bill would renew the National Flood Insurance Program at an authorized cost of $476 million over 10 years. The renewal, covering five years, would increase premiums and deductibles, raise residential and commercial coverage limits, delay purchase requirements in areas newly added to flood maps and provide $50 million annually in grants for programs to educate homeowners and renters about the program. The post also writes, The bill would increase maximum residential coverage from $350,000 to $470,000 for both structure and contents and maximum commercial coverage from $1 million to $1.3 million for structure and contents. It would raise by tenfold, to $1 million, the maximum civil penalties on lending institutions that fail to require flood insurance on mortgages where it is mandated. [Roll Call 447, H 5114, 07/15/2010; Washington Post 7/22/2010] Ryan Opposed Funds to Rebuild New Orleans Levees. In 2008, Ryan voted against an amendment that would provide domestic disaster assistance, particularly for the Gulf Coast. The amendment appropriated $21.2 billion for domestic programs, military construction and foreign aid programs. It would provide $4.6 billion for military construction and $5.8 billion for levee building in Louisiana. The amendment would provide a permanent expansion of education benefits for postSept. 11 veterans, offset with 0.47 percent surtax on modified adjusted gross income above $500,000 per year for individuals and $1 million for couples. It also would temporarily extend unemployment insurance benefits and place a moratorium through March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the administration. It would appropriate $9.9 billion for the State Department, USAID and international food assistance. The amendment passed 256-166. [Roll Call 330, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08] Ryan Voted Against Subsidizing Natural Disaster Insurance. On November 8, 2011 Ryan voted against subsidizing 200

insurance for natural disasters. According to the New York Times, The House of Representatives approved legislation yesterday that would put the federal government into the home insurance business to deal with natural disasters like hurricanes and the recent wildfires in California. The legislation, which passed on a vote of 258 to 155, would require the federal government to lend billions of dollars to states to help pay for damage to homes and businesses. [] The bill does not establish a specific threshold for when government loans would begin to flow. It would make individual states eligible for assistance once they were facing disaster costs that exceed 1.5 times the amount of premiums collected from homeowners and businesses in the previous year. [] The legislation also lays out a plan for states to create insurance funds, as Florida and some other states have already done. It also would allow them to collectively sell bonds, widely known as catastrophe bonds, that would provide more capital to pay disaster losses and thus, in theory, make home insurance more widely available and less costly. There is no direct cost to the government in the bond program, but the Office of Management and Budget contended that the legislation would create an implicit guarantee of federal backing for the bonds. [Roll Call 1074, H 3355, 11/08/2007; New York Times, 11/09/07] Ryan Supported Emergency Disaster Funds. In 2007, Ryan voted for legislation to appropriate $97.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending. The measure included $87 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and $3.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund. In addition, the bill would establish 18 benchmarks for the Iraqi government and require the president to report on progress towards meeting the benchmarks. It would permit, but not require, the president to withhold reconstruction funds if the benchmarks were not met. The motion passed 280-142. [Roll Call 425, H 2206, 05/24/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported $92 Billion Appropriations for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and Hurricane Relief. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of the $92 billion supplemental appropriations bill for hurricane relief and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill included $67.6 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, $4.2 billion in foreign aid, and $19.1 billion for hurricane relief. The bill passed 348-71. [Roll Call 65, H 4939, 03/16/2006; CQ Today, 3/16/06] Ryan Supported Unbalanced Investigation into Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a plan to assemble a special House committee for investigating the actions of federal, state and local officials in preparing for and responding to Hurricane Katrina. A commission controlled by the politicians of one party charged with investigating itself will face tremendous internal political pressure to eliminate embarrassing truths from the public eye, to defer blame and to hide facts. That is the fundamental truth, because we all know how politics works, said Representative Louise Slaughter (D-New York). The GOP plan passed 224-188. [Roll Call 475, S 437, 09/15/2005; Aberdeen American News, 9/11/05] Ryan Accused Lawmakers Of Using Hurricane Katrina To Criticize Republican Spending Priorities. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Interviewed during a trip he made to Washington last week, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett noted that Milwaukees poverty rate is worse than New Orleans, and said Katrina showed that local governments cant bear the burden of caring for large, low-income populations. GOP faces pressure, criticism: Not surprisingly, many Republicans have taken issue with what they say is an effort to use Katrina to broadly repudiate the governing agenda of a GOP Congress and administration, from tax cuts to war to spending priorities. The social safety net is in place and intact. Thats not the problem. The problem is a hurricane just pushed out hundreds of thousands of people, said Janesville Republican Paul Ryan in an interview Wednesday. Youre seeing people trying to pile unrelated agendas on top of this tragedy, which I think is unfortunate. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/11/05] Ryan Said Katrina Situation Would Look Different After The Dust Settled. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But while some Democratic lawmakers assailed the Bush administrations performance, Republicans offered a muted defense, saying people should reserve judgment. Asked whether he thought Bush was getting a bum rap, Ryan said, I dont think FEMA is getting a bum rap, then added, I think when the dust settles, the situation will look different than it does today. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/11/05] Ryan Voted in Favor of Reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program. On November 20, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance program. According to the Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, the bill, which would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program through 2008, calls for $450 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pay for mitigation activities for properties that are repeatedly flooded. FEMA could offer to elevate or relocate a property to prevent future flooding or buy the property. [Roll Call 655, H 253, 11/20/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 11/20/03] 201

Funding
Ryan Voted for Funding Department of Homeland Security in 2012. On June 02, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $42.3 billion in fiscal 2012 for the Homeland Security Department and related activities. The bill would include $11.8 billion for customs and border protection; $7.8 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, including fees; $10.1 billion for the Coast Guard; $1.7 billion for the Secret Service and $5.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It would include $258 million for the global war on terrorism and $1 billion in emergency spending for disaster relief. The bill would restructure FEMA state and local grant programs to allow for the disbursement of funding based on highest risk. It also would bar the use of funds to move detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States. [Roll Call 409, H 2017, 06/02/2011] Ryan Voted Against $44.1 Billion in Homeland Security Appropriations for FY 2010. On October 15, 2009, Ryan voted against adoption of the conference report on the bill that would provide $44.1 billion in fiscal 2010, including $42.8 billion in discretionary funds, for the Homeland Security Department and related activities. It would provide $10.1 billion for Customs and Border Protection; $7.7 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, not including offsetting fees; $10.1 billion for the Coast Guard; $1.5 billion for the Secret Service and $7.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It would prohibit the transfer of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States except for prosecution; place detainees on the no-fly list; and bar the use of funds to provide them benefits. It also would extend the authorization of the E-Verify program for three years. [Roll Call 784, H 2892, 10/15/2009] Ryan Voted Against Stopgap Measure that Includes Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs Appropriations. On September 24, 2008, Ryan voted against a stopgap measure to continue funding the federal government. According to the Washington Post, The House overwhelmingly approved a resolution yesterday to continue funding the federal government until March 6, a stopgap measure needed to avert a government shutdown because Congress has not approved the 12 appropriations bills pending on Capitol Hill. The measure, passed 370 to 58, includes provisions to lend as much as $25 billion to help the U.S. auto industry build more fuel-efficient vehicles; $2.5 billion more than was spent in 2008 for home heating assistance for the poor; additional money for Pell Grant tuition assistance for low-income students and money for the 2010 census, among many other measures. The resolution will fund most of the government at fiscal 2008 levels but includes three fiscal 2009 appropriations bills totaling $630 billion for Defense, Homeland Security and military construction/Veterans Affairs. Those measures devote $487.7 billion to defense, $39.98 billion for homeland security, and $72.9 billion for military base construction and veterans health care. The bill does not extend the moratorium on oil drilling off the East and West coasts that is set to expire Tuesday. [Roll Call 632, H 2638, 09/24/2008; Washington Post, 09/25/08] Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible FY 2009 Budget That Would Increase First Responder Funding. In 2008, Ryan opposed a budget resolution that would establish the congressional budget for FY 2009. The resolution would call for expenditures of $3.1 trillion and would allow up to $1 trillion in discretionary spending, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5.8 billion for hurricane recovery. The bill would also increase first responder funding over the Bush administrations request, specifically for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and firefighter assistance grants. The bill passed 212-207. [Roll Call 141, S 312, 03/13/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Summary of the 2009 Democratic Budget, House Committee on the Budget, 3/11/08] Ryan Voted Against Reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. On December 12, 2007 Ryan voted against reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) through 2014. According to BestWire By a 296-118 margin, the House approved H.R. 4299, which, like an earlier Senate-passed bill, would authorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program through 2014 and eliminate the programs current distinction between foreign and domestic acts of terror. Created in 2002 and set to expire Dec. 31, the program provides $100 billion in federal reinsurance capacity to commercial property/casualty insurers for terrorism risks. Specifically, the bill would set deductibles, starting at 5 percent, that insurance companies would be responsible for when an act of terrorism resulting in aggregate industry-insured losses exceeding $1 billion occurs. It would also add group life insurance to policies backed by the government for which terrorism insurance coverage must be made available by insurers. [Roll Call 1150, H 4299, 12/12/2007; BestWire, 12/12/07] Ryan Voted against Reauthorization of Terrorism Insurance for 15 Years. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to reauthorize the federal terrorism insurance coverage for conventional acts, as well as nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological terrorist attacks for fiscal years 2008 through 2022. The bill passed 312-110. [Roll Call 884, H 2761, 09/19/2007; Congressional Quarterly] 202

Ryan Opposed 14 Percent Increase in Homeland Security Funds. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security. The bill addressed pressing security needs and included provisions to implement many of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The $37.4 billion bill provided a 14% increase in homeland security funds over the previous year (not including emergency funding), including $8.8 billion for customs and border protection, $6.6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including fees, $8.4 billion for the Coast Guard, $1.4 billion for the Secret Service and $7.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Under the bill, new emphasis was placed on protecting our ports and our rail and transit systems. The bill provided support to states and local communities for preventing and responding to terrorist threats and natural disasters. Critical investments were made into border and immigration security, providing for record numbers of border patrol agents (17,819 in total), and detention beds (28,450). The bill also included provisions to: Expand the number of federal airport screeners beyond last years capped total of 45,000; Prohibit the federal government from pre-empting stricter state and local chemical security laws and regulations; Require TSA to double the amount of cargo that it screens in fiscal 2008. In addition, the bill included language mandating that projects funded by the bill comply with the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires that contractors pay the prevailing wage rate to their employees. The bill passed 268-150. [Roll Call 491, H 2638, 06/15/2007; Congressional Quarterly House Action Report; House Appropriations Committee] Ryan Opposed Budget that Funded Key Homeland Security Programs. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. The budget provided robust defense funding levels while targeting resources on the most pressing security concerns, including an increase for homeland security funding that exceeded funding requested by the Administration. The budget provided funding that can be used to help address previously underfunded 9/11 Commission recommendations such as increasing efforts to screen cargo on passenger aircraft, increasing efforts to scan shipping containers in foreign ports, and providing interoperable communications to first responders. The budget resolution placed high priority on rejecting the Presidents cuts to first responder and local law enforcement programs, which included: Local Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention grants (cut $112 million), State Homeland Security Grant Program (cut $338 million), Urban Area Security Initiative (cut $170 million), Firefighter assistance grants (cut $362 million), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (cut $115 million), Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (cut $170 million), Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) (cut $510 million) and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) (eliminated). In addition, the Presidents budget included only $210 million for port security grants, $190 million short of the authorized level of $400 million per year. The budget passed 214209. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Overview of FY2008 Budget Conference Agreement, 5/16/07; House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the Six for 06, 5/24/07] Ryan Voted for $35 Billion in Homeland Security Appropriations. On September 29, 2006, Ryan voted for the adoption of the conference report to provide $35 billion in Homeland Security appropriations. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, the total for the bill (HR 5441) exceeds President Bushs request by about $2.7 billion, or 8 percent, and is more than either chamber initially approved. It includes $31.9 billion in discretionary funding and $1.8 billion in emergency appropriations for border security. [Roll Call 509, H 5441, 09/29/2006; CQ Weekly, 09/30/06] Ryan Voted for Department of Homeland Security Funding for 2007. On June 6, 2006, Ryan voted for passage of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007. According to Congressional Quarterly the House overwhelmingly passed a $33.1 billion homeland security spending bill Tuesday, setting up a high-stakes dispute with Senate appropriators on border security and protections against weapons of mass destruction. Under the House bill, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would receive $11.8 billion. While that is about 2 percent less than the administration requested, it is nearly 13 percent more than they received in fiscal 2006 (PL 109-90). Much of that spending would be added to first-responder grants and preparedness programs and the Transportation Security Administration, which devotes most of its budget to airline passenger screening. The House bill would provide $139 million for the overseas Container Security Initiative, about $60 million less than authorized; $500 million for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, $36 million less than authorized; and $70.1 million, or nearly $5 million less than authorized, for the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, a voluntary program that offers expedited security processing for certain shippers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also will receive less funding than Bush requested. The agency would receive $2.6 billion in the House measure, but would lose money from a disaster relief fund in the Houses $325 million reduction from the presidents request. [Roll Call 226, H 5441, 06/06/2006; Congressional Quarterly, 06/06/06.] 203

Ryan Voted for Homeland Security Funding in 2006. On May 18, 2005, Ryan voted for the bill that would authorize $34.2 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, including $6.9 billion for Customs and Border Protection and $2 billion for grants to state and local governments for terrorism preparedness. It also would authorize the hiring of 2,000 new border patrol agents and create an assistant secretary for cybersecurity to oversee the National Cyber Security Division and the National Communications System. According to the Sun Sentinel, the bill also requires FEMA to develop within 90 days criteria for determining whether a death is disaster-related, and requires the agency to provide documentation for granting funeral assistance. [Roll Call 189, H 1817, 05/18/2005; Sun Sentinel 05/19/2005] Ryan Voted for Homeland Security Funding for 2006. On May 17, 2005, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide $31.9 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Homeland Security Department, including $22 billion for security, enforcement and investigation activities, such as the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It would provide $5.7 billion for the Transportation Security Administration and $3.6 billion for the state and local grant programs. It would withhold more than $310 million pending improvements in air cargo screening measures and deployment of more explosive-detection technologies at airports. [Roll Call 180, H 2360, 05/17/2005] Ryan Voted for the $30.4 Billion Fiscal 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. On September 24, 2003, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $30.4 billion in fiscal 2004 spending for the Homeland Security Department and related agencies, about $1 billion more than the administrations request. The measure includes $5.8 billion for customs and border protection, $3.7 billion for immigration enforcement, $4.6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration and $6.8 billion for the Coast Guard. [Roll Call 515, H 2555, 09/24/2003] Ryan Voted for Passage of $33.1 Billion FY 2005 Homeland Security Budget. In June 2004, Ryan voted for passage of a bill that would provide $33.1 billion in fiscal 2005 for the Department of Homeland Security, including$2.5 billion previously enacted for Project Bioshield. It would provide $20.6billion for security, enforcement and investigation activities, such as the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. It also would provide $5.1 billion for the Transportation and Security Administration. It also would provide $4.1 billion for the Office of State and Local Coordination and Preparedness, including $3.4 billion for state and local homeland security grant programs. The bill, as amended, would prohibit the use of funds to privatize or contract out services provided by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. The vote succeeded, 400-5. [Roll Call 275, H 4567, 06/18/2004] Ryan Voted in Favor of Funding Newly Created Department of Homeland Security. On June 24, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. According to the Washington Post, The House, after a contentious debate, approved legislation providing $ 29.4 billion for the newly created Homeland Security Department in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Although last nights vote -- 425 to 2 -- was bipartisan, many Democrats said the bill would not sufficiently fund some of the nations key efforts to thwart future terrorist attacks. Even the bills defenders questioned why the administration was not more forthcoming about its efforts to protect Americans. The legislation, which appropriates $ 1 billion more than President Bush requested, would provide billions of dollars for state and local responders and for the new Transportation Security Administration, plus millions to protect ports, air cargo, intercity buses and trucking routes. [] Democrats, however, accused Republicans of leaving targets vulnerable by devoting so much money last month to Bushs $ 350 billion tax cut. [] Republicans rejected a Democratic bid to add money to the bill by raising taxes on the wealthy. The GOP majority also rejected Democratic efforts to add money for the screening of incoming containerized cargo and for protecting the nations northern borders, as well as bids to boost funding for the Coast Guard. [Roll Call 310, H 2555, 06/24/2003; Washington Post, 06/25/03]

National Security
Ryan Voted in Favor of Arming Commercial Pilots. On July 10, 2002, Ryan voted in favor of arming commercial pilots. According to the New York Times, On Wednesday, despite opposition from the Bush administration, the House voted 311 to 113 to pass a bill backed by the Air Line Pilots Association that would allow commercial pilots to be deputized as federal flight deck officers and carry guns during flights. The bill specified that guns were to be used only in the cockpit. [Roll Call 292, H 4635, 07/10/2002; New York Times, 07/12/02] Ryan Voted Against Constitutional Amendment to Allow State Governors to Appoint New House Members in the Event They Were Killed or Incapacitated. In June 2004, Ryan voted against passage of a joint resolution to propose a 204

constitutional amendment to allow state governors to appoint new House members in the event that many were killed or incapacitated. The vote failed, 63-353. [Roll Call 219, S 83, 06/02/2004] Ryan Voted for Project Bioshield. On July 16, 2003, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would authorize $5.6 billion over 10 years for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out Project Bioshield, an administration initiative to develop and stockpile vaccines, medications, and other countermeasures to combat a bioterrorism attack. The bill would allow HHS to contract to purchase drugs and other items for the Strategic National Stockpile. It would give the government authority to promote additional research and development of measures to counter biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological agents including allowing an expedited award process for grants and projects. The bill also would allow the distribution of treatments not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the event of a national emergency. [Roll Call 373, H 2122, 07/16/2003] Ryan Voted for Conference Version of Aviation Security Bill. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the conference version of the bill, which was very similar to the Democratic substitute. The final bill included the following major provisions: Establish a new security agency within the Transportation Department to assume federal control of U.S. airport security and screening services; Passenger and baggage screeners would become federal employees within one year of enactment, but the bill sets up a pilot program under which five airports could resume use of private screeners under federal supervision after that time and all airports could switch to private screeners after three years; The agency would directly oversee airport security, conduct background checks and enforce stringent employment, training and performance standards, including U.S. citizenship requirements for screeners; Other safeguards would include having all bags checked for explosives by December 2002, armed air marshals, anti-hijacking training for flight crews, stronger cockpit doors, and background checks on individuals enrolling in flight schools; Passengers would pay a $2.50 boarding charge, with a maximum fee of $5 per trip, to help pay for enhanced security; The bill also would limit legal liability for certain parties sued after the Sept. 11 attacks. The bill passed, 410-9 [Roll Call 448, S 1447, 11/16/2001] Ryan Was Undecided On Federalizing Airport Screeners And Believed The Issue Had Become Politicized. According to the Associated Press, Congressman Tom Barrett and other Democrats Monday urged support for an aviation security bill that would make airport baggage screeners federal employees, a move they said would make air travel safer President Bush and the Republican leadership in the House support a bill that would keep the nations 28,000 screeners in the private sector, but would put them under the federal governments supervision. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, said the issue of airport and airline safety should not be politicized. Ryan said he hasnt decided yet how hell vote. People are trying to use this issue for partisan gain and thats wrong, Ryan said. Were getting off track with this partisan issue. Our focus ought to be safety. [Associated Press, 10/29/01] Ryan Voted to Authorize the Use of Military Force Against Terrorists and Countries Connected to Terrorism. On September 14, 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a joint resolution authorizing the president to use military force against terrorists and countries connected to terrorism in response to the September 11th attacks. The New York Times reported that, The joint resolution fell short of a full declaration of war, which lawmakers said would have been inappropriate in military action against a shadowy enemy. The resolution states: That the president is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons. Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress was not ceding its constitutional authority to declare war or intending to write a measure like the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which President Lyndon B. Johnson used in 1964 to justify escalation of the war in Vietnam. The resolution specifically states that it does not supersede the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires the president to seek Congressional approval for any extended use of American forces in combat. [Roll Call 342, S 64, 09/14/2001; New York Times, 09/15/01] Ryan Voted against an Energy and Water Appropriations Bill that Included Increased Funding for Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Stewardship and Cuts to Stockpile Management Funding. Ryan voted against the conference report on the Energy and Water Appropriations Act. The Albuquerque Journal reported, The House and Senate agreed to final 2000 funding figures for the Department of Energy, ending a stormy appropriations cycle for the agency that has been rocked by reports of Chinese espionage in Americas nuclear-weapons complex. The $21.3 billion Energy and Water Appropriation Bill agreed to by House and Senate conference members includes $4.44 billion for DOE weapons activities, including nuclear weapons programs that fund a large portion of work at New Mexicos two national laboratories. The bill included a $102.2 million increase from 1999 for the Stockpile Stewardship program and a $119 million decrease from 1999 for Stockpile 205

Management. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson issued a statement criticizing the conference report as being harmful to national security and basic scientific research programs at the national laboratories. In all, this conference report barely meets the countrys national security needs and undercuts our international leadership in science, he said. [Roll Call 452, H 2605, 09/27/1999; Albuquerque Journal, 9/26/99; Associated Press, 9/28/99]

Patriot Act
Ryan Voted to Extend 3 Provisions of Patriot Act. On May 26, 2011 Ryan voted to advance a bill that would extend through June 1, 2015, three provisions of the anti- terrorism law known as the Patriot Act. According to the Washington Post, the bill would extend until June 2015 the three sections of the Patriot Act that are not permanent law. One section authorizes roving wiretaps on the communications gear used by terrorist suspects. Another permits surveillance of noncitizen lone wolf suspects not linked to terrorist organizations. Under the third Section 215 -- investigators can obtain warrants for searching businesses and other entities without having to show probable cause. The searches can be for any tangible item such as hotel, airline, bookstore, tax, medical and other records of persons broadly defined as terrorist suspects, including U.S. citizens. Businesses and others receiving these warrants are barred from discussing them. [Roll Call 376, S 990, 05/26/2011; Washington Post 05/29/2011] Ryan Voted to Extend Expiring Provisions of the Patriot Act. On February 17, 2011, Ryan voted for a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would extend through May 27, 2011, three provisions of the anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act. According to the Associated Press, At issue are law enforcement powers to set roving wiretaps to monitor multiple communication devices and to ask a special federal court for access to any tangible thing from business records to library checkouts that could be relevant to a terrorist threat. The third provision, from a 2004 intelligence act, gives the FBI court-approved rights for secret surveillance of non-American lone wolf suspects not known to be tied to specific terrorist groups. Unlike other sections of the Patriot Act, the provisions were not made permanent law because of lingering concerns that they gave the government too much power to spy on people. [Roll Call 66, H 514, 02/17/2011; Associated Press Financial Wire, 02/17/2011] Ryan Voted To Extend Provisions Of The U.S. Patriot Act Reauthorizing Roving Wiretaps And Increased Surveillance. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 277 for and 148 against, the House on Feb. 8 failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to pass a bill (HR 514) extending until Dec. 8 three sections of the USA Patriot Act that are due to expire Feb. 28. Two of the sections authorize roving wiretaps on terrorist suspects on American soil and expanded lawenforcement searches of library, bookstore and business records in the U.S. The third allows stepped-up surveillance of lone wolf suspects not linked to terrorist organizations. Republican leaders will return the bill to the floor under rules requiring a simple majority for passage. Ryan voted yes to extend the Acts provisions. [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 2/12/11] Ryan Voted to Extend 3 Provisions of the Patriot Act. On February 14, 2011, Ryan voted to extend three expiring provisions in the Patriot Act. According to the Associated Press, The House measure, passed 275-144, would extend authority for the USA Patriot Act-related provisions until Dec. 8. Common ground must be found with the Senate before the provisions expire on Feb. 28. At issue are two provisions of the post-Sept. 11 law that give counterterrorism offices roving wiretap authority to monitor multiple electronic devices and court-approved access to business records relating to a terrorist investigation. The third lone wolf provision of a 2004 law permits secret intelligence surveillance of non-U.S. individuals not known to be linked to a specific terrorist organization. [...] The main objections are to what critics see as unconstitutional search and seize authority and big government intrusions into private lives. [Roll Call 36, H 514, 02/14/2011; Associated Press, 02/15/2011] Ryan Voted to Extend 3 Provisions of the Patriot Act. On February 8, 2011, Ryan voted to extend through Dec. 8, 2011, three provisions of the anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act. The provisions allow the government to seek court orders for roving wiretaps on suspects who use multiple devices or modes of communication, to request access to any tangible thing deemed related to a terrorism investigation and to seek warrants to conduct surveillance of lone wolf foreign terrorist suspects who may not be connected to a larger terrorist group. According to the National Journal, The bill does not make any changes to the provisions, even though privacy and civil liberties advocates argue reforms are needed to ensure the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens are protected. [Roll Call 26, H 514, 02/08/2011; National Journal, 02-08-11]

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Paul Ryan Opposed Senate Version of FISA Bill without Retroactive Immunity. In 2008, Paul Ryan opposed the Senate version of FISA as amended by the House. The House amendment struck the retroactive immunity provisions for telecommunications companies on pending civil lawsuits and instead provided for immunity for future cooperation with government requests to assist with surveillance. It also created a bipartisan commission to report on conducting surveillance on Americans without obtaining FISA warrants and allowed federal courts to hear classified information in civil suits against telecommunications companies. Opponents of the amended version said it was show piece that both the Senate and Bush Administration indicated was dead on arrival and unlikely ever to become law. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) commented on the lack of retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies saying, We cannot ask these companies to help us protect America and then subject them to billion-dollar lawsuits. If we do, we risk losing their help in the future. Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued that the immunity provisions were just an attempt to cover up malfeasance by Bush administration officials. [Roll Call 145, H 3773, 03/14/2008; Rep. Geoff Davis Press Release, 3/18/08] Ryan Voted for Expanded Law Enforcement Power to Investigate Suspected Terrorists. Ryan voted for HR 2975, the House version of the USA PATRIOT Act that expanded law enforcements power to investigate suspected terrorists. The bill would allow disclosure of wiretap information among certain government officials, authorize limited disclosure of secret grand jury information to certain government officials, and authorize the attorney general to detain foreigners he suspects are tied to terrorism. It also would make it easier for law enforcement to track Internet communications using surveillance techniques. Most of the bills intelligence-gathering provisions would sunset after three years, but if the president provides notice that the national interest requires their continuation they would be extended another two years. [Roll Call 386, H 2975, 10/12/2001] Paul Ryan Voted for USA Patriot Act: October 2001. On October 12, 2001, Paul Ryan voted for passage of HR 2975, the House version of the USA Patriot Act. The bill passed the House 337- 79. [Roll Call 386, H 2975, 10/12/2001] Paul Ryan Voted for Renewal of the Patriot Act. On March 7, 2006, Paul Ryan voted in favor of legislation reauthorizing expiring provisions of the 2001 anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act to clarify that, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, individuals who receive orders to hand over business records could challenge nondisclosure requirements after one year, those who receive national security letters would not be required to disclose the name of their attorney, and that libraries would not be considered wire or electronic communication service providers when functioning in their traditional roles, including providing Internet access.(Note: A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (279 in this case) is required for passage under suspension of the rules.) The motion agreed to, thus clearing the bill for the president, 280138. [Roll Call 20, S 2271, 03/07/2006] Ryan Supported Patriot Act Reauthorization. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to reauthorize the USA Patriot Act. The bill passed 251-174 [Roll Call 627, H 3199, 12/14/2005] Ryan Supported Making Patriot Act Permanent. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to make 14 of the 16 provisions of the Patriot Act scheduled to expire permanent and extend for 10 years the remaining two provisions -- access to business and other records and roving wiretaps. The bill permanently extended provisions that expand law enforcements power to investigate suspected terrorists. As amended, the bill would require the Justice Department to report to Congress on the development and use of data-mining technology by federal departments and agencies. The bill passed 257-171. [Roll Call 414, H 3199, 07/21/2005] Ryan Opposed Oversight of Patriot Act. In 2005, Ryan voted against the reauthorization of the Patriot Act with provisions to allow Congressional oversight and extend the sunsets of all 16 expiring Patriot Act provisions under current law through December 31, 2009.Extending the sunsets would allow Congress to evaluate the effectiveness of the Patriot Act provisions and decide whether there is a continuing need for them or a need to modify them. The proposal was defeated 209-218. [Roll Call 413, H 3199, 07/21/2005] Ryan Supported Original Patriot Act. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the Patriot Act, which expanded law enforcements power to investigate suspected terrorists. Among many provisions, the bill: Allowed disclosure of wiretap information among certain government officials, authorize limited disclosure of secret grand jury information to certain government officials, and authorize the Attorney General to detain foreigners suspected of ties to terrorism; Expanded the number of crimes considered terrorist acts and increases the punishment for committing them; Allowed nationwide jurisdiction for search warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including legal expansion of those devices to e-mail and Internet; Authorized the use of roving wiretaps, in which officials get orders that allow them to tap whatever telephone a person uses instead of one telephone at a 207

time; Relaxed rules to allow the FBI and intelligence officials to share grand jury and wiretap information more easily. The bill passed 357-66 [Roll Call 398, H 3162, 10/24/2001; AP, 10/25/01]

Terrorism
Ryan Supported Federal Funding For Development And Stockpiling Of Drugs And Vaccines To Counter Bioterrorism. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 421 for and 2 against, the House on July 16 passed a bill (HR 2122) authorizing a $5.6 billion federal fund to spur the development and stockpiling of drugs and vaccines to counter biological, chemical or radiological attacks on the U.S. populace. The sum actually spent will depend on later action on appropriations bills. The bill provides financial incentives for the private sector to develop pharmaceuticals and other countermeasures that have no broad commercial application. The dissenting votes were cast by Ron Paul, R-Tex., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. The bill, which awaits Senate action, also relaxes Food and Drug Administration safety rules to speed the testing and use of drugs and medical devices for responding to bioterrorism. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/20/03] Ryan Said That Preventing Other Countries From Supporting Terrorists And Destroying Training Grounds Were Short-Term Goals. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rep. Paul Ryan, a Janesville Republican: He said what needed to be said. He put it in the context that freedom comes with a price. Bushs comparison of terrorism to Nazism and totalitarianism was particularly apt, he said. Well know when the fight has been won, but its tough to define it right now, Ryan said. Short-term goals of destroying terrorist training camps or preventing other countries from supporting terrorists such as Osama bin Laden will be signs of progress, he said. Bush gave the best speech of his political career Thursday, Ryan said. He is rising to the occasion and becoming a better communicator, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/21/01]

Torture
Ryan Voted Against Override of Bush Veto of Intelligence Authorization Bill, Which Included Prohibition of Water Boarding. In 2008, Ryan voted against an attempt to override President Bushs veto of the fiscal year 2008 intelligence authorization bill. The bill contained a provision that would restrict intelligence agencies to the 19 interrogation techniques that were allowed in the Army Field Manual. The manual prohibits harsh interrogation methods, such as the simulated drowning technique known as water boarding, and forbids cruel and inhumane treatment of enemy captives. The provision in the legislation would extend these restrictions, which had already been imposed on the military, to the CIA and other agencies. The override was rejected 225-188 after failing to get the necessary 2/3 majority under suspension of the rules. [Roll Call 117, H 2082, 03/11/2008; CQ Today, 3/11/08l; CQ Today, 3/10/08] Ryan Opposed Banning Harsh Interrogation Methods. In 2007, Ryan voted against a conference report on the bill that would authorize classified amounts in the fiscal year 2008 budget for intelligence agencies and programs. The conference report would block the CIA from using several controversial interrogation techniques. It would require civilian as well as military interrogators to obey the Army Field Manuals ban on torture of prisoners and the United States to adhere to the Geneva Conventions when handling prisoners of war. The conference report passed 222-199 [Roll Call 1160, H 2082, 12/13/2007; CQ Today, 12/13/07; Washington Post, 12/16/07]

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IMMIGRATION
The Hill: Ryans Vice Presidential Prospects Could Be Hurt By Mean Spirited Votes On Immigration Bills. According to The Hill, Controversial votes to crack down on illegal immigrants could hurt the chances of Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) or Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) landing on the Republican presidential ticket. The two men are rising stars in the GOP believed to be on the shortlist of possible running mates for Mitt Romney. But their prospects could be endangered by their votes on legislation that pro-immigrant advocates describe as mean-spirited and still sparks anger among Hispanic voters. [The Hill, 5/10/12] Ryan Supported Border Security Bill To Criminalize Violations Of Federal Immigration Law. According to The Hill, Ryan voted in December of 2005 for a border security bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) that pro-immigrant advocates describe as the most outrageous anti-immigrant and anti-Latino legislation of the past decade. The bill, which did not pass the Senate, would have criminalized violations of federal immigration law and shifted enforcement responsibility to state and local authorities. Illegal immigrants who violated certain provisions would have been listed in a national crime information database. The legislation prompted mass protests by Hispanics nationwide several months after it passed the House. [The Hill, 5/10/12]

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Said Ryan Stance On Immigration Was In Sync With President Bush. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But Ryan acknowledges that his constituents require a lot of persuading on that point. I think the vast majority of my constituents side with the House legislation and are against what the Senate was trying to do, Ryan said. Ryans support for a broader bill with citizenship provisions places him more in sync with President Bush on immigration. But fellow Republicans Green and Petri stand closer to Sensenbrenners position. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/23/06]

Amnesty
Ryan Supported Plan To Give Citizenship To Illegal Immigrants, Refused To Call It Amnesty. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But Ryan has a significantly different position. He voiced reservations about Sensenbrenners measure at the time he voted for it, and he advocates much broader reforms that include a path to earned citizenship for many of those now in the country illegally. You cant ignore the 11 million illegals in this country. Youve got to come up with a way to respect the rule of law and get them into the system, said Ryan, who supports plans in the Senate to give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they remain employed, pay fines and back taxes, learn English, and meet other tests. Ryan said that approach is not amnesty. There are people who will call anything that attempts to fix the document status of illegals amnesty, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/23/06]

Border Security
Paul Ryan Voted For Study of Security Systems on US-Canadian Border. On September 14, 2006, Paul Ryan voted to require the Homeland Security Department to prevent the entry of terrorists, unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband along the nations international borders. It would authorize the construction of approximately 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border. The bill would require a study of implementing security systems along the U.S.-Canadian border and direct the agency to evaluate the ability of personnel to stop fleeing vehicles at the border. The bill passed 283-138. [Roll Call 446, H 6061, 09/14/2006] Ryan Supported Fence along Southern Border. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to build both a physical and virtual fence along the US-Mexico border. The bill, which was essentially patched together from provisions of the GOPs 2005 immigration bill, would authorize construction of a 700 mile double-layered fence on the Southwestern border as well as a virtual fence made up of unmanned aerial vehicles, ground sensors, cameras and other surveillance technology. Democrats questioned the motives of the Republicans bringing the bill to the floor, particularly since the authorization bill carried no funding with it. The bill passed 283-138. [Roll Call 446, H 6061, 09/14/2006; CQ Today, 9/13/06] 209

Ryan Voted for Republican Border Fence, Immigration Enforcement Plan. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to tighten border controls and prevent illegal immigrants from getting jobs. Under the measure, employers would have to confirm the authenticity of employees Social Security numbers against a national database or face stiff fines of as much as $25,000 per violation. The measure would end the catch and release policy for immigrants other than Mexicans caught entering the country illegally and then released with a court date. Criminal penalties for smuggling immigrants would be stiffened with new mandatory minimum sentences, and local sheriffs in the 29 counties along the Mexican border would be reimbursed for detaining illegal immigrants and turning them over to federal custody. Finally, the bill authorized more than $2.2 billion to build five double-layer border fences along the U.S.-Mexico border, totaling 698 miles at $3.2 million a mile. The bill passed 239-182. [Roll Call 661, H 4437, 12/16/2005; Washington Post, 12/17/05]

Criminalization
Ryan Said Criminalization Of Illegal Immigration Was Not Productive. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, One of the House bills most controversial provisions is one that makes illegal presence in the country a felony. Sensenbrenner and GOP House leaders have said they will reduce that to a misdemeanor. That would still criminalize unlawful presence, which by itself is now only a civil violation. In another difference with his Wisconsin GOP colleagues, Ryan said he thinks thats a bad idea. I dont think criminalization is productive, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/23/06] Ryan Voted for Republican Immigration Bill that Makes Persons or Organizations that Help Illegal Immigrants, Including Charitable Organizations, Felons. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of legislation to tighten border controls and prevent illegal immigrants from getting jobs. The bill would build hundreds of miles of fence along the U.S.Mexico border, require that businesses verify the legality of all employees status through a national database, fortify border patrols, and declare illegal immigrants and those who help them to be felons. The felony provision was controversial, making millions of illegal immigrants in this country felons and anyone who aids them felons as well, including charitable and religious organizations that may help illegals. According to the New York Times, The border security measure would for the first time make it a federal crime to live in the United States illegally, a provision that would turn millions of undocumented immigrants into felons. Currently, living in this country illegally is a violation of civil immigration law, not criminal law. The bill would require the mandatory detention of many immigrants ... and broaden the immigrant-smuggling statute to include employees of social service agencies and church groups who offer services to illegal workers. The motion passed 239-182. [Roll Call 661, H 4437, 12/16/2005; Washington Post, 12/17/05, 4/12/06; New York Times, 12/17/05] Ryan Voted to Increase Penalties on Illegal Immigrants. In December 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would increase security at the international border and at ports of entry into the United States. It would designate illegal migration as a criminal, rather than a civil, offense. It also would increase penalties for a variety of immigration-related crimes. It would create a mandatory program under which all employers would have to verify employees work eligibility with the federal government. As amended, it would require the construction of security fencing, including lights and cameras, along certain ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill passed 239-182. [Roll Call 661, H 4437, 12/16/2005]

Drivers License and Passports


Ryan Supported REAL ID Bill Toughening Drivers License Standards. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of a bill to virtually bar states from issuing drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, tighten the rules for asylum and close a hole in the border fence between California and Mexico. The bill would require states to verify that any drivers license applicant was residing legally in the U.S. before issuing a license that could be used for purposes of federal identification. That would mean states could issue licenses to illegal immigrants -- as 11states now do -- but those licenses could not be used to board airplanes in the United States, open bank accounts or enter federal buildings. The legislation would also increase the burden of proof that applicants for asylum must meet and would restrict the right of judges to review decisions by immigration officials at the borders to reject asylum applications. The motion passed 261-161. [Roll Call 31, H 418, 02/10/2005; Los Angeles Times, 2/11/05]

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Ryan Voted To Eliminate Country-Based Caps On The Number Of Employment Visas Issued Annually. On November 29, 2011, Ryan voted to eliminate country-based caps on the number of employment visas issued annually. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, House lawmakers on Tuesday signed off on legislation that supporters say will spur economic growth by helping U.S. businesses hire highly skilled legal immigrants. The bipartisan bill (HR 3012), which passed 389-15, would eliminate country-based caps on the number of employment visas issued annually and boost similar limits for immigrants sponsored by a spouse or relative in the United States. It would not increase the total annual admission numbers. [Roll Call 860, H 3012, 11/29/2011]

DREAM Act
Ryan Voted Against The DREAM Act, Which Aimed To Provide Pathway To Citizenship For Children Of Undocumented Immigrants. According to The Hill, Ryan also voted against the DREAM Act, which Democratic leaders brought to the House floor at the end of 2010. It would have provided illegal immigrants who came to the country at a young age a pathway to citizenship if they met certain requirements. [The Hill, 5/10/12] Ryan Voted Against The DREAM Act. According to Gannett News Service, If approved, the [DREAM Act] would allow immigrants brought to the United States before age 16 who have lived here for at least five years and graduated from high school or obtained a general equivalency diploma to become temporary legal residents. They could seek citizenship if they complete at least two years of college or serve in the military. The House passed the measure 216-198, largely along party lines. All five Wisconsin Democrats -- Tammy Baldwin, Steve Kagen, Ron Kind, Gwen Moore and Dave Obey -- voted for it. Republicans Tom Petri, Paul Ryan and James Sensenbrenner voted against it. [Gannett News Service, 12/17/10] Ryan Said The DREAM Act Because It Failed To Fix The Root Causes Of Immigration Problems. According to Gannett News Service, Ryan, R-Janesville, said that while he found some merit in the bill, he voted against it because it attempts to treat a symptom, rather than the root causes of our immigration problems. Instead of accepting the false premise that a vote against the DREAM Act is a vote against reform, Ryan added, I will continue to pursue a larger conversation on how to improve our immigration system. [Gannett News Service, 12/17/10] Christine Neumann-Ortiz Of Workers Rights Group Voces De La Frontera Accused Ryan Of Caving In To Xenophobic Element Of The GOP. According to Gannet News Service, Ryans vote didnt sit well with Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, a Milwaukee-based workers rights and community activist group. She accused him of caving in to the most xenophobic element of the Republican Party. Neumann-Ortiz was arrested Nov. 29 along with two others after they refused to leave Ryans Racine office in an act of civil disobedience over the DREAM Act. Its a big issue because its something thats good for the country, Neumann-Ortiz said. Its investing in young people who youve already invested in, and it makes no sense for anyone to oppose this bill. [Gannett News Service, 12/17/10] Ryan Voted Against the DREAM Act, Which Would Allow a Pathway to Citizenship for Immigrant Children. On December 18, 2010, Ryan voted against the DREAM Act. This legislation would provide a pathway to legal residency for hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents. Specifically, this legislation would allow young immigrants to attend college or join the U.S. military for two years and start their pathway to American citizenship. Supporters say the bill would send more people to college, boost military recruitment and is important for law enforcement efforts. Critics have denounced the bill as a mass amnesty plan and that at its fundamental core is a reward for illegal activity, according to Sen. Jeff Session (R.Ala.). Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said, Immigrants are fueling this country. Without immigrants America would be like Europe and Japan with an aging population and no young people to come in and take care of it. We have to educate our immigrants. The DREAM Act is one way we can do this. [Roll Call 625, H 5281, 12/08/2010; Color Lines, 9/20/10; Politico, 12/18/10; The White House]

Funding
Ryan Voted to Deny Financial Assistance for Illegal Immigrants. In May 2008, Ryan voted in favor of an amendment to a bill providing grants and loans to rehabilitate foreclosed properties. The amendment clarified that illegal immigrants would be ineligible for financial assistance under the bill. The underlying legislation would authorize a loan and grant program for the 211

purchase and rehabilitation of owner-vacated, foreclosed homes. Of the funds, $7.5 billion would be for loans, and $7.5 billion would be for grants. The amendment passed 391-33 [Roll Call 297, H 5818, 05/08/2008; CQ Bill Analysis]

Guest Work
2006: Ryan Said A Guest Worker Program Was Necessary To Secure Mexican Border. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In an interview, Ryan said the bill passed by the Senate this year is perceived as too close to amnesty. But he said there may be a framework for compromise with a non-amnesty guest worker system, including provisions for illegal immigrants already here to temporarily touch back in their home countries before being placed on a path to ultimate legal status. But he said it all would depend on the details. The way to really secure the border is to have a workable guest worker system, Ryan said. The system is broken. Its got to be fixed. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/19/06] Ryan Supported Raising Cap On Number Of Foreign Seasonal Workers. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Each year, the U.S. government allows up to 66,000 foreign workers to come to seasonally sensitive employers for 12-month periods that can be extended to up to three years. But the limited supply has succumbed to increased demand. Last year, the cap was reached by March. This year, Cooper got a call in January that applications were closed. The whole immigration system is broken and needs fixing, said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), one of the co-sponsors of the measure that essentially raised the cap by not counting some returning foreign workers. Ryan said he supported the provision after hearing from landscaping companies, nurseries and specialty farmers who were shut out of the bid for guest workers. The system for applying for visas is timed to the disadvantage of Wisconsin and other northern states, Ryan said, because the quota usually is met before summer hiring begins. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/19/05]

Local Enforcement
Ryan Supported Local Law Enforcements Authority on Illegal Immigration. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of the Immigration Law Enforcement Act, which would reaffirm the authority of state and local law enforcement to arrest, detain and transfer to federal custody illegal immigrants. It asked the Justice Department to increase the number of attorneys prosecuting immigrant smuggling cases. It also closed loopholes that have led to catch and release policies in which illegal immigrants, mainly non-Mexicans, were released because they could not be immediately deported. The bill passed 277-140. [Roll Call 468, H 6095, 09/21/2006; Associated Press, 9/21/06] Ryan Voted Against Requiring Hospitals to Document the Immigration Status of Patients Seeking Emergency Care. In May 2004, Ryan voted against a bill that would have required hospitals to document the immigration status of patients seeking emergency health care services. If the patient were in the U.S. illegally, the hospital would have been required to collect identifying information, including photographs and fingerprints, and the name of the patients employer. The president of the California Health Care Association, C. Duane Dauner, said of the bill, Nurses and doctors are in the business of saving lives, not acting as agents for the Border Patrol. The vote failed, 88-331. [Roll Call 182, H 3722, 05/18/2004; LA Times, 5/19/04; PR Newswire, 5/18/04]

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LABOR
Executive Compensation
Ryan Supported A Plan That Would Mandate Airlines Sign A Two-Year Agreement That Limits Their Executive Compensation To 2002 Base Pay. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, As part of the Republican plan, airlines are expected to sign a two-year agreement that limits their executive compensation to 2002 base pay. Those that exceed the salary caps would have to pay a greater share of the cost of government-supported war-and terrorism-risk insurance. Ryan said he favors the CEO salary clause, especially since learning that top executives at United, American, Delta, US Airways, Continental and Northwest airlines have received millions of dollars in bonuses even as their companies posted huge losses. People who run these large public companies ought to have their incentives tied with the fate of their shareholders, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/1/03]

Federal Employees
Ryan Said The Federal Workforce Had Gotten Too Large And Needed To Be Trimmed Back. According to Newsmax, President Obama has been requiring government agencies to reduce rather than increase outside contracting. In two years, he has increased federal government spending to 25 percent of the economy, from a modern average of between 20 and 21 percent. []Ryan said, We agree the federal workforce has gotten far too large and sluggish. We dont have the incentives to get productivity and efficiency. I think we need to trim back our workforce. Ryan cited the need for incentives to improve productivity and the need to cut workers through attrition. He said Republicans will begin addressing these issues this summer. Neither approach will make a big difference. The real solution is to cut the workforce by a third, forcing federal employees to work more efficiently. [Newsmax, 3/4/11] Ryan Opposed Bill Requiring The Bush Administration To Redraft Federal Jobs Privatization Plan. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, The House voted, 210 for and 187 against, to require the administration to redraft its plan to privatize hundreds of thousands of federal jobs by means of bidding competition between companies and civil servants. A yes vote was to redraw the privatization program. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04]

Funding
Ryan Voted Against $150.7 Billion for Health, Education, and Labor Programs in 2008. On November 8, 2007, Ryan voted against appropriating $150.7 billion in fiscal 2008 for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and for related agencies. Specifically, it would provide $63.6 billion for the Education Department, including $14.5 billion for Pell Grants; $15 billion for the Labor Department, including $3.6 billion for training and employment services; and $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The bill would provide $150.7 billion for a variety of health, education and labor programs. The president has threatened to veto the bill because it would provide $9.8 billion more than he requested, which the White House says is excessive. [Roll Call 1075, H 3043, 11/08/2007; CQ Today, 11/08/07] Ryan Voted Against Increasing the Labor-HHS-Education Budget $7.2 Billion. On July 19, 2007, Ryan voted against a $607.4 billion labor, health and human services and education appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The bill (HR 3043) would provide a total of $607 billion, including $151.7 billion in discretionary spending. President Bush objects to the bill chiefly because of its spending level. The discretionary total is $7.2 billion more than in fiscal 2007, $10.8 billion more than the presidents request and $2.5 billion more than the comparable Senate bill (S 1710). The White House issued a statement July 17 warning that the president would veto the measure. The bill, the White House said, includes an irresponsible and excessive level of spending and . . . other objectionable provisions. Bush would veto the bill because Congress did not stay within the presidents proposed overall cap for discretionary spending. [Roll Call 686, H 3043, 07/19/2007; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 07/20/07] 213

Ryan Voted for Funding Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Departments in 2006. On December 14, 2005, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $601.6 billion, including $142.5 billion in discretionary spending, for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments and related agencies in fiscal 2006. It would provide $63.5 billion for the Education Department, including $13.2 billion for Pell Grants; $14.8 billion for the Labor Department, including $5.1 billion for training and employment services; and $474.1 billion for Health and Human Services, including $28.6 billion for the National Institutes of Health. The measure also would provide $400 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $39 million for rural health outreach grants. [Roll Call 628, H 3010, 12/14/2005]

Minimum Wage and Fair Wage


MINIMUM WAGE
Ryan Voted to Increase Minimum Wage. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would increase the minimum wage $2.10, from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years, but attached to the increase was a permanent cut for the federal estate tax for estates worth up to $5 million per person and $10 million per couple. According to the Washington Post, House Republican leaders, bowing to pressure from their politically embattled moderates, agreed to seek a vote on raising the minimum wage, but House and Senate negotiations on a broad overhaul of the nations private pension laws broke up last night in intraparty acrimony. GOP leaders were scrambling yesterday to bolster a thin list of legislative accomplishments before the House recesses tonight for a five-week summer break. But a minimum-wage deal was far from certain, and pension legislation was near collapse. Last nights struggles underscored the divisions in Republican ranks that leaders had hoped to paper over before the August recess. [Roll Call 425, H 5970, 07/29/2006; CQ Today, 7/29/06; AP, 7/27/06; Washington Post, 7/28/06] Ryan Opposed Minimum Wage Increase. In 2007, Ryan voted against increasing the minimum wage by $2.10 an hour to $7.25 an hour. The measure passed 218-212 [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3] Ryan Opposed Fair Minimum Wage Act. In 2007, Ryan voted against an increase to the federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years -- from the previous level of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour. The bill passed 315-116. [Roll Call 18, H 2, 01/10/2007] Ryan Voted To Raise The Minimum Wage. On March 9, 2000 Ryan voted to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and increase the minimum wage by $1 over two years. The bill passed 282-143. [Roll Call 45, H 3846, 03/09/2000] Ryan Voted Against An Amendment To Increase The Minimum Wage By $1 Over A 2 Year Period. On March 9, 2000 Ryan voted against an amendment to HR 3846 that would increase the minimum wage by $1 over a two year period. Originally the bill increased the minimum wage by $1 over a 3 year period. The amendment passed 246-179. The bill passed the house 282-143. [Roll Call 43, H 3846, 03/09/2000]

PAYCHECK PROTECTION
Ryan Vowed To Work For Paycheck Protection. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced his candidacy during the weekend for a third term in Congress from Wisconsins 1st District. He told about 45 supporters Saturday at Lower Courthouse Park in his hometown that he would work for paycheck protection. The more money you take out of a persons paycheck, the less freedom that person has, he said. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/2/02] Ryan Called Himself The Paycheck Protection Candidate. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Calling himself the paycheck protection candidate, former congressional aide Paul Ryan on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for the congressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann. Ryan, 28, a former aide to former U.S. Sen. Robert Kasten (R-Wis.), will run as a Republican for the 1st District seat that Neumann (R-Janesville) is leaving to run for the U.S. Senate Ryan is a marketing consultant at Ryan Incorporated Central, a Janesville-based construction company that was founded by his great-grandfather in 1884 and is now owned and operated by his cousins. Im going to run as a paycheck protection candidate, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/11/98] 214

WAGE DISCRIMINATION
Ryan Voted Against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to Prevent Wage Discrimination. In 2009, Ryan voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The Senate measure was nearly identical to some provisions in the House passed version HR 11. The final bill allowed employees to sue employers for wage discrimination within 180 days of their last paycheck affected by the alleged discrimination. The measure was designed to overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision (Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.) that ruled a worker could not bring a wage discrimination suit more than 180 days after the initial discriminatory act. The Senate version of the bill did not include a provision from HR 12 that would have required employers seeking to justify unequal pay for male and female workers to prove that such disparities are job-related and required by a business necessity. [Roll Call 37, S 181, 01/27/2009; CO House Action Reports Legislative Week, 1/26/09] Ryan Voted Against Paycheck Fairness Act. In 2009, Ryan voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act that would reverse the Supreme Courts 2007 decision Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The bill would clarify that the statute of limitations applies afresh to each discriminatory paycheck. The court had ruled that workers suing for pay restitution had to do so within 180 days of the first discriminatory paycheck. [Roll Call 9, H 11, 01/09/2009; CQ Weekly, 1/12/09] Ryan Voted against Eliminating Caps On Compensatory And Punitive Damages In Wage Discrimination Suits. In 2009, Ryan voted against eliminating caps on compensatory and punitive damages for successful wage discrimination suits. The bill also put the onus on employers to prove that pay discrepancies between women and men doing the same jobs are the result of non-discriminatory business considerations. The bill was combined with HR 11 and changed to create the final Wage Discrimination law with the senate S 181. The bill passed 256-163. [Roll Call 8, H 12, 01/09/2009; CQ WEEKLY WEEKLY REPORT, 1/12/09] Ryan Voted Against Paycheck Equity. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would lift the cap on compensatory and punitive damages that women may be awarded in wage discrimination cases. The bill would also require employers who contended that pay discrepancies did not result from discrimination to give an actual business reason for why female employees were paid less than their male counterparts. Democrats argued that the bill would close some loopholes for pay discrimination. The current system is rife with loopholes that allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay scales, Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said. Republicans criticized the legislation, saying that it would be fodder for frivolous lawsuits. This bill will make it easier for trial lawyers to cash in, and taxpayers should be outraged that their money is being put to such use, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said. [Roll Call 556, H 1338, 07/31/2008; CQ Today7/31/08] Ryan Voted against Protecting Employees from Wage Discrimination. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to protect the victims of wage discrimination. The bill amended the 1964 Civil Rights Act to allow employees to file charges of pay discrimination within 180 days of the last received paycheck affected by the alleged discriminatory decision. It also clarified that an employee is entitled to up to two years of back-pay if it is determined that discrimination occurred. The legislation was introduced in response to a May 29, 2007 Supreme Court ruling, Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., a 5-4 ruling decried by civil rights activists. According to the ruling, workers filing suit for wage discrimination must do so within 180 days of the actual decision to discriminate against them. That blocked efforts to win redress for discrimination that unfolded in small steps over a period of years. The bill passed 225-199. [Roll Call 768, H 2831, 07/31/2007; Congressional Quarterly; CQ Today, 7/31/07]

National Labor Relations Board


Ryan Voted to Limit the National Labor Relations Boards Authority in Relocating Businesses, Which Democrats Argued Would Enable Businesses to Punish Union Workers and Move Businesses Overseas. In September, 2011 Ryan voted to prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from being able to order an employer to restore, shut down, or relocate business operations. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the legislation was in response to an attempt by the boards acting general counsel to force airplane manufacturer Boeing Co. to locate a second production line for the 787 Dreamliner in Washington state. The NLRB complaint contends that the company decided to open the production line in South Carolina -- a state with a right-to-work law -- to retaliate against union workers in Washington who have gone on strike four times in the past 22 years. [...] In a series of impassioned floor speeches, Democrats said the bill would give companies a green light to punish workers for exercising their rights and make it easier to ship jobs overseas. They also called the measure a 215

naked attempt to directly interfere in the pending Boeing case, noting a provision that would apply the bill retroactively to any complaint that has not been resolved by the date of enactment. The vote passed, 238 to 186. [Roll Call 711, H 2587, 09/15/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 9/15/11]

Unions
Ryan Voted For Two Month Waiting Period For a Unionization Vote After a Petition Was Filed. On November 30, 2011, Ryan voted for a 2 month waiting period for a unionization vote after a petition was filed. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House voted Wednesday to build waiting periods into the union election process, hours after the National Labor Relations Board took a step toward approving a new rule that would have the opposite effect. The bill (HR 3094), passed by a 235-188 vote, would require an interval of almost two months between the time workers file petitions to hold a unionization election and when the vote occurs. [Roll Call 869, H 3094, 11/30/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/30/11] Ryan Voted For Two Month Waiting Period For a Unionization Vote After a Petition Was Filed. On November 30, 2011, Ryan voted for a 2 month waiting period for a unionization vote after a petition was filed. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House voted Wednesday to build waiting periods into the union election process, hours after the National Labor Relations Board took a step toward approving a new rule that would have the opposite effect. The bill (HR 3094), passed by a 235-188 vote, would require an interval of almost two months between the time workers file petitions to hold a unionization election and when the vote occurs. [Roll Call 869, H 3094, 11/30/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/30/11] Ryan Voted To Block TSA Security Officers From Collective Bargaining. On June 02, 2011, Ryan voted for a Rokita, RInd., amendment that would block funds in the bill from implementing the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plan to award collective bargaining rights to security officers at TSA. This amendment follows a February 4, 2011, decision that allowed TSA security officers to collectively bargain at a national level on issues including processes for performance management, awards and attendance, policies regarding shift trade and transfers, and uniforms. The underlying legislation would fund the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2012 at $42 billion. [Roll Call 403, H 2017, 06/02/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 6/2/11] Ryan Voted for Granting Limited Union Rights for Public Safety Personnel. On July 17, 2007, Ryan voted for the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would establish certain organized labor rights for state and local public safety officials, including police officers and firefighters. According to the Washington Post, the bill would, grant limited union rights to police, firefighters, corrections officers and other public safety personnel in all states. At least 20 states deny collective-bargaining rights to public employees. The bill would empower state and local first responders to bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions but would prohibit strikes by unions and lockouts by employers. [Roll Call 633, H 980, 07/17/2007; Washington Post 07/22/2007] Ryan Opposed Legislation to Strengthen Organizing Rights. In 2007, Ryan voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill to protect the rights of workers to organize a union. The bill changed existing law by allowing employees not employers to decide whether or not to hold a union election. The legislation would certify a union if a majority of workers signed cards authorizing it or allow them to hold an election by secret ballot. It also established steps to push employers and unions toward agreement on an initial contract and created penalties for intimidation of employees. The bill passed 241-185 [Roll Call 118, H 800, 03/01/2007; Office of the Committee on Education and Labor Democrats, 02/2007; Los Angeles Times, 3/2/07; Congressional Quarterly, 2/19/07; Congressional Quarterly, 3/5/07] Ryans 1998 Opponent Claimed Ryan Would Vote to Rescind A Federal Law Banning The Use Of Replacement Workers During A Strike. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Spottswood, who has been endorsed by major labor unions, said Ryan has been in-consistent on the issue, once saying he would vote to rescind a federal law banning the use of replacement workers during a strike. Ryan said there are two types of strikes: economic disputes and unfair labor complaints. Ryan said the worker replacement law should not apply to union disputes in which workers are asking for more money, and the courts have ruled as much. But otherwise he would support the law for unfair labor strikes. I support all current labor protection laws, he said. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/9/98] 216

Unemployment
Ryan Voted Against Extending Payroll Tax Cut, Unemployment Benefits. On February 17, 2012, Ryan voted against the conference report on the bill that would extend the 4.2 percent employee payroll tax rate through 2012. It also would renew long-term unemployment benefits into January 2013, with three stages of reductions. The current Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians would be preserved through 2012, preventing a scheduled 27.4 percent payment cut. The cost of the legislation would be partially offset by requiring larger pension payments from newly hired federal employees and from lawmakers, by auctioning blocks of electromagnetic spectrum used by television broadcasters and by reducing funds for certain programs tied to the 2010 health care overhaul. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, In addition to the 10month extension of the current Social Security payroll tax cut, the conference report (H Rept 112-399) for the measure calls for extending federal unemployment insurance benefits and includes a provision to prevent a cut in Medicare payments to physicians known as the doc fix through Dec. 31, 2012. The current, two-month extension of the payroll tax holiday, unemployment benefits and doc fix expire Feb. 29. Adoption in both chambers sends the measure to President Obama, who has promised to sign it. [] Through the agreement, lawmakers avoided a politically perilous lapse of the tax cut enjoyed by the nearly 160 million American workers and compromised on restructuring existing unemployment law. [Roll Call 72, H 3630, 02/17/2012; Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/17/12] Ryan, Who Expressed Concern For Wisconsin Auto Workers, Voted Against An Extension Of Unemployment Benefits Because It Increased The National Debt. According to The Janesville Gazette, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-1st District, issued a statement last week, challenging the claim by General Motors and the Obama administration that GM has paid off its bailout loan from the federal government. []If anyone is owed a clear and honest explanation, it is those hit hardest by the downturn in the auto industry, including those I serve in Janesville, Kenosha, Oak Creek and the surrounding communities in southern Wisconsin, Ryan said. []Ryans statement raised questions with some, however, who asked why he voted last month against a bill to extend unemployment compensation if he is so concerned for the laid-off workers in his district. []Ryan said his vote signaled his displeasure with a measure that increases the national debt. If this legislation was paid for, I would have gladly supported it, Ryan said. However, rather than prioritizing spending to offset the cost of this bill, the majority irresponsibly decided to borrow an additional $18.1 billion to pay for it. [The Janesville Gazette, 5/3/10] Ryan Voted Against Extending Unemployment Benefits. On November 18, 2010 Ryan voted against extending eligibility for expanded unemployment benefits through Feb. 28, 2011. It also would extend federal funding to states for the costs of additional unemployment benefits through March 1, 2011. According to the Associated Press, Republicans in the House on Thursday blocked a bill that would have extended jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed beyond the holiday season. An extension of jobless benefits enacted this summer expires Dec. 1, and unless they are renewed, two million people will lose benefits averaging $310 a week nationwide by the end of December. The failed measure would have extended jobless benefits through the end of February at a cost of adding $12.5 billion to the nations debt. Republicans opposing the legislation said the measure should be paid for by cutting unspent money from last years economic stimulus bill. [Roll Call 579, H 6419, 11/18/2010; Associated Press, 11/19/10] Ryan Voted Against Extending Unemployment Benefits. On July 22, 2010 Ryan voted to block a bill that would extend eligibility for extended federal unemployment insurance until Nov. 30, 2010, applied retroactively to June 2. According to the Washington Post, the bill would provide unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless through November, with the $34 billion cost added to the national debt. The bill funds payments to those who have exhausted their initial 26-week allotments of state-funded jobless benefits and delivers lump-sum retroactive payments to qualified individuals who lost eligibility after June 2. The bill keeps 99 weeks as the maximum eligibility period for receiving state-federal unemployment compensation. [Roll Call 463, H 4213, 07/22/2010; Washington Post 7/25/2010] Ryan Voted Against Extending Unemployment Benefits. On July 1, 2010 Ryan voted against the Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act. Congressional Quarterly reported that the House backed legislation on Thursday that would revive expired unemployment benefits, but the measure will have to wait until after the Independence Day recess for Senate action. The House passed the bill (HR 5618), as amended, 270-153, but recent Senate efforts to move companion legislation have come up short. Specifically, the bill would extend through Nov. 30, 2010, and make retroactive to June 2, eligibility for unemployment insurance for laid-off workers and 100 percent federal funding for extended jobless benefits. States could not reduce their regular unemployment compensation programs below June 2 levels to be eligible for the funding. [Roll Call 423, H 5618, 07/01/2010] 217

Ryan Voted Against Extending Unemployment Benefits. On April 15, 2010, Ryan voted against the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would extend for two months federal unemployment benefits, flood insurance programs, increased payment rates to Medicare providers and COBRA health care premium assistance. According to the Washington Post, the bill providing about $12 billion to pay for an extension until June 2 of jobless checks for hundreds of thousands of people whose benefits expired April 4. Costing $18 billion overall, the bill also would provide short-term funding of COBRA health insurance for the jobless, transportation projects, national flood insurance, small-business loan programs and Medicare payments to doctors, among other measures. [Roll Call 211, H 4851, 04/15/2010; Washington Post 4/18/2010] Ryan Voted to Extend Unemployment Benefits. On November 05, 2009, Ryan voted to extend unemployment benefits. According to the Associate Press, Congress on Thursday decisively approved an extension of unemployment benefits for almost two million people out of work nearly a year or more as the U.S. continues to lose jobs. [...] The measure, cleared the House 403-12 Thursday, a day after it won unanimous support in the Senate. It extends benefits for 14 weeks for all those who have exhausted their federal aid or will do so by the end of the year. Those living in states where the unemployment rate is at 8.5 percent or above get an additional six weeks. [Roll Call 859, H 3548, 11/05/2009; Associated Press, 11/05/2009] Ryan Voted to Extend Unemployment Benefits for 13 More Weeks in Certain States. On September 22, 2009, Ryan voted to pass an extension of unemployment benefits. According to the Associated Press, Jobless workers in imminent danger of losing their unemployment benefits would get a 13-week reprieve under legislation approved by the House on Tuesday. [...] The bill, if enacted, would offer a reprieve to more than 300,000 jobless workers who are slated to run out of unemployment compensation at the end of September and the more than 1 million expected to exhaust their benefits by the end of the year. [Roll Call 722, H 3548, 09/22/2009; Associated Press, 09/22/2009] Ryan Voted to Extend Unemployment Benefits. On October 3, 2008, Ryan voted to extend unemployment benefits. The bill was voted on during the debate on the Wall Street bailout, and the Los Angeles Times, To demonstrate concern for Main Street, the House approved a separate measure to extend unemployment benefits. Specifically, the bill would provide an additional seven weeks of unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted their current compensation by March 31, 2009. The bill also would extend benefits for an additional 13 weeks, or half the duration of regular unemployment compensation, for workers in states with unemployment rates of 6 percent or higher. [Roll Call 683, H 6867, 10/03/2008; Los Angeles Times, 10/04/08] Ryan Voted against Extension of Unemployment Benefits. In 2008, Ryan voted against an amendment that would provide extended unemployment benefits for people out of work longer than six months. The amendment appropriated $21.2 billion for domestic programs, military construction and foreign aid programs. It would provide $4.6 billion for military construction and $5.8 billion for levee building in Louisiana. The amendment would provide a permanent expansion of education benefits for post-Sept. 11 veterans, offset with a 0.47 percent surtax on modified adjusted gross income above $500,000 per year for individuals and $1 million for couples. It also would temporarily extend unemployment insurance benefits and place a moratorium through March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the administration. It would appropriate $9.9 billion for the State Department, USAID and international food assistance. The amendment passed 256-166. [Roll Call 330, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08] Ryan Voted For Extending Unemployment Benefits. On January 8, 2003, Ryan voted for a bill that would provide temporary extension of unemployment. According to Roll Call, the bill provided 13 additional weeks of U.S. unemployment checks for up to 800,000 people who have used up their 26 weeks of state benefits but had not exhausted all of their U.S. allotment when federal money ran dry on Dec. 28. [] For those who use up their state allotment between now and June 1, the bill authorizes 13 weeks of supplemental federal benefits, or 26 extra weeks in a few states with the highest unemployment. [Roll Call 7, S 23, 01/08/2003; Roll Call 1/12/2003] Ryan Supported $430 Million in Cuts to Job Training, Unemployment Assistance. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the Labor, HHS & Education appropriations conference report that cut $1.5 billion from key domestic priorities. The measure cut a program helping people find jobs by $89 million, cut youth and adult job training grants by $67 million and cut funds for offices that help unemployed workers obtain benefits by $141 million. The bill also cut an initiative the helps eradicate abusive child labor and protect worker rights and wages around the world by $20 million. The bill failed 209-224. [Roll Call 598, H 3010, 11/17/2005; House Appropriations Committee Democratic Staff, Summary of the Conference Agreement - HR 3010, 11/16/05] 218

Pensions
Ryan Supported Pension Protection Act of 2006. Ryan supported the Pension Protection Act of 2006, a pension reform bill backed by President Bush. The bill would establish a new premium, $1,250 for each participant the companys pension plan, that employers who terminate their plans must pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). It would change the formula for determining whether a pension plan is fully funded, and require employers to meet a 100 percent funding target. Firms that administer 401(k) plans would be allowed to give investment advice to employees with respect to the firms own financial products, but it would have to be based on an independently certified computer model. The bill would provide special pension relief to airlines. [Roll Call 422, H 4, 07/28/2006] Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ryan Was A Key Advocate For Personal Retirement Accounts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Paul Ryan, House Republican from Janesville, has 31 town-hall meetings lined up. The four-term lawmaker is a key advocate of personal retirement accounts. He and others said the GOP is more organized than its ever been on a legislative issue, bringing together the White House, Congress and the Republican National Committee in a united front. This is kind of a first, Ryan said. We are using the grass-roots army that was assembled for the presidential election on a legislative project. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/21/05] Ryan Supported Bill to Allow Cuts to Pension Contributions. In 2004, Ryan voted in favor of legislation that would allow companies like DuPont, Raytheon and Delta Air Lines to cut required pension contributions by nearly half. The pension bill was designed to save U.S. companies whose pension plans had suffered from stock market losses as much as $80 billion on retirement costs over two years. Supporters claimed the bill would solve the problem of companies over-contributing to employees pension plans. The bill passed 336-69. [Roll Call 117, H 3108, 04/02/2004; Washington Post, 4/03/04; States News Service, 4/9/04]

Workers Comp and Safety


Ryan Voted Against OSHA Regulation of Combustible Dusts. In 2008, Ryan voted against legislation requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to regulate combustible dusts. The Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act required OSHA to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts, like sugar dust, that can build up to hazardous levels and explode. The Chemical Safety Board urged OSHA in 2006 to issue rules controlling dust hazards, but OSHA repeatedly failed to act. This legislation created an enforceable standard to replace OSHAs previous policy of voluntary compliance to ensure that employers are aware of all safety hazards and will act to protect their workers. The bill passed, 247-165. [Roll Call 233, H 5522, 04/30/2008; Hoyer Press Release, 4/30/08] Ryan Opposed Ergonomics Standards for Workers. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a resolution expressing congressional disapproval of the ergonomics rule submitted by the Labor Department during the Clinton administration. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, which would have taken effect in October 2001, were aimed at preventing chronic conditions common among workers who perform the same motions over and over again on their jobs. More than 100 million Americans in jobs ranging from delivery-truck drivers to computer programmers would have been covered. More than 1.8 million Americans suffer each year from repetitive-stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, according to OSHA. The agency estimated the cost of complying with ergonomics regulations at $4.5 billion a year. It said employers would save twice that much by eliminating costs for time off and workers compensation. The resolution passed, 223-206 [Roll Call 33, S 6, 03/07/2001; USA Today, 3/8/01] Ryan Voted Against Offsetting 21st Century Teacher Scholarship Funding With Cuts in OSHA Funding. Ryan voted against an amendment that would appropriate $25 million for the 21st Century Teacher Scholarship Act, provided it is enacted into law, which would be offset by reducing the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations appropriations by the same amount. [Roll Call 267, H 4577, 06/13/2000] Ryan Opposed Ergonomic Standards in 2000. In 2000, Ryan voted against an amendment to strike a provision from the FY 2001 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill prohibiting OSHA from using funds to establish a standard on ergonomic protection. The amendment was defeated 203-220 [Roll Call 250, H 4577, 06/08/2000] 219

Paul Ryan Opposed Ergonomic Standards in 2000. In 2000, Paul Ryan voted against an amendment to strike a provision from the FY 2001 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill prohibiting OSHA from using funds to establish a standard on ergonomic protection. The amendment was defeated 203-220. [Roll Call 250, H 4577, 06/08/2000] Ryan Voted Against Whistle Blower Protections for Offshore Energy Development Industry Employees. On July 30, 2010 Ryan voted against the bill that would prohibit employers from discriminating against workers in the offshore energy development industry who report suspected safety violations to federal or state authorities. According to the Washington Post, the bill sought to have the panel replace the original language with substitute language providing whistleblower protection to offshore workers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. [Roll Call 506, H 5851, 07/30/2010; Washington Post 8/7/2010] Ryan Voted to Require Courts to Defer to OSHA Commission Rulings on Questions of Law. On July 12, 2005, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would require courts and judges to defer to Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission rulings when interpreting questions of law. The commission hears appeals of Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations. [Roll Call 371, H 741, 07/12/2005] Ryan Voted Against a Provision Barring Funds for OSHA Respirator Testing. On June 23, 2005, Ryan voted against the Owens, D-N.Y., amendment that would strike a provision in the bill which would bar funds from enforcing an Occupational Health and Safety Administration requirement that hospitals conduct annual testing of respirators for tuberculosis exposure. The underlying legislation would fund the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education for 2006. [Roll Call 306, H 3010, 06/23/2005]

Workers Rights
Ryan Voted Against Establishing Policies for Employees to Telework. On November 18, 2010 Ryan voted to block the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Thursday cleared a bill that would require executive agencies to set policies allowing federal employees to telework. The chamber, by a vote of 254152, adopted a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the telework bill (HR 1722), clearing the legislation for the president. President Obama is expected to sign the measure into law. The underlying bill would require executive agencies to establish policies for employees to telework, create related training programs and designate telework managing officers. The bill would set guidelines for these policies, such as ensuring that teleworking would not diminish employee or agency performance. It also would require that telework be included in continuity plans for emergencies. On the House floor, supporters of the measure -- both Democrats and Republicans -- argued that the bill would save money. [Roll Call 578, H 1722, 11/18/2010; Congressional Quarterly Today, 11/18/10]

220

LEGAL ISSUES
Ryan Voted against Suspending Administration Ability to Appoint Interim U.S. Attorneys Indefinitely. On May 22, 2007, Paul Ryan voted against a bill that would allow the U.S. attorney general to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for a period of no more than 120 days in the event of a vacancy. If the Senate has not confirmed a new attorney by that time, the district court with the vacancy would be required to appoint an interim U.S. attorney to serve until a replacement receives Senate confirmation. The bill passed 306-114. [Roll Call 397, S 214, 05/22/2007] Ryan Voted for Whistle Blower Protection. On March 14, 2007, Ryan voted for the bill that would provide protection to federal employees who lawfully disclose evidence of waste, abuse or gross mismanagement that they believe is credible without restriction as to time, place, form, motive, context or prior disclosure. According to the Washington Post, the bill is extending whistle-blower protections to civil servants at national security agencies such as the FBI and CIA and to private-sector employees of government contractors. The bill also would protect federal employees who blow the whistle on superiors seeking to suppress or distort scientific research for political reasons. [Roll Call 153, H 985, 03/14/2007; Washington Post 03/22/2007] Ryan Voted to Ensure Access to Federal Courts for Those Challenging Eminent Domain Claims. On September 29, 2006 Ryan voted for a bill that would ensure access to federal courts for those challenging government attempts to take their property under eminent domain. It would allow private landowners who want to challenge a state or local governments taking of their land to file a claim directly with a federal court when only federal claims are alleged. Congressional Quarterly Today reported that In addition to trying to restrain governments from seizing land outright, the bill would allow property owners to challenge in federal court certain conditions that local and state governments may try to impose on a proposed development. An amendment by Arizona Republican Jeff Flake that was adopted during the July markup would extend the provision to include conditions imposed by federal agencies Opponents of the measure say such provisions could threaten air and water quality laws, workplace safety regulations and the like, and transfer control of local land use issues to federal judges. In a Sept. 22 letter to House leaders, 36 state attorneys general said Chabots bill is a significant federal intrusion into state and local administration of real property and land use laws. [Roll Call 511, H 4772, 09/29/2006; Congressional Quarterly Today, 10/4/06] Ryan Supported Public Expressions of Religion by Government Officials. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, was aimed at making it more difficult and expensive to sue government officials regarding public expressions of religion. The bill would prohibit plaintiffs in such lawsuits from recovering monetary damages, costs or lawyers fees. Supporters of the bill said it was necessary to prevent a chilling of First Amendment rights to free speech and exercise of religion. But critics charged that the measure was potentially unconstitutional and left plaintiffs with no realistic remedy or means to deter government officials from acting in ways forbidden by the First Amendment. The bill passed 244-173. [Roll Call 480, H 2679, 09/26/2006; CQ Today, 9/25/06] Ryan Opposed Legal Challenges to Pledge of Allegiance. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would bar most federal courts, including the Supreme Court, from hearing constitutional challenges to the Pledge of Allegiance. The bill was aimed at preventing federal judges from ruling that the phrase under God in the pledge was unconstitutional. Congress inserted the under God phrase into the pledge in 1954. In 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that under God in the pledge amounted to an unconstitutional establishment of religion. The Supreme Court reversed the 9th Circuit in June 2004 on technical, not constitutional, grounds. Democrats said that the bill was unnecessary and that the House should focus on other issues instead, such as an increase in the minimum wage, health care, the Middle East crisis and the war in Iraq. The bill passed 260-167 [Roll Call 385, H 2389, 07/19/2006; CQ Today, 7/19/06]

Tort Reform
2004: Ryan Voted to Cap Medical Malpractice Damage Awards. In 2004, Ryan voted for House passage of a bill that would cap the awards that plaintiffs and their attorneys could receive in medical malpractice cases. [Roll Call 166, H 4280, 05/12/2004] 221

Ryan Voted for Malpractice Lawsuit Cap. On March 14, 1996, Ryan voted for a bill that would cap the awards that plaintiffs and their attorneys could receive in medical malpractice cases. According to The Asheville Citizen-Times, the bill would place a $250,000 cap on pain and suffering -- so-called noneconomic damages and would give doctors an incentive to stay put and bring down malpractice insurance premiums nationwide. The limit, which Congress is considering, would not apply to lost wages, medical bills and other economic damages. Awards designed to punish a doctor or hospital would be limited to twice the amount of economic damages awarded or $250,000, whichever is greater. [Roll Call 64, H 5, 03/13/2003; The Asheville Citizen-Times 3/16/2003] Ryan Voted in Favor of Patent Reform Meant to Reduce the Number of Infringement Suits. On September 7, 2007, Ryan voted in favor of a patent reform bill meant to reduce the number of infringement suits. Critics said the bill would favor big companies and encourage infringement. According to the Washington Post, the bill is meant to reduce the mounting number of patent infringement cases by changing the ways patents are awarded and challenged. Because much of the bill is perceived to be favorable to targets of patent-infringement suits rather than patent holders, it has attracted passionate support from big technology companies, which are usually the defendants in such suits, and criticism from drug manufacturers and small inventors, who are typically plaintiffs. [] One sticking point is the new set of guidelines for calculating patent infringement damages. Currently, damages can be awarded based on the entire value of a product that includes a component that infringes on a patent. Under this legislation, judges can instruct juries in certain cases to award damages only for the value of the component. If a computer contains a chip that is patented, for example, the chip patents owner would be awarded damages based on the value of the chip rather than the computer. The standards for determining whether a patent has been willfully infringed upon -- which can lead to treble damages -- are also stricter. Proponents of these provisions, such as hightech companies that frequently produce devices that rely on hundreds of smaller patented components, argue that they will result in fairer and more uniform damage awards. Those against the damages changes say that they encourage infringement. [] Among other provisions, the bill would expand the process for challenging patents after theyve been granted and award patents based on who files for them first rather than who invented a product. [Roll Call 863, H 1908, 09/07/2007; Washington Post, 09/08/07] Ryan Voted for Imposing Stronger Penalties on Lawyers who File Meritless Lawsuits. On October 27, 2005, Ryan voted for the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005. Congressional Quarterly Weekly reported that the bill would impose stronger penalties on lawyers who file lawsuits that are deemed to be meritless. [] The legislation would reverse changes in civil procedure rules adopted by the courts in 1993 and eliminate a rule that allows lawyers to avoid sanctions by quickly withdrawing such claims. It also would require judges to suspend for one year any lawyer who filed three meritless claims in a single judicial district over the course of his career. Currently, a judge may decide on a case-by-case basis whether a lawyer should be sanctioned. [] But critics of the legislation -- including Democrats, consumer groups and some legal groups -charge that it would tie judges hands by forcing them to impose sanctions and would have a chilling effect on civil rights lawsuits. [Roll Call 553, H 420, 10/27/2005; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 10/29/05] Ryan Supported Capping Damage Awards in Medical Malpractice Cases. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of legislation that would cap the awards that plaintiffs and their attorneys could receive in medical malpractice cases. The bill would limit non-economic damages to $250,000 and cap punitive damages to $250,000 or double economic damages, whichever was greater. Supporters argued the bill would protect doctors from high premiums resulting from frivolous lawsuits, yet a study showed that insurance premiums were skyrocketing while payouts from insurance companies remained flat or, in some cases, even decreased. Medical malpractice rates were going up not because of lawsuit awards, but because insurance companies were gouging doctors to make up for their own investment losses over the previous few years. Additionally, the bill included a provision providing a liability waiver for manufacturers of prescription drugs and medical devices. These provisions would protect companies like Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx. An estimated 139,000 people have had heart attacks and according to the FDA, 55,000 have died as a result of taking Vioxx. The bill passed 230-194. [Roll Call 449, H 5, 07/28/2005; Leadership Talking Points, Medical Malpractice] Ryan Voted to Restrict Frivolous Lawsuits. In September 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would increase federal sanctions on lawyers who file meritless civil lawsuits. It would restore mandatory sanctions against those filing such lawsuits instead of giving judges the discretion to implement sanctions. The bill would strike the safe harbor provision of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that allows lawyers to avoid sanctions by withdrawing or correcting questionable claims. The vote succeeded, 229-174. [Roll Call 450, H 4571, 09/14/2004] Ryan Voted to Restrict Individuals Access to the Courts. In September 2004, Ryan voted for a bill that would increase 222

federal sanctions on lawyers who file meritless civil lawsuits. It would restore mandatory sanctions against those filing such lawsuits instead of giving judges the discretion to implement sanctions. The bill would strike the safe harbor provision of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that allows lawyers to avoid sanctions by withdrawing or correcting questionable claims. The vote succeeded, 229-174. [Roll Call 450, H 4571, 09/14/2004]

223

OTHER
Census
Ryan Did Not Support Two Sets Of Census Population Numbers, Which Governments Were Expected To Choose Between. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Census 2000 is fast becoming the most litigated and politically contentious head count in U.S. history, though the tallying itself is still six months off. For the first time, the Census Bureau is expected to release two sets of population numbers, leaving it to federal, state and local governments -- and other users of census data -- to choose which set to work with. Thats led already to a Supreme Court decision and a presidential veto for a census not happening until next year. Were on a freight train for lawsuits, said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) of Janesville, who serves on the census subcommittee of the House Committee on Government Reform. The fear I have with the twonumber census is you will have a sea of litigation, filed by counties, by municipalities, by villages, by states, as to which set of numbers theyll use. Each self-interested entity will want to use the better of the two counts for them, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/10/99]

Community Service
Ryan Voted Against Expanding Community Service Programs. On March 31, 2009, Ryan voted against a bill that would reauthorize Corporation for National and Community Service programs through fiscal 2014, increase the education reward for full-time service volunteers from $4,725 to $5,350 and make the reward equal to the maximum annual Pell grant thereafter. According to the New York Times, The House voted overwhelmingly to approve an expansion of national community service programs, a measure President Obama has said he would sign. The bill will expand the number of volunteer slots to 250,000 from 75,000, increasing the ranks of the existing AmeriCorps program and establishing new cadres of volunteers focused on health care, education, renewable energy and veterans. [Roll Call 169, H 1388, 03/31/2009; New York Times, 04/01/09] Ryan Voted Against Expanding National Service Programs by 175,000 People. On March 18, 2009 Ryan voted against a national service bill that would expand service programs. According to the Washington Post, Tens of thousands of Americans could see more opportunities to mentor children, help rebuild homes and participate in other national service under a measure passed by the House, 321 to 105. AmeriCorps and other national service programs would be able to expand by 175,000 participants. The measure would also create new groups to help poor communities with education, clean energy, health care and services for veterans. [Roll Call 140, H 1388, 03/18/2009; Washington Post, 03/19/09]

Gambling
Ryan Lobbied Federal Officials To Speed Up Approval Of Donors Casino. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, On Feb. 28, 2006, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan met with federal officials to complain that they were dilly-dallying on the application to build an $808 million casino at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha. At the time, Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha was spearheading the lucrative deal. Troha has since sold his interest after being charged last month with using his kids to funnel donations to Gov. Jim Doyle. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/07] Businessman Dropped $25,000 Donation To NRCC After Ryan Met With Federal Officials To Speed Up His Application For A Casino. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, George Skibine, then the director of the Office of Indian Gaming Management, described the Ryan meeting in a March 1, 2006, e-mail: He (Ryan) asked us for a time frame to get a decision on this application. He was also really annoyed with Maria Wiseman for missing her selfimposed deadlines for reviewing the draft (environmental impact statement). Sounds like the Janesville Republican leaned pretty hard on the feds to get the application moving. Then, three weeks after that meeting, Troha dropped $25,000 into the kitty of the National Republican Congressional Committee, a fund GOP House leaders use for key races. By March 06, Troha and his wife had already all but maxed out to Ryans campaign fund. Whats more, Ryan certainly would have scored points with his bosses by bringing in such a hefty gift. So did Ryan play any role in asking Troha for the NRCC donation? As this question relates to the ongoing investigation of Mr. Troha, it would be inappropriate to comment, said 224

Ryan campaign coordinator Susan Jacobson. Not exactly the answer we were expecting. Instead of giving a yes or no, Ryans folks hid behind the Troha investigation. Got that? [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/07] Ryan Voted for New Limits on Opening New Off-Reservation Casinos for Indian Tribes. On September 13, 2006 Ryan voted to advance a bill that would place new limits on opening new off-reservation casinos for Indian tribes. According to Congressional Quarterly, Many lawmakers complained that the measure (HR 4893) was being rushed to a vote, and they argued that it would erode tribes sovereignty by requiring certain new tribal casinos to win local governments approval. [] The measure would require a newly recognized tribe to sign a memorandum of understanding with local governments stipulating that the tribe would mitigate any direct effect the casino has on local government services. The state and the Interior Department also would have to approve the deal. [Roll Call 439, H 4893, 09/13/2006; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 09/15/06] Ryan Voted to Bar Payments to Offshore Internet Gambling Sites. On June 10, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to bar payments to offshore internet gambling sites. According to the Washington Post, The House approved legislation yesterday that would bar financial institutions and creditors from completing credit card payments or wire transfers to cover debts that losers owe offshore Internet gambling sites. The bill, which passed 319 to 104, would end the flow of money to sites otherwise outside U.S. control. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who sponsored the legislation, said it is an attempt to curb betting, particularly by underage or chronic gamblers. The bills sponsors said that in 1997, 24 offshore sites were conducting business. By 2001, there were at least 1,500 -- collecting about $ 6 billion in bets annually. Bachus said an estimated 5 million American youths gamble online. Gambling is illegal in casinos for individuals under age 18 or 21, depending on state law. [Roll Call 255, H 2143, 06/10/2003; Washington Post, 06/11/03]

Native Americans
Ryan Voted Against Protecting Native American Products. On July 21, 2010 Ryan voted against motion to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permit federal law enforcement officials to investigate the production and sale of counterfeit American Indian arts and crafts. According to the Bangor Daily News, the amendment would authorize a variety of measures on Indian reservations intended to decrease crime associated with the unlawful misrepresentation and counterfeiting of American Indian jewelry, pottery, baskets, rugs and other items. [Roll Call 455, H 725, 07/21/2010; Bangor Daily News 7/24/2010] Ryan Voted Against the Approval of the Settlement of Land Claims of the Bay Mills Indian Community. On June 25, 2008, Ryan voted against ratifying a land claims settlement between the state of Michigan and two Michigan Indian tribes, the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The bill would allow the tribes to operate a gambling facility on the new parcel of land in Port Huron, Mich., in exchange for the tribes relinquishing their claim to a 110acre parcel of land in Charlotte Beach, Mich. According to the Detroit Free Press, In a victory for Detroits casinos, a push to allow new American Indian casinos in Port Huron and Romulus was overwhelmingly defeated Wednesday in the U.S. House after a fiery debate among Michigans congressional delegation. Proponents of the casinos, led by U.S. Rep. John Dingell argued that the bill would provide thousands of much-needed jobs and follow through on a land swap backed by a plethora of state officials, including Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her immediate predecessor, Republican John Engler. [Roll Call 458, H 2176, 06/25/2008; Detroit Free Press, 6/26/08] Ryan Voted Against Restoring Some Self-Governance to Native Hawaiians. On October 24, 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to restore some self-governance to native Hawaiians by allowing them to form a governing body that could negotiate with the state and federal government. According to the Seattle Times, Native Hawaiians should regain some of the selfgovernance powers lost when the islands queen was overthrown more than a century ago, the House decided Wednesday. The White House threatened a veto, saying the bill that passed by a 261-153 vote would divide Americans along suspect lines of race and ethnicity. The bill would give the 400,000 people nationwide of Native Hawaiian ancestry the right to form a governing entity that could negotiate with the state and federal governments over such issues as control of natural resources, lands and assets. The interior secretary would have to approve that governing body. Native Hawaiians, who long have sought the bill, insist they deserve many of the self-autonomy rights provided to American Indians and Native Alaskans. To win over critics, the legislation spells out that the Native Hawaiian government could not take private land or set up gambling operations similar to those allowed to Indians. The bill would not affect military facilities in the state and Hawaiians would not 225

gain new eligibility for programs and services available to Indians. [Roll Call 1000, H 505, 10/24/2007; Seattle Times, 10/25/07] Ryan Voted for the Cherokee Indian Land Exchange Act. On September 23, 2003, Ryan voted for the Renzi, R-Ariz., motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would allow for a land exchange between the federal government and the Cherokee Indian tribe in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The government would receive 218 acres of private land and the Cherokee Indians would receive 143 acres of land in the park. The land would be used for a new Cherokee Indian school and campus. [Roll Call 512, H 1409, 09/23/2003]

226

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Ryan Voted to Raise Fees on Patent Applications. On March 3, 2004 Ryan voted for the United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2004. The bill raised patent fees and redirect the money back to the Patent and Trademark Office. Proponents, led by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., said the legislation was necessary to raise additional revenue, structurally reform the PTO and reduce the applications backlog. The bill passed 379-28. [Roll Call 38, H 1561, 03/03/2004; Tulsa World, 3/7/04] Ryan Voted Against Funding for the Science and Technology Research Initiatives. On May 19, 2010, Ryan voted against the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would authorize approximately $48 billion from fiscal 2011-2013 for science and technology research initiatives and programs. According to the Washington Post, the bill would authorize $48 billion over three years for a wide range of science and technology programs run by federal agencies, universities and the private sector. Begun in 2007, the America Competes initiative seeks to maintain the countrys global leadership in technology and innovation. [Roll Call 277, H 5325, 05/19/2010; Washington Post 05/23/2010] Ryan Voted for the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act 2008. On June 5, 2008, Ryan voted to suspend the rules and pass the National Nanotechnology Initiative Act of 2008. Business Wire reported that NanoBusiness Alliance Executive Chairman Sean Murdock today commended the House of Representatives for passing the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 5940). The bill, which reauthorizes and updates the successful federal interagency nanotechnology research and development program, passed by an overwhelming, bipartisan margin. [] The bill updates the National Nanotechnology Initiative, first authorized in 2003, and adds new provisions in several key areas: addressing environmental, health, and safety issues associated with nanotechnology; improving nanotechnology education; ensuring that new technology moves from the laboratory to the marketplace; focusing research efforts in areas of national importance such as electronics, energy efficiency, health care, and water remediation; and research into nanomanufacturing. [Roll Call 383, H 5940, 06/05/2008; Business Wire, 06/05/08.] Ryan Voted against Extension of Tax Credits for Renewable Energy, R&D Tax Credit. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would revive or extend about $55.5 billion in tax breaks for individuals and businesses for one year. Specifically, the bill would allot $1.7 billion to allow individuals to deduct state sales taxes instead of income taxes from their 2008 tax filing, and $2.6 billion to extend the deduction for tuition and related expenses through 2008. The bill also included $8.8 billion to extend a research and development credit which gives companies an extra incentive to invest in future products through 2008. The bill also extended tax credits for solar energy, wind energy, biomass, geothermal energy and certain coal projects. The bill would also create a new category of tax credit bonds to help state and local governments with projects designed to reduce greenhouse gases. The bill passed 263-160. [Roll Call 344, H 6049, 05/21/2008; CQ Weekly, 5/26/08] Ryan Voted Against Exceptions to Human Cloning Ban. Ryan voted against the Democratic substitute to the Human Cloning Ban that allows for carefully monitored non-reproductive cloning and a ten-year subset on the ban. The substitute amendment to the Human Cloning Ban would ban human cloning to begin a pregnancy but allow the cloning of embryos for medical research as long as a researcher registers with the Department of Health and Human Services. It would make it illegal to receive or transport the products of cloning if they would be used to begin a pregnancy. It also would provide that the ban on reproductive cloning would expire in 10 years. [Roll Call 302, H 2505, 07/31/2001; Washington Post, 5/30/02]

Communication
Ryan Supported Bill Increasing Fines On TV And Radio Station Broadcasting Indecent Material. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 391 for and 22 against, the House passed a bill that would increase fines -- from $27,500 to $500,000 per incident -- on TV and radio stations found to have broadcast indecent material. The bill raises fines for artists who perform such material from $11,000 to $500,000 per incident. It requires the Federal Communications Commission to hold a license revocation hearing after a station commits its third offense. The bill awaits Senate action. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 3/14/04]

227

Ryan Voted to Increase FCC Penalties on Broadcast Indecency. On March 11, 2004 Ryan voted for the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004. The bill would give the Federal Communications Commission the ability to impose fines of up to $500,000 per violation, up from the current $27,500. Because many shows are syndicated and played on numerous stations around the country, fines could run into the millions of dollars. Broadcasters also could have their licenses revoked after a third violation. The action follows public outcry over the baring of Janet Jacksons right breast by Justin Timberlake during the performers televised halftime show at the Super Bowl last month. The bill passed 391-22. [Roll Call 55, H 3717, 03/11/2004; Washington Post, 3/12/04] Ryan Voted Against Federal Employees Telecommuting. On May 6, 2010, Ryan voted against the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would require the heads of each executive agency to establish and implement a policy that would authorize employees to telework as much as possible without diminishing agency operations or performance. According to the Washington Post, the deficit-neutral bill to greatly increase the number of civil servants allowed by their agencies to work from home or remote telecommuting centers at least one day each week. The bill would require all agencies to establish telework programs, put a senior manager in charge, expand employee participation and set up an appeals process for those denied participation. The vote sent the bill to a House-Senate conference committee. [Roll Call 251, H 1722, 05/06/2010; Washington Post 07/18/2010] Ryan Supported Major Changes in Telecommunications Policy. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill marking the first major change in telecommunications law since enactment of the 1996 law that deregulated the telephone and cable TV industries. The measure established new national approval process for telephone and cable companies that want to offer cable TV services, allowing them to obtain a national franchise from the FCC, rather than obtaining approval from local governments. The measure prohibited franchise holders from denying service to customers on the basis of their income, but it did not require the companies to expand their service to an entire jurisdiction. The bill gave the FCC the sole authority to enforce a policy statement supporting the right of consumers to access their choice of Internet services and sites, while preserving the applicability of antitrust laws to cases concerning network operations. It did not include more explicit network neutrality requirements sought by content providers such as Google and Yahoo, but opposed by service providers. The bill passed 321-101. [Roll Call 241, H 5252, 06/08/2006; Washington Post, 6/09/06] Paul Ryan Supported TV Market Consolidation. In 2003, Paul Ryan voted in favor of a funding bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State that included a provision barring the FCC from spending any funds to grant licenses that would allow a single company to own television stations that reach more than 35 percent of the national audience. The bill passed 400-21. [Roll Call 422, H 2799, 07/23/2003]

Funding
Ryan Voted Against Increasing the Commerce, State, Justice and Science Budget. On June 29, 2006, Ryan voted against the 2007 Science-State-Justice-Commerce appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, the bill would provide $59.8 billion in discretionary spending and $60.2 billion total for the departments of Commerce, Justice and State and several independent agencies, such as NASA. The total is about $2.6 billion more than appropriated for fiscal 2006 (PL 109-108) and $137 million more than President Bush requested. [Roll Call 349, H 5672, 06/29/2006; Congressional Quarterly Today, 06/29/06] Ryan Voted for Funding Departments of Commerce, Justice & State in 2006. On November 9, 2005, Ryan voted for the conference report on a bill that would provide $61.8 billion, including $57.9 billion in discretionary spending, in fiscal 2006 for the departments of Commerce, Justice and State, as well as various science and other related agencies. It would provide $21.7 billion for Justice, $6.6 billion for Commerce and $9.7 billion for the State Department and international broadcasting agencies, $16.5 billion for NASA and $5.6 billion for the National Science Foundation. It would block the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from enforcing language in future trade agreements that would make it more difficult to import prescription drugs to the United States. [Roll Call 581, H 2862, 11/09/2005] Ryan Voted for $57.8 Billion in Science, State, Justice, and Commerce Appropriations in 2006. On June 16, 2005, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would provide $57.8 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State as well as various science and other related agencies. It would provide $21.8 billion for the Justice Department, $5.8 billion for the Commerce Department and $9.7 billion for the State Department and international broadcasting agencies. The 228

bill also would appropriate $16.5 billion for NASA and $5.6 billion for the National Science Foundation. It would block the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from enforcing language in future trade agreements that would make it more difficult to import prescription drugs from the specific countries involved. [Roll Call 268, H 2862, 06/16/2005]

Internet
Ryan Said He Did Not Support The Stop Online Piracy Act. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the office of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: Wisconsins First District Congressman Paul Ryan released the following statement regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act: The internet is one of the most magnificent expressions of freedom and free enterprise in history. It should stay that way. While H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act, attempts to address a legitimate problem, I believe it creates the precedent and possibility for undue regulation, censorship and legal abuse. I do not sup-port H.R. 3261 in its current form and will oppose the legislation should it come before the full House. [States News Service, 1/9/12] Reddit Attacked Ryans Support For SOPA. According to International Business Times News, Following OWS, Congress served up two bills that drew an online backlash: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The online pushback went so far as to advocating a boycott of GoDaddy for its advocacy of SOPA. The Webhosting megalith played a key role in the bills creation and passage. The embargo was to be carried out on Thursday. For arguably the first time, a company faced the prospect of hemorrhaging revenue because they pissed off the denizens of the web. The efficiency and promised effectiveness of the boycott, which was yet to be quantified as of writing, emboldened online activists to switch to the political realm. Over the last three days, it searched for a target -- and landed on Ryan Reddit took to Ryan like a termite swarm to a rotting log. In less than 24 hours, they managed to: break down Ryans campaign contributions; dig up a HuffPo post of a man getting arrested after protesting at a Ryan event; request submissions for a logo; have a Q&A session with his opponent; cultivate a list of his donors for possible boycott; and cull together his voting record. They even adopted a name: Operation Pull Ryan (OPR). In the same period of time, Ryans camp scrambled to dispel the notion that the Congressman supports SOPA -- ostensibly the reason all of this started -- only to realize they were firing at an elusive target. They were too late. The focus had already shifted beyond Should we focus on Paul Ryan? How activists were asking themselves How? [International Business Times News, 12/30/11] Ryan Voted to Nullify Net Neutrality. On April 8, 2011 Ryan voted for the joint resolution that would nullify the Federal Communications Commissions net neutrality network management rules for broadband service providers. According to the AP, the resolution would repeal federal rules barring Internet service providers from blocking or interfering with traffic on their networks. Republicans, in voting to repeal rules on network neutrality set down by the Federal Communications Commission, said the FCC lacked the authority to promulgate the rules. They disputed the need to intervene in an already open Internet and warned that the rules would stifle investment in broadband systems. [Roll Call 252, S 37, 04/08/2011; AP 4/9/2011] Ryan Supported Federal Regulation Of Email Spam. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 392 for and five against, the House passed a bill to begin federal regulation of the unwanted email known as spam. The bill does not outlaw junk email but sets rules by which its purveyors must operate. It requires consumers to opt out of unwanted messaging after the fact, as opposed to a stricter California law that requires spammers to obtain permission before sending their messages. A yes vote backed the conference report. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/23/03] Ryan Voted in Favor of Anti-Spam Bill. On November 21, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill intended to curb unsolicited email. According to the Washington Post, the bill would give federal law enforcers and regulators broad authority to prosecute the most unsavory senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail, who peddle everything from financial scams to bodyenhancement products and pornography. [] Some consumer groups and anti-spam activists argue that such a law would be largely ignored by the worst spammers, many of whom operate overseas. Meanwhile, they say, the bill would codify rules by which legitimate companies can send even more unwanted e-mail. [] The congressional bill would provide for criminal penalties for a variety of spammer tactics, including disguising the Internet addresses of their computers so they cannot be located, harvesting e-mail addresses from Web sites and sending spam to them, using deceptive subject lines in messages, and sending spam to millions of e-mail addresses that are randomly generated by special software programs. [Roll Call 671, S 877, 11/22/2003; Washington Post, 11/22/03] 229

NASA
Ryan Voted Against Creating a Pilot Program in NASA to Support Minority-Serving Institutions. On July 22, 2005, Ryan voted against a Velazquez, D-N.Y., amendment that would create a four-year pilot program for NASA to award grants to minority-serving institutions for the development of NASA research facilities and infrastructure. It would authorize $4 million per year for fiscal 2006 through 2009 for the pilot program and require each grant to have a matching amount provided from a non-federal source. The underlying legislation would reauthorize funding for NASA for two years. [Roll Call 415, H 3070, 07/22/2005] Ryan Voted For a NASA Reauthorization Bill that Included $7 Billion for US Portion of International Space Station. Ryan voted for passage of a bill to authorize $41.2 billion for NASA. The AP reported, The bill also provides $7 billion for the U.S. portion of the international space station, $7.8 billion for space shuttle operations and $4.2 billion for earth science programs. As in past years, Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind., led a move against the space station, but with that program moving into the construction phase he got little support for amendments that would have capped funding, killed the program all together or removed Russia as a partner. [Roll Call 139, H 1654, 05/19/1999; Associated Press, 5/20/99] Ryan Voted for a NASA Reauthorization Bill that Included $7 Billion for US Portion of International Space Station. Ryan voted for passage of a bill to authorize $41.2 billion for NASA. The AP reported, The bill also provides $7 billion for the U.S. portion of the international space station, $7.8 billion for space shuttle operations and $4.2 billion for earth science programs. As in past years, Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind., led a move against the space station, but with that program moving into the construction phase he got little support for amendments that would have capped funding, killed the program all together or removed Russia as a partner. [Roll Call 139, H 1654, 05/19/1999; Associated Press, 5/20/99] Ryan Voted Against Research into Quieter Airplanes. On May 19, 1999, Ryan voted against a Weiner (D-NY) amendment to the NASA authorization bill that would provide funding for research into quieter planes. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, The House added $11 million to the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations fiscal 2000 budget for research into quieter airplanes. This raised funding next year to $36 million. It restored a cut that had been made to provide more funds for the International Space Station. The vote occurred during debate on HR 1654. [Roll Call 134, H 1654, 05/19/1999; Chattanooga Times Free Press, 05/30/99]

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SOCIAL SECURITY
During The 107th Congress, Ryan Was A Member Of The Ways And Means Committee. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, In his second term, Ryan will serve on the Ways and Means subcommittee that deals with Social Security. Hell also sit on the subcommittee that handles select tax and revenue issues at the request of committee chairman Bill Thomas, a California Republican. In both of his campaigns for Congress, Ryan has focused on debt reduction, protecting Social Security through lockbox legislation and reducing taxes. The issues before Ways and Means are national in scope, but the details can be intensely local. For example, the 1997 Medicare reform bill proved harmful to Wisconsin, and the state has historically been a donor state when it comes to taxes. We now have a spot at the table when it comes to (setting) the formulas, Ryan said Tuesday. [Wisconsin State Journal, 1/10/01] Ryan Lobbied To Hastert For His Seat On Ways And Means Because He Felt Wisconsin Republicans Were Underrepresented On The A-List Committees. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said he made the case to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) that Wisconsin was unrepresented, on the Republican side, on the A-list committees: Appropriations, Ways and Means and Commerce. Ryan won a seat that was newly added to the panel. As a result of the move, he gives up his other previous assignments: the committees that deal with banking, the budget and government reform and the Joint Economic Committee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/6/01] Ryan Wanted To Be On The Ways And Means Committee Because It Dealt With Issues He Care About, Including The Overhaul Of Social Security And Medicare. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Meanwhile, Paul Ryan, a House Republican from Janesville who just won re-election to a second term, is trying to improve his clout. He has asked for a seat on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Its a longshot, Ryan, 30, said. The seat has been held by Bill Archer, a Texas Republican who is retiring, and Ryan believes at least 15 House members are trying for it. I want to get on the committee because it deals with the issues I care most about: overhauling Social Security and Medicare, paying off our debt and reforming our tax code, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/18/00]

Benefits
In His First Month On Capitol Hill Congressional GOP Leaders Turned To Ryan To Introduce The Social Security Guarantee Initiative. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, After his first full legislative week in Congress, Rep. Paul Ryan is already looking like a fast-rising star in the Republican Party. Majority Leader Richard Armey, R-Texas, tapped the Janesville Republican to deliver todays GOP radio address, which will follow President Clintons weekly address. House GOP leaders also have turned to Ryan -- at 29, the youngest Republican in Congress -- to introduce legislation on Social Security, considered by both Republicans and Democrats to be the most pressing issue of the 106th Congress. Ryan said the measure, the Social Security Guarantee Initiative, should garner bipartisan support and give Congress an early start on saving Social Security. He will discuss the bill in his radio address. Ryans youth was a draw when choosing him to sponsor the legislation, according to a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. He is someone who is a bright young member of Congress and someone who will have a stake in the longevity of Social Security, said John Feehery of Hasterts office. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/6/99] In A GOP Radio Address, Ryan Pledged That Republicans Would Not Cut Guaranteed Social Security Benefits. According to the Associated Press, Republicans are just as committed as President Clinton to maintaining a strong Social Security system, a GOP lawmaker said today, announcing plans to guarantee benefits are not cut. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said House leaders have pledged to move quickly on his measure, which would guarantee current benefits to all Social Security recipients. While we must move improve the system for working Americans, the benefits todays seniors have come to count on cannot and will not be changed in any way, Ryan said in the weekly Republican radio address. [Associated Press, 2/6/99]

Bush Social Security Plan


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Ryan Said Some Ideas In Bush Social Security Plan Were Similar To Liberal Ideas To Redistribute Wealth. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan has been far more vocal on the issue of Social Security reform. He is an ardent supporter of allowing workers to use the Social Security taxes they pay to set up personal retirement accounts. In fact, his own proposal calls for bigger accounts than Bush is proposing. Ryans plan also calls for no benefit cuts. Asked about Bushs plan to trim back the growth in benefits for people above a low-income threshold, Ryan said, Its an idea that typically comes from the left, means-testing the benefit. . . . Liberals would prefer to redistribute wealth more, take away from higher income and give to lower income. Thats what this does. Some conservatives who support Ryans approach have assailed Bushs proposal on benefits. Jack Kemp, who was on the GOP ticket in 1996, called it a bad and unnecessary idea that might be political suicide for Republicans. Ryan said: It may be a hard sell among conservatives. (But) I for one think we need to keep an open mind on these things. Ryan said hed continue to push for his own plan but expects some form of progressive indexing to make it into the final GOP package. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/8/05] Ryan Said Bush Social Security Plan Might Be A Hard Sell For Conservatives. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Some conservatives who support Ryans approach have assailed Bushs proposal on benefits. Jack Kemp, who was on the GOP ticket in 1996, called it a bad and unnecessary idea that might be political suicide for Republicans. Ryan said: It may be a hard sell among conservatives. (But) I for one think we need to keep an open mind on these things. Ryan said hed continue to push for his own plan but expects some form of progressive indexing to make it into the final GOP package. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/8/05]

Fraud
Ryan Voted for Anti-Social Security Fraud Measure. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to crack down on fraud and abuse in the Social Security system. The underlying bill would prevent fraud by people who manage retirees financial affairs when the beneficiaries were unable to do so themselves. The bill passed 396-28. [Roll Call 102, H 743, 04/02/2003]

Privatization
Ryan Said Social Security Privatization Was Not Necessary, But He Preferred It Personally. According to a transcript of The Charlie Rose Show, Ryan was asked, When you look at that Social Security for a moment, do you think it`s necessary to reform Social Security with private accounts? Ryan responded, No, it`s not necessary. I personally prefer it because, look at me, for example. I`m 40 years old. I`ll about a one percent return on my payroll taxes if Social Security could pay me my benefit, which, of course, it can`t It`s not privatized. It`s managed by the government in safe index funds. It harnesses the power of compound interest so they grow their money at five percent or six percent per year instead of negative one percent. They get better benefits. It`s a nest egg they control that goes to their property. [PBS, The Charlie Rose Show, 11/15/10] Ryan Said Republicans Were Not In Favor Of Privatizing Social Security. According to CQ Transcriptions, during an interview with David Asman of Fox Business Network, Ryan was asked Well, lets talk about some of these issues that they claim both Republicans and tea partiers are going to push. We just mentioned the health care reform, revise that or get rid of it. Privatize Social Security. Is that true? Are you and other...tea partyists for privatizing Social Security? Ryan responded: No. Thats why I say lots of demagoguerys going to come out. So number one, what some of us have proposed Social Security reform say (INAUDIBLE) number one, if youre 55 and above, no changes whatsoever, whether its Medicare or Social Security, not a single change to Medicare and Social Security for a person in or near retirement. We do have to recognize, though, that these programs are going bankrupt, so weve got to do things to make them solvent and secure for future generations. And all the ideas that have been proposed, my bill and others included, do not privatize Social Security. What I propose is to give workers an option, if they want to have a personal account that is managed like my Social Security, like my thrift savings plan as a member of Congress. They can have that. [CQ Transcriptions, 7/29/10] Ryan Voted to Protect Social Security Privatization Supporter. In 2007, Ryan voted against an amendment to the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill for the Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services to bar the use of funds in the bill to pay the salary of the deputy commissioner of Social Security without a Senate vote confirming the appointment of the deputy commissioner. The amendment was aimed at blocking salary payments to Andrew Biggs, the 232

deputy commissioner of Social Security and an advocate of privatizing Social Security. President Bush had installed Biggs with a recess appointment to avert Senate confirmation hearings that would examine his views on privatization. The amendment passed 231-199. [Roll Call 665, H 3043, 07/18/2007; Washington Post, 7/22/07] Ryan Sponsored Legislation To Allow Personal Saving Accounts For Social Security. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, In April, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, reintroduced legislation he said would maintain Social Securitys safety net while giving younger workers the opportunity to put part of their tax contribution into a personal account in the Social Security system. Ryan was unavailable for comment Friday. In order to keep Social Security strong for all generations, we have to address the demographic shift that has occurred and will accelerate when the first of the baby boomers begin to retire in 2008, Ryan has said. [Wisconsin State Journal, 8/13/05] Ryan Proposed Scaled Down Social Security Privatization Bill. According to the Associated Press, With momentum for private Social Security accounts lagging in Congress, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan introduced a scaled-down bill to let people invest part of their Social Security taxes into private accounts. Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, is proposing the government allow workers to invest the portion of their payroll taxes that currently goes into a Social Security surplus into personal accounts. Currently, the federal government borrows from that surplus to pay for other government programs. Ryan, one of the leading congressional proponents of private accounts, said Friday his bill would stop what he called the raid of the Social Security surplus. If you pay your Social Security payroll taxes, thats where the money should go - Social Security, he said. Thats not the case today, and it has not been the case for several years. [Associated Press, 7/15/05] Scaled Down Bill Would Allow Workers To Invest One Sixth Of Their Social Security Tax. According to the Associated Press, The bill is far less ambitious than the one Ryan introduced earlier this year, which would allow workers to invest about half their Social Security payroll tax into private accounts - one of the most aggressive approaches in Congress. Under his new bill, workers could invest about one-sixth of their Social Security tax for the next several years, at current surplus rates. Ryan conceded that the amount of money generated in the personal accounts would not be enough to pay for retirement needs by itself. A 34-year-old worker making $16,500 would retire with a personal account of $5,300, while a 34-year-old making $58,600 would retire with $20,000, according to estimates by the Social Security Administration. [Associated Press, 7/15/05] Ryan Said Investing Social Security Benefits Would Be A Real Asset For Workers. According to the Associated Press, That would be in addition to the money generated in the traditional Social Security system. The money in the accounts, Ryan said, would allow workers to put a down-payment on their retirement benefits. The reason this is better for the worker is its a real asset that they own that is part of their property that Congress cannot take away from them, Ryan said. These accounts are fully inheritable. [Associated Press, 7/15/05] AARP: We Need To Move Past Ideas That Will Polarize People. According to the Associated Press, The bill received a skeptical response from AARP, a lobbying group for seniors. It still is a private-account approach, and AARP has serious concerns about private accounts, said the groups national coordinator for economic issues, Evelyn Morton. We need to move past ideas that will polarize people, and move toward ideas that deal with Social Security solvency. [Associated Press, 7/15/05]

Ryan Introduced Social Security Privatization Plan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Paul Ryan, the Janesville Republican who has been a leading supporter of private Social Security accounts, outlined his plan to restructure the entitlement program Wednesday, proclaiming it was the most humane way to save Social Security. Like President Bush, Ryan wants to give workers under 55 the option of creating investment accounts using payroll taxes that now go to fund Social Security benefits. But the Ryan plan, co-authored by Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.), is different from most other plans circulating in Congress because it combines large personal accounts with no Social Security benefit cuts and no tax increases. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/21/05] Ryans Social Security Plan Would Cost $1.1 Trillion Over 10 Years. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Under the Ryan plan, workers could divert 5 percentage points of the Social Security payroll tax on the first $10,000, and 2.5 points of taxable wages above that. After 10 years, those limits would double. Workers who are now 55 or older would remain under the current system. The plan, which Ryan says would have a 10-year transition cost of $1.1 trillion, would rely on two main sources of funding. It would take the current surpluses in Social Security and spend them on Social Security, not the general budget as is done now. And it would cut the growth of discretionary domestic spending by 1 percentage point for 233

eight years. The plan also assumes that the new accounts, by increasing investment in the stock market, will boost corporate tax revenue, and it seeks to capture that increase for Social Security. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/21/05] Ryan Voted to Block Democratic Proposal Prohibiting Social Security Dollars to Be Diverted to Create Private Accounts. In 2005, Ryan voted to block a Democratic proposal to add a provision to the budget resolution stipulating that money from the Social Security Trust Fund could not be diverted to create private investment accounts. A yes vote was to block the Democratic proposal. [Roll Call 78, S 154, 03/16/2005; Pueblo Chieftain, 3/17/05] 2005: Ryan Said There Would Be No Changes To Social Security Benefits For People Over 55. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Workers in their 40s and 50s who are preparing to retire just want to know that theyll get some help from Uncle Sam, Ryan said. And those 55 and older just need reassurance, Ryan said. Theres one rock solid given, Ryan said. There will be no benefit changes for people over 55. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/27/05] In 2005 Ryan Said Social Security Private Accounts Would Be Better Than Current Model Even If Markets Flopped. According to the Washington Post, But Jim Kieselburg, 66, a retired printing manager who now sells appliances part time, said he is worried about a market crash. Worst-case scenario -- if everything goes flop? Kieselburg asked. Even if the markets do half as good as they have historically, youll still be doing a lot better than you are now, Ryan said. But its a good question. [Washington Post, 2/22/05] Ryan Admitted That His Plan To Pay For Social Security By Only Cutting Spending Was Not Realistic. According to the Washington Post, Ryan, a father of three, was the keynote speaker at the weekend Conservative Political Action Conference, a key venue for up-and-coming Republicans. Last year, Ryan introduced a Social Security plan with Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) that would allow workers to divert an average of half their payroll taxes to private accounts, a larger amount than the White House is considering. Several audience members indicated that they thought Ryans plan made sense, although he acknowledged that his idea of paying for it largely by cutting government spending is probably not realistic and probably would need to be accompanied by changes in benefits. [Washington Post, 2/22/05] 2005: Ryan Thought Social Security Was Studied To Death; Claimed It Was Time To Write Legislation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Meantime, Republicans slam Democrats as obstructionists. Democrats counter that theres nothing on the table detailed enough to obstruct. Some from both parties want a bipartisan commission to study Social Security. Ryan, for his part, thinks the issue has been studied to death. Its time to write legislation, crunch numbers and compromise, according to Ryan, whose Web site has a PowerPoint presentation on legislation he plans to introduce. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/21/05] Ryan Would Pay For Social Security Plan By Borrowing Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan, for example, has a much-discussed plan for large personal accounts that comes with no tax hikes and no Social Security benefit cuts. To pay for the creation of private accounts for younger workers while preserving traditional benefits for older workers, Ryan would borrow several hundred billion dollars, but mainly rely on cutting back the growth of future spending in other government programs. His plan has significant GOP backing, but some in his party say relying on future spending limits as a source of revenue is a nice-sounding but unrealistic proposition. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/10/05] Ryan Said His Social Security Plan Would Decrease Wealth Gap Better Than Any Left Wing Liberal In The World Trying To Decentralize The Concentration Of Wealth In America. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan offered Democrats his own argument Wednesday, saying his plan would decrease the wealth gap in America by allowing lower-income earners to build retirement assets through investment. If you wanted to be the biggest collectivist, the biggest left-wing liberal in the world to try to decentralize the concentration of wealth in America, you couldnt redistribute our income system more than this proposal would, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/10/05] Ryans Social Security Plan In 2005 Would Allow 6.4% Of Social Security Tax Dollars To Be Diverted Into Private Accounts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville didnt have to be sold on private accounts. He proposed them last year and will reintroduce legislation soon. He outlined an account structure identical to mine, Ryan said, noting that workers over 55 would not be affected and those younger would have the option of private accounts. A key difference: Ryan would allow a greater percentage of Social Security tax dollars to be diverted into the accounts, on average 6.4% of wages. This is just the beginning on a long road to reform, Ryan said. He started us out on a great footing, and theres a long way to go and a lot of details to sift through. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/3/05] 234

Ryan Wanted To Improve President Bushs Social Security Privatization Plan, Called It A Good First Step. According to the Associated Press, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, who is pushing an even bolder privatization plan, called Bushs proposal a good first step. We should take it in Congress and improve on it, said Ryan. I want to make sure that the accounts are sufficient enough for people to get decent retirement accounts. Bush called for letting people set aside about a third of their Social Security taxes into private accounts. Ryans bill would let people invest about half. Ryan will have a key role in shaping policy because of his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee. [Associated Press, 2/2/05] Ryan Said Small Scale Private Accounts Would Kick The Can Down The Road. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), author of the legislative proposal that would establish the largest private accounts, said the White House realizes that a half measure will be just as bitterly opposed as a full measure. If you do small accounts, you just kick the can down the road for another Congress to fix. Ryan, who said he had spoken directly with Bush twice at the end of last week about Social Security, said he expected the president to offer a detailed plan in his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night. I think hes going to put a lot of flesh on the bones, Ryan said. We definitely have a receptive audience. [Los Angeles times, 1/30/05] Ryan: Benefit Cuts Would Be Rendered Unnecessary By A Combination Of Across-The-Board Government Spending Caps And The Tax Revenue From The Economic Activity Generated By Investments Through The Private Social Security Accounts. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rep. Ryan argued that benefit cuts would be rendered unnecessary by a combination of across-the-board government spending caps and the tax revenue from the economic activity generated by investments through the private Social Security accounts. The important thing, he said, is to get the accounts started. Otherwise, said Ryan, who turned 35 on Saturday, Social Security will pay him less than 75% of the benefits now promised when he reaches full retirement age in 32 years. [Los Angeles times, 1/30/05] Ryan Said Raising Taxes For Social Security Was A Job Killer. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Raising taxes isnt the answer, according to Ryan, who notes that Social Security since its inception has seen 20 payroll tax increases. The payroll tax is a job killer, he said. None of those tax increases did much to fix the problem. They just kicked the can down the road. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] Ryan Called Investment Of Social Security Trust Fund A Big Mistake. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nor does [Ryan] warm to reform that would see part of the trust fund - say 15% - invested in stocks and bonds, with risks and rewards spread among all. Ryan called that investment scenario a big mistake and likened it to nationalizing private businesses. Having the government be an owner of private enterprises in America sets a very dangerous precedent, politically and philosophically. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] July 2004: Ryan Introduced The Social Security Personal Savings Guarantee And Prosperity Act Of 2004. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan in July introduced the Social Security Personal Savings Guarantee and Prosperity Act of 2004, crafted with Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.). The measure failed to advance, so Ryan plans to introduce similar legislation soon. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] Ryans 2004 Social Security Plan Would Keep Normal Plan For People Over 55. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, People older than 55 would remain under todays Social Security program. Those younger could steer a portion of their Social Security taxes into private investment accounts. He said a good model is the federal Thrift Savings Plan, a tax-deferred retirement investment plan, similar to a 401(k), for federal employees. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] Ryans 2004 Social Security Plan Would Create A Safety Net If Personal Accounts Fell Short. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Under his plan, much would remain the same: the tax rate, the $90,000 ceiling on taxable wages and a guaranteed monthly benefit. However, he would add a safety net feature if money in the personal accounts fell short of guaranteed benefits. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] Ryans Plan Would Convert Private Funds To Annuity To Prevent People Wouldnt Blow Their Money And Then Go Back On Social Security. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Upon ones retirement, money in the accounts would not be up for grabs, but converted into an annuity. Account holders just cant blow their money and then go back on Social Security, is how he put it. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] 235

Ryans Plan Would Use Excess Social Security Funds To Pay For Social Security Until 2018; Claimed To Curb Growth Of Federal Government. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan would devote all Social Securitys surplus dollars to Social Security from now until 2018; curb the growth of all federal spending outside Social Security to 3.6% annually (from todays 4.6%) for eight years; and issue Treasury bonds totaling $575 billion to cover anticipated shortfalls. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05]

Ryan: Social Security Stepped In And Helped My Family At Its Most Pressing Moment Of Need, So I Have A Very, Very Deep Affection For This Program; Mother Used Funds To Go Back To School, Ryan Paid For Education. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, More than ideology motivates him, as he tells it. Ryan was 16 when his father, a lawyer, died at age 55, and as a teen Ryan collected Social Security survivors benefits until he was 18, using the money for college. Ryan said his mother used her benefits to go back to school, learn a trade and open a small business. Social Security stepped in and helped my family at its most pressing moment of need, so I have a very, very deep affection for this program, said Ryan, whose circumstances today are comfortable. His last reported net worth, in 2002, was $890,000. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/30/05] Ryan: Social Security Was There For My Family When We Needed Help. According to the Associated Press, When Rep. Paul Ryan was 16, his father died of a heart attack and he had to rely on Social Security survivor benefits to help pay for college. It was a tough time for our family, and Social Security was there to help us when we needed the help, Ryan recalled. So I have a personal affection for the program that hits me deep at home. I was a personal beneficiary of the Social Security safety net system. [Associated Press, 1/16/05] Ryan Said His Social Security Plan Would Redistribute Wealth In America. According to the Associated Press, Ryan emphasizes the personal freedom he says his plan would give people, but he also strikes something of a socialist note in talking about its social benefits. This might sound weird coming from a guy like me, but I think that its good for our country to decentralize the concentration of wealth in America, he said. This would literally move the concentration of wealth into the accounts of working men and women, into their names. [Associated Press, 1/16/05] Ryan Thought His Plan To Privatize Social Security Would Ingratiate The GOP With Young Voters. According to the Capital Times, Ryan concedes theres risk in reshaping Social Security, whose recipients include 32 million retired workers and dependents who dont want their benefits cut. But he sees a huge political upside: winning the gratitude of investmentsavvy younger voters. Younger voters, thats just a layup, Ryan said. When they see the Democratic Party trying to oppose giving them access to their own Social Security (investment) account, thats a political winner for us and a loser for them. [Capital Times, 12/22/04] 2004: Dick Armey Called Ryans Social Security Proposal A Bill Finest Progressive Conservative Tradition. According to an opinion piece in the Wisconsin State Journal by Dick Armey, Wisconsins Ryan recently introduced important, effective legislation to reform Social Security before the 2018 crisis point. His bill is in the finest progressive conservative tradition. It would allow individual workers to voluntarily devote about half their payroll tax to personal retirement accounts that they own and control. Not only will personal accounts let all workers begin to accumulate real assets for retirement, but also the Ryan plan will avert the programs coming financial shortfall. By allowing workers to save for retirement today, the Ryan bill would begin to address Social Securitys massive unfunded liability. Neither tax increases nor benefit cuts will be necessary if workers are allowed the large personal retirement accounts found in Ryans plan. With its sound transition-financing plan and pre-funded accounts, the system would be permanently solvent. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/19/04] 2004: Dick Armey Said Ryans Social Security Privatization Plan Was The Same Concept As President Bushs Proposal. According to an opinion piece in the Wisconsin State Journal by Dick Armey, Neither tax increases nor benefit cuts will be necessary if workers are allowed the large personal retirement accounts found in Ryans plan. With its sound transition-financing plan and pre-funded accounts, the system would be permanently solvent. The PRAs in the Ryan plan are the same concept as the ownership society personal accounts supported by President Bush. The idea has broad grassroots appeal. People understand the benefits of similar accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, and know how much they would benefit by adding to that in a PRA the 6 percent of their income already going to FICA taxes. Thats probably why 193 candidates for the U.S. House and Senate have pledged to support PRAs as part of the FreedomWorks 2004 Candidate Survey. From long-shot challengers to respected leaders like Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., a consensus is emerging that PRAs are the solution and that we need to act now. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/19/04] 236

Ryan, With Sen. John Sununu, Introduced Social Security Proposal Allowing Personal Accounts. According to the Kansas City Star, Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, and Sen. John Sununu, a Republican from New Hampshire, have introduced in Congress what may become the most sweeping, visionary, breakthrough legislation to help enrich working people The Ryan-Sununu bill would protect, modernize and expand Social Security in a way that would end the tragedy of seniors retiring into poverty. The bill would allow workers the freedom to choose to shift what they now pay each week in payroll taxes, an amount that is roughly the same as what appears in the FICA box on their pay stub, into their own personal account. []Under the Ryan-Sununu bill, Social Security would not only stay in permanent surplus, it would achieve the largest reduction in government debt in world history by eliminating the current $11 trillion unfunded liability of Social Security, nearly three times the current federal debt held by the public. The bill does this by replacing the current unfunded liabilities of Social Security with fully funded personal accounts. In fact, the bill goes a step further by providing a federal guarantee that workers who choose personal accounts would receive at least as much as promised by Social Security, maintaining the federal safety net for retirees provided under current law and taking the risk issue for workers completely off the table. [The Kansas City Star, 8/22/04] Ryan Supported Funding the Commission that Pushed Bush Privatization Plan. In 2001, Ryan voted against an amendment that would have stopped the White House from implementing the Social Security privatization plan being developed by President Bushs Social Security Commission. A vote in favor of the amendment was to deny fiscal 2002 funding to advance the commission report. The Bush Commission was stacked to include only proponents of privatization and ultimately recommended three possible plans, all of which included some privatization of Social Security. Privatizing Social Security would require an increase in Social Security taxes or a return to the days of deficit spending, or a reduction in guaranteed benefits to pay for transition cost in the trillions. Max Richtman, executive vice president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, said of the Commissions proposals, Each of the proposals put forward by the commission require specific, massive cuts in defined benefits - even for those who do not opt for the voluntary accounts. The amendment was defeated 188-238. [Roll Call 273, H 2590, 07/25/2001; National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare press release, 12/11/01; USA Today, 5/15/01] Ryan Supported Bush Privatization Plan, Massive Cuts in Defined Benefits.. In 2001, Ryan voted against an amendment that would have stopped the White House from implementing the Social Security privatization plan being developed by President Bushs Social Security Commission. A vote in favor of the amendment was to deny fiscal 2002 funding to advance the commission report. The Bush Commission was stacked to include only proponents of privatization and ultimately recommended three possible plans, all of which included some privatization of Social Security. Privatizing Social Security would require an increase in Social Security taxes or a return to the days of deficit spending, or a reduction in guaranteed benefits to pay for transition cost in the trillions. Max Richtman, executive vice president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, said of the Commissions proposals, Each of the proposals put forward by the commission require specific, massive cuts in defined benefits - even for those who do not opt for the voluntary accounts. The amendment was defeated 188-238 [Roll Call 273, H 2590, 07/25/2001; USA Today, 5/15/01; Dallas Morning News, 5/7/01; National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare press release, 12/11/01] Ryan Supported The Privatization Of Social Security, Argued That The Program Would Be Insolvent By 2032. According to the Capital Times, Even before the attacks, Ryan said the momentum for hitching the public program to the private markets had suffered. Domestic stock markets have been in steady decline since April 2000, following the tremendous run-up during the 1990s. Ryan agreed that the market bust has likely dimmed the publics enthusiasm for stocks. Still, he argued that using the potential higher returns from private markets is the best way to ensure the future of Social Security. If we dont do anything, we know that by 2016 the system will run at a deficit and by 2032 it goes insolvent, he said. [The Capital Times, 10/31/02]

Solvency
Ryan Advocated Using The Budget Surplus To Guarantee Social Securitys Solvency. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Both advocate sealing off Social Security trust funds from any other uses and tapping budget surpluses to guarantee Social Security benefits for the baby boom generation, before they are put to any other use, including tax cuts. Ryan says Spottswood is a Jill-come-lately to the issue; Spottswood says Ryan came around to her stance after she issued a challenge last week that he sign a Social Security sanctity pledge. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/26/98] 237

Ryan Said The Projected 2000-2010 Federal Surplus Should Be Spent On Social Security Solvency And Target Tax Cuts Such As An Estate Tax Cut, A Cut In The Capital Gains Tax, And An Expansion Of The Roth IRA. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said he had read the Republican leaderships tax packet but did not take it home with him. He said he had not been promoting tax cuts. But, he said, everybody is reading about these surpluses and asking about them. As soon as they find out theres a new surplus -- an income tax surplus -- in addition to Social Security, most people want their money back. When they talk tax cuts, the Wisconsin Republicans are mostly on the same page, with some variations. It goes like this: First, make certain Social Security is solvent and protected, which also will help reduce the national debt. Then work toward specific tax cuts, such as: Elimination of the so-called marriage penalty, which results in married couples paying higher taxes than if they filed separately. Reduction of estate taxes to enable taxpayers to pass more wealth to their heirs. A cut in capital gains taxes. Modest across-the-board reductions in federal income taxes. Some also favor other specific targeted tax relief. For example, Petri said he was attracted to providing a tax deduction or credit to taxpayers to care for an elderly or incapacitated parent or other relative in their homes. I think thats something that would help an awful lot of people, he said. Ryan said he also favored an expansion of the Roth IRA to encourage savings for retirement, health care and education. But he said reforms should be done only in the context of simplifying the tax code. Ryan also said he supported indexing capital gains taxes. But Sensenbrenner said he would not favor that until the rates were lowered. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/9/99]

Stock Market Investment


Ryan Favored A Plan That Allowed Individuals To Invest 2 Percent Of The More Than 12 Percent That Was Collected For Social Security In The Stock Market. According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, He [Ryan] favors a plan that would allow individuals to invest 2 1/2 percent of the more than 12 percent that is collected for Social Security in the stock market. The sorts of things the money could be invested in would be narrowly prescribed -- no junk bonds or dot-com IPOs. There is risk involved, meaning the outcome cannot be guaranteed, but, as Ryan points out, Over the course of a lifetime, (the stock market) is always up. It just always is. [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 11/5/01]

Tax Cuts
Ryan Voted Against Supporting Struggling Seniors. On December 08, 2010, Ryan voted against suspending House rules and pass the Seniors Protection Act (H.R.5987). The legislation would provide a one-time payment of $250 to recipients of Social Security, railroad retirement benefits and veterans disability compensation or pension benefits if there is no cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) payable in 2011. COLAs are determined by a formula that increases payments when the costs of everyday expenses rise. However, inflation has not been high enough to trigger such adjustments due to economic deflation. [Roll Call 611, H 5987, 12/08/2010; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/8/10] Ryan Opposed Higher Taxes for Social Security Recipients. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would repeal a tax imposed in 1993 that increased the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation from 50 percent to 85 for the onefifth of Social Security recipients with the highest incomes. The 1993 tax increased to 85 percent, the part of Social Security benefits subject to income tax when a recipients income including half the annual Social Security benefit, exceeded $34,000 for a single person and $44,000 for a married couple. The revenue generated by the 1993 tax was $8 billion in 2000 alone and was projected to total $117 billion over the following decade. This revenue was earmarked only for Medicare, but the bill provided that the revenues that would have been collected had the tax not been repealed would be transferred to the Medicare trust fund from the general fund. The bill passed, 265-159 [Roll Call 450, H 4865, 07/27/2000; New York Times, 7/28/00] Ryan Opposed Higher Taxes for Social Security Recipients. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would repeal a tax imposed in 1993 that increased the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation from 50 percent to 85 for the onefifth of Social Security recipients with the highest incomes. The 1993 tax increased to 85 percent, the part of Social Security benefits subject to income tax when a recipients income including half the annual Social Security benefit, exceeded $34,000 for a single person and $44,000 for a married couple. The revenue generated by the 1993 tax was $8 billion in 2000 alone and was projected to total $117 billion over the following decade. This revenue was earmarked only for Medicare, but the bill 238

provided that the revenues that would have been collected had the tax not been repealed would be transferred to the Medicare trust fund from the general fund. The bill passed, 265-159. [Roll Call 450, H 4865, 07/27/2000; New York Times, 7/28/00] Ryan Supported Tax Cut for Social Security Recipients. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would repeal a tax imposed in 1993 that increased the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation from 50 percent to 85 for the onefifth of Social Security recipients with the highest incomes. The 1993 tax increased to 85 percent, from 50 percent, the part of Social Security benefits subject to income tax when a recipients income, including half the annual Social Security benefit, exceeds $34,000 for a single person and $44,000 for a married couple. The revenue generated by the 1993 tax was $8 billion in 2000 alone, and was projected to total $117 billion over the following decade. This revenue was earmarked only for Medicare, but the bill provided that the revenues that would have been collected had the tax not been repealed would be transferred to the Medicare trust fund from the general fund. The bill passed, 265-159. [Roll Call 450, H 4865, 07/27/2000; New York Times, 7/28/00] Ryan Used Social Security Trust Fund To Pay For Exploding Tax Cuts. Ryan voted in favor of the GOP Leaderships budget plan that required using part of the Social Security surplus to pay for an exploding tax cut, of an estimated $778 billion, over the following 10 years. Experts warned that the budget surpluses, including the Social Security Trust Fund, would have to be used to pay for any tax cut. While supporting the GOP budget plan, Ryan voted against Democratic alternatives that were designed to delay the implementation of any tax cuts until the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare could be guaranteed. [Roll Call 85, S 68, 04/14/1999; CQ Weekly Report, 4/17/99] Ryan Voted To Raid Social Security In Favor Of Tax Cuts That Ended Surplus. Ryan voted in favor of the GOP Leaderships budget plan that required using part of the Social Security surplus to pay for an exploding tax cut, of an estimated $778 billion, over the following 10 years. Experts warned that the budget surpluses, including the Social Security Trust Fund, would have to be used to pay for any tax cut. While supporting the GOP budget plan, Ryan voted against Democratic alternatives that were designed to delay the implementation of any tax cuts until the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare could be guaranteed. [Roll Call 77, S 68, 03/25/1999; CQ Weekly Report]

Trust Fund
Ryan Supported Spending Every Penny of the Social Security Trust Fund. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a budget conference report that spends $1.1 trillion of the Social Security Trust Fund over five years to pay for other government spending. According to the non-partisan Congressional Quarterly, the budget deficits in the conference agreement are produced, however, only by using surpluses in the Social Security trust fund. Without counting these Social Security surpluses, the deficit would be much larger. If the Social Security funds are excluded, the FY 2006 deficit under the conference agreement would be $571.5 billion, instead of $382.7 billion, and the FY 2010 deficit would be $470.8 billion, instead of $210.9 billion. Over the five-year period, the agreement counts $1.1 trillion in Social Security funds to produce these deficits. The budget agreement passed, 214-211. [Roll Call 149, S 95, 04/28/2005; CQ House Action Reports, The Budget Agreement, 4/28/05] Ryan Supported Raiding the Social Security Trust Fund. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a GOP budget resolution to raid the Social Security Trust Fund of more than $1.1 trillion over the following five years. According to the non-partisan Congressional Quarterly House Action Reports, the GOP budget, projects spending and revenues that would result in budget deficits for all five years covered by the resolution ... surpluses in Social Security would offset spending on other programs ... Without counting these Social Security surpluses, the deficits would be much larger . . . Over the five-year period, the budget resolution counts $1.1 trillion in Social Security funds to produce these deficits. The budget passed the House, 218-214. [Roll Call 88, S 95, 03/17/2005; CQ House Action Reports, Budget Resolution for FY 2006, 3/14/05] Ryan Voted for Budget that Would Spend the Social Security Surplus & Increase The Debt. In 2004, Ryan voted for the FY 2005 Budget Resolution that spent $174 billion of the social security trust fund to pay in part for $55.2 billion in additional tax cuts. The agreement also increased the public debt limit by $690 billion to $8.1 trillion and included $50 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. The $2.4 trillion resolution required any new tax cuts to be offset by spending cuts or tax increases elsewhere in the budget, but that pay-as-you-go rule would expire in a year under the final version, instead of five years as in the original Senate bill, and it excluded tax cuts. The measure passed 216-213. [Roll Call 198, S 95, 05/19/2004; CQ House Action Report; CQ Today, 5/19/04; USA Today, 5/20/04] 239

Ryan Voted to Spend the Entire $1.0 Trillion Social Security Surplus from 2005 to 2009. In 2004, Ryan voted in favor of a Republican budget that proposed spending the entire $1.0 trillion Social Security surplus from 2005 to 2009. The resolution called for making the 2001 and 2003 tax bills permanent. The budget resolution passed 215-212. [Roll Call 92, S 393, 03/25/2004; CQ House Action Reports, The Budget Agreement, 5/19/04; House Budget Committee Minority Caucus, 3/23/04; USA Today, 5/20/04] Ryan Opposed Reducing Tax Cut to Protect Social Security. Ryan voted against a motion that would have dropped most of the House-passed budget cuts in social programs, dedicated nearly $400 billion towards protecting the future of the Social Security Trust Fund and reduced the proposed tax cut favoring the wealthy. The House-passed budget plan called for $1.4 trillion in tax cuts through 2013. The motion directed conferees to reduce the size of the tax cuts by the $215 billion restored to entitlement programs and by the $396 billion devoted to the Social Security reserve, for a total reduction of $611 billion. The motion called for reducing the size of the tax cuts to $789 billion over ten years. The non-binding motion was adopted 399-22 [Roll Call 95, S 95, 04/01/2003] Ryan Supported Budget that Imposed Massive Raid on Social Security, Massive Deficits. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that added $2.4 trillion to deficits and the national debt between 2003 and 2013. The resolution passed 216-211. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the huge deficits and new debt reflects the impact of the tax cuts, as well as of spending increases for defense and a prescription drug benefit and the increase in interest payments that will result from the higher debt. Under the budget resolution, which includes the $75 billion the President requested to fund the initial costs of the war in Iraq, the deficit is estimated to be $347 billion in fiscal year 2003 and $385 billion in fiscal year 2004. Blunt also voted for the original version of the resolution. It passed 215-212 [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/17/03, CQ House Action Reports, The Budget Agreement, 5/19/04; USA Today, May 20, 2004] Ryan Voted to Spend Every Penny of the Social Security Trust Fund on Risky Tax Cuts. In 2003, Ryan voted for a budget resolution containing deep cuts in basic domestic programs, including $92 billion from Medicaid and $14 billion from veterans programs, to make room for almost all of President Bushs $1.4 trillion in tax cuts. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi argued, The Republican budget spends every penny of the Social Security Trust Fund. The non-binding resolution passed the House 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Center for Budget & Policy Priorities, 3/28/03] Ryan Voted Against Requiring Social Security Solvency Before Permanently Extending Marriage Penalty Tax Relief. In 2002, Ryan voted against a substitute marriage penalty tax relief bill that would require the White House Office of Management and Budget to certify in 2010 that making the tax cut permanent would not be a drain on Social Security and Medicare surpluses. The vote was on a Matsui (D-CA) amendment, which Ryan voted against, to the tax cut extension bill. [Roll Call 228, H 4019, 06/13/2002; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 6/14/02] Ryan Voted for Budget Resolution that Allegedly Used $831 Billion from Social Security Surplus to Pay for Other Programs. In 2002, Ryan voted for adoption of a fiscal 2003 budget resolution that envisioned deficits for three years and, Democrats said, would use $831 billion in Social Security surpluses over five years to pay for other programs. The Associated Press reported that the resolution used optimistic budget assumptions by the White House. The House budget also proposed holding overall spending for many other programs except automatically paid benefits like Social Security to little or no increase over this years total, the AP said. [Roll Call 79, S 353, 03/20/2002; AP, 3/20/03] Ryan Voted Against Protecting Social Security and Medicare. On August 2, 2001, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit HR 4 to the House Ways and Means Committee with instructions to add language providing that tax reductions be contingent on sufficient non- Social Security, non-Medicare surpluses. The House rejected the motion 206-223. [Roll Call 319, H 4, 08/02/2001] Ryan Opposed Tying Tax Cuts to Surplus. In 2001, Ryan voted against a motion to add language to the Energy Plan bill that would have required any tax reduction be contingent on sufficient non-Social Security, non-Medicare surpluses. The motion was rejected, 206-223 [Roll Call 319, H 4, 08/02/2001] 2001: Ryan Voted Against Protecting Social Security And Medicare Surpluses When Delivering Tax Reductions To Energy Companies. In 2001, Ryan voted against recommitting the energy bill to committee with instructions to add language providing that bills tax reductions should be contingent on sufficient non-Social Security, non-Medicare surpluses. The 240

Associated Press reported that Democrats said the House bill was tilted too heavily toward energy companies, pointing to more than $33.5 billion in tax benefits over the next decade. They said $8 of every $10 would go to coal, oil, nuclear and other energy industries. The revenue drain could force Congress to dip into Medicare or Social Security trust funds, Democrats charged. The vote was on a Thurman (D-FL) motion, which Ryan voted against, to recommit the bill. [Roll Call 319, H 4, 08/02/2001; AP, 8/1/01] Ryan Supported Budget Busting Tax Cut for the Wealthy, Raid on Social Security. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of the Bush tax cut package that reduced taxes by $1.35 trillion through 2010 through income tax cuts, relief of the marriage penalty, a phase-out of the federal estate tax, doubling the child tax credit, and providing incentives for retirement savings. Critics of the bill warned that the tax cut was too large and would jeopardize future Social Security benefits. According to the Wall Street Journal, the entire Social Security Trust Fund will be used to fund the government over the next two years, while well over $100 billion of Social Security funds in each of the following three years will be used for other purposes. Over the following ten years, more than $1.8 trillion of the Social Security Trust Funds would be spent on other purposes. The bill passed 240154. [Roll Call 149, H 1836, 05/26/2001; Wall Street Journal, 2/5/02; Congressional Budget Office; Campaign for Americas Future] Ryan Supported Republicans $600 Billion Raid of Social Security. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a budget that called for using about $600 billion of the Social Security surplus to fund new privatized retirement accounts for stock market investment. The budget resolution passed 221-207. Blunt also voted in favor of the previous version of resolution. The budget passed 222-205. [Roll Call 104, S 83, 05/09/2001; House Budget Committee, Democratic Caucus, 3/27/01] Ryan Supported Republicans$600 Billion Raid of Social Security. Ryan voted in favor of a budget resolution that called for using about $600 billion of the Social Security surplus to fund new privatized retirement accounts for stock market investment. [Roll Call 70, S 83, 03/28/2001] Ryan Voted Against $385 Billion Omnibus Appropriations Bill, Raiding Up to $17 Billion from Social Security. In 1999, Ryan voted against the conference report on the bill to provide almost $385 billion in new budget authority for those Cabinet departments and federal agencies whose fiscal 2000 appropriations bills were never enacted. The measure incorporated five previously separate appropriations bills: Labor-HHS-Education, Commerce-Justice-State, Interior, Foreign Operations, and District of Columbia. In addition, the bill contains an across-the-board spending cut of 0.38 percent on every program - no matter how important to seniors, including Meals-on-Wheels and money for the enforcement of nursing home standards. The bill, the last in a string of flawed spending bills, was proposed by the extreme GOP leadership and also forced a raid of the Social Security Trust Fund by more than $17 billion, according to a letter released by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. [Roll Call 610, H 3194, 11/18/1999; Congressional Budget Office, 12/2/99] Paul Ryan Supported Raiding Up to $17 Billion from Social Security. Paul Ryan voted in favor of an attempt to force across-the-board cuts from every programno matter how important to seniors, including Meals-on-Wheels and money for the enforcement of nursing home standards. The bill was proposed by GOP leadership and also forced a raid of the Social Security Trust Fund by more than $17 billion, according to a letter released by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. [Roll Call 549, H 3064, 10/28/1999; AP, 12/2/99] Since He Has Arrived To Congress Ryan Has Pushed For A Mechanism That Would Prevent Congress From Spending The Social Security Trust Fund. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, From the day he arrived for his first session of Congress, Rep. Paul Ryan has been talking about the need to create a mechanism to prevent Congress from spending the Social Security trust fund. Coming off a whirlwind final week where Congress passed a last-minute $ 390 billion spending measure that funds federal agencies and various other projects, the Janesville Republican is still talking about it. But this time, hes not alone. This budget cycle has told me one thing: We need real budget reform to stop us from raiding Social Security and cranking up our national debt, because people in Washington will always want to spend this money, said Ryan, who represents Wisconsins First Congressional District. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/22/99] 1999: Ryan Voted For Budget Measure That CBO Said Would Tap Social Security. In 1999, Ryan voted for the conference report on the fiscal 2000 DC/Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said would tap Social Security money. The CBO said the Republicans were $17 billion over their spending limit in the budget. President Clinton pledged to veto the bill, saying it preserved Social Security money only as the result of smoke and mirrors creative accounting by Republican lawmakers. [Roll Call 549, H 3064, 10/28/1999; New York Times, 10/29/99] 241

1999: Ryan Voted For Spending Bill That Made Across The Board Cut And Underfunded Programs For The Elderly. In 1999, Ryan voted for the conference report on the fiscal 2000 DC/Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which would make an across-the-board cut of 0.97 percent to the agencies it funded. President Clinton objected in part to the bills providing underfunding his request for programs for the elderly. [Roll Call 549, H 3064, 10/28/1999; AP, 10/28/99]

LOCKBOX LEGISLATION
Editorial: On Social Security Ryan Supported Lockbox Legislation. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan says government constrains us by spending too much and reaching too deeply into our lives. As in both of his previous campaigns for Congress, Ryan has focused on debt reduction, protecting Social Security through lockbox legislation and reducing taxes. Ryan also has favored the business- and consumer-friendly de-regulation of broadband cable services. [Editorial, Wisconsin State Journal, 10/27/02] Ryan Said That The Social Security Lockbox Was A Marketing Term; Lockbox Money Should Be Used To Pay Down The National Debt. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Lockbox is really a marketing term, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told me last week, meaning it is a popular shorthand for a complicated thought. Ryan has been one of the leading supporters in Congress of Social Security reform. As he sees it, lockbox doesnt mean creating a dusty vault somewhere to contain the cash from Social Security tax collections not needed to pay immediate benefits. Rather, it means using that cash to pay down the national debt. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/26/00] Ryan Was Instrumental In Passing The Social Security Lockbox Legislation Through The House. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, A relatively simple concept, the so-called lock box measure -- which would make it nearly impossible for Congress to spend the Social Security surpluses except in emergencies -- has afforded Congress youngest Republican the opportunity to work closely with party leaders on an issue that has headlined the GOP platform. I spoke with leadership early on and appealed to them on this and they gave me the ball and let me run with it, said Ryan, 29, who crafted the measure with House Budget Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio. They were looking for new faces and new communicators and it was an opportunity I took. Although the bill has been held up by a Senate filibuster, Ryan said he thinks Congress is at least looking at Social Security and the national debt in a new light. Four years ago, people thought you were crazy if you talked about not spending the Social Security surplus money, Ryan said. Now politicians are tripping over themselves to claim credit that they didnt (dip into Social Security). There is more to be done, but we have really shifted debate pretty well. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/22/99] Under Ryans Lockbox Proposal, A Three-Fifths Vote In The House Would Be Requited To Tap That Money For Expenses Outside Of Social Security Of Paying Down The National Debt. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan this year has pushed for passage of a Social Security lockbox measure, which would set aside all surpluses generated by Social Security. Under Ryans proposal, a three-fifths vote in the House would be required to tap that money for expenses other than reforming Social Security or paying down the national debt. But a Senate filibuster has blocked the measure. Ryan said this years budget battle has increased his determination to pass his measure as soon as possible so that next years budget will not threaten the future of Social Security. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/31/99] Ryan Called For An End Of The Senate Filibuster On The Lockbox. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., is scheduled to bring the bill up again today. Supporters need 60 votes to break a filibuster and bring the bill up for a floor vote. In the past, only the 55 Republicans have voted to bring the bill to the floor. On Monday, while announcing a $ 1 trillion increase in the forecast for the budget surplus, President Clinton conceded a need to lock away any part of that surplus generated by Social Security into a lock box. Ryan said he hopes that Clintons support will sway Democrats to support the measure. Considering (Clintons) reversal, Senate Democrats are now free to end their efforts blocking the lock box legislation from being voted on, Ryan said. The president has freed them from their partisan constraints. [Wisconsin State Journal, 7/1/99] Ryan Voted for Social Security Lock Box. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a so-called Social Security Lock Box plan. The plan would have set-aside the Social Security surplus to guarantee the solvency of both Social Security and Medicare. Critics, however, noted that the lock box could be easily overridden, in reality allowing the surplus to be used for other 242

purposes. The bill passed 416-12. [Roll Call 164, H 1259, 05/26/1999; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Lock-Box Proposal and the Economy, 3/19/99] Ryan Voted For Social Security Lockbox That Included Large Loophole. Ryan voted for passage of the bill to reserve the entire Social Security surplus to be used only to guarantee the solvency of the Social Security and Medicare system. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities said that The lockbox bill contains a large loophole that could allow Social Security funds to be used for financing private accounts and accelerate Social Security insolvency. [Roll Call 164, H 1259, 05/26/1999; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Lock-Box Proposal and the Economy, 3/19/99]

243

TAXES
Ryan Said I Think Not Everything In Society Hinges On Tax Rates And Did Not Deny That America Had High GDP Growth After The 1993 Tax Increases. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, Either one after the 01 and 03 tax cuts, is there any measure you can identify in which the economy performed better in subsequent years than it did from 1993 to 2000 after tax cuts - after they were raised? Ryan responded, Yeah, so I think not everything in society hinges on tax rates. There are many other things There are other things in play here. Again, remember, we had this incredible productivity boom in the 1990s. The Internet, you know, explosion occurred in the 1990s. Massive gains in productivity. We were doing expenditure cuts. We were, you know, getting - slowing the growth rate of spending at that time. Spending went down as a share of GDP at a historic low. After 2001, we had 9/11, we had the dot-com bubble, we had all of these problems that we were coming off of. In the mid-90s, you know, we had the early recession of the early 1990s, but in 2001, 2003, we had a lot of problems that we were dealing with. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryan Attacked The Tax System For Giving People In The Highest Tax Bracket The Biggest Subsidy For Health Care. According to a transcript of a Bloomberg TV interview obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan said, And while you do that, what we say is, the money should go disproportionately to low-income people and people with health risks and much less to wealthier people. I believe that for the tax distribution for the under-65 population, as well. I mean, Im digressing for a moment here, but, you know, our current tax system says if youre in the top tax bracket, you get the biggest subsidy or health care. What? That makes no sense. You know, if youre in the lowest tax bracket, you get the smallest tax subsidy for health care. [Analyst Wire, 5/4/11] Ryan Said Romney Had An Excellent, Pro-Growth Tax Plan. According to the National Journals Hotline, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) was on CBS CBS This Morning, 2/28. []Ryan, on if there is an economic plan he favors between Romney and ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA): I think Romney came out with a great tax plan just the other day at Ford Field on Friday. I think that was an excellent, pro-growth tax plan. Both of them have been talking about fundamental entitlement reform which is critical to getting this debt crisis averted, and its necessary to keep promises to seniors. Are they doing the right thing to get the economy going and get the debt crisis averted ... Theyve been fantastic, theyve been fantastic on entitlements on spending and theyre now advancing really good pro-growth economic policies, so as far as Im concerned, no matter who emerges from this primary season, which might take a while, were going to have a sharp contrast about what it takes to get this country growing and about reclaiming American exceptionalism with the President and Im comfortable with where the campaigns are headed. [Hotline, National Journal, 2/28/12] Ryan Accused President Obama Of Dividing The Country By Proposing Tax Increase On Millionaires. According to Mediaite, On Meet the Press earlier today, Congressman Paul Ryan defended the legitimate rights of the Occupy Wall Street protestors to air their grievances about the government, but criticized President Obama for dividing the country by class with proposals to increase taxes on millionaires. [] Sewing class envy and social unrest is not what we do in America... I think the president is doing that. I think hes preying on the emotions of fear, envy, and anger, and that is not constructive to unifying America. I think hes broken his promise as a uniter, and now hes dividing people, and to me thats very unproductive. [Mediaite, 10/10/11] Ryan Supported A Territorial Tax System. According to CNBC, in an interview, Ryan said A consensus is developing among the center left and the center right that lower tax rates is good for economic growth and international competitiveness. Broaden the tax base, lower the rates, get rid of a lot of the loopholes... to have economic growth. Thats what broadening the base means. This is kind of like 1986 tax reform. Theres three parts of this tax policy that I think are really noteworthy. Number one, Id say, lets go to a territorial tax system, a very important for international competitive-ness. Number two, lower the corporate rate. [CNBC, 11/15/10] Ryan Said Businesses Needed Low Taxes And Sound Money. According to the Federal News Service, in an interview on CNBCs The Kudlow Report, Ryan said: We need to give entrepreneurs and businesses low taxes, sound money, a system and a plan to pay off debt so that we know that were not going to have ungodly high interest rates around the corner. That, to me, is what worked before. The Keynesian doctrine that Brads talking about, I think its been proven to fail. I think what we need is real fiscal responsibility and conservatism in the form of low taxes, sound money and lower spending to get this debt under control. [Federal News Service, 7/14/10] 244

Ryan Said It Would Be A Mistake For Congress To Impose Value-Added Tax Before Solving Spending Problem. According to National Public Radio, Ryan said: The problem with the consumption tax is its a simple revenue raiser that can be easy for politicians to raise later on. I think it will be a big mistake for Congress to impose a consumption-based tax reform before tackling the biggest problem, which is the spending problem we have here in Washington. [NPR, 4/24/10] Ryan Said Washingtons Increase In Spending And Borrowing Led To Discussion Of Value Added Tax As The Only Solution To The Deficit. According to National Public Radio, Ryan said: When we did this Bush tax cuts in 2001, the left sort of accused conservatives of, quote-unquote, starving the beast of cutting taxes so that government could only grow so much. And I think theres a little truth to that allegation, which is we believe we should limit the revenue take to government so you can basically limit the size of government. Well, I think the reverse is happening right now. I think whats going to Washington is stuff-the-beast mentality, where theyre stuffing the spending, the borrowing so much with such incredible deficits that the only course out of this is a new tax system on top, and thats where that talk of the VAT comes in. [NPR, 4/24/10]

Alternative Minimum Tax


Ryan Proposed Eliminating The Alternative Minimum Tax. According to a Marshfield News-Herald Editorial, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, has proposed elimination of the alternative minimum tax as part of his plan for simplification of the income tax system. Ryan is even so bold as to propose not replacing the lost tax revenue if the AMT eventually dies. Ryans goal is to give taxpayers a choice: Operate under the current tax system, or one that has just two tax rates -- 10 percent of all income up to $100,000 for joint filers or 25 percent of income beyond that. With the cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan continuing to drain the U.S. Treasury, we dont know how a plan like Ryans would fare. [Marshfield News-Herald Editorial, 11/20/07] Ryans Plan To Eliminate The Alternative Minimum Tax Would Not Replace Lost Revenue. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), meanwhile, is among a group of Republicans who have proposed eliminating the AMT as part of a broader tax simplification plan. But Ryans plan would not replace the lost federal revenue, which seems questionable given looming demands on federal entitlement spending as baby boomers retire. Still, the plan Ryan backs is worth discussing. Among other things, the Taxpayer Choice Act would give taxpayers the option of using the current tax code or a simplified version with just two rates. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/3/07] Bob Novak Called Ryans Plan To Eliminate The Alternative Minimum Tax Too Daring For The Bush Administration. Bob Novak wrote in a Chicago Sun Times editorial, Back on their heels in a defensive posture all year while majority Democrats offered liberal initiatives, this week reform-minded conservative Republicans introduced the most sweeping tax plan since Jack Kemps three decades ago. It would establish a radically simplified, flatter tax for 90 percent to 95 percent of all income tax filers. The plan: Give up your current deductions and your annual earnings up to $100,000 would be taxed at 10 percent, with a 25 percent rate on everything above that. But that is not all. The bill would repeal the hated Alternative Minimum Tax, giving up $840 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. Government would have to get leaner. This is too daring for the Bush administrations Treasury or the House Republican leadership. The Taxpayer Choice Act is sponsored by three influential junior members, led by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. But Kemp was also a lone wolf when he introduced his across-the-board tax cut, which became the heart of President Ronald Reagans economic program. [Chicago Sun-Times, 10/11/07] Bob Novak Called Ryans Proposal To Eliminate The Alternative Minimum Tax A Gut Check For The GOP. Bob Novak wrote in a Chicago Sun Times editorial, Ryans plan poses a gut check for the Republican Party. Is it willing to part with a rapacious tax without replacing the revenue and offer taxpayers a bold choice? In 1978, the Republican National Committee under Chairman Bill Brock endorsed Kemp-Roth. To take a similar daring step today, the party would have to divorce itself from the Bush administrations tutelage and embark on a course of tax simplification and spending discipline. [Chicago Sun-Times, 10/11/07] Ryan Said He Wanted To Prevent Any Tax Increases That Would Result If The Alternative Minimum Tax Was Eliminated. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Ryan plan pointedly provides nothing to replace the estimated $840 billion in tax revenue that would be lost over 10 years with the abolition of the AMT, as its known. House 245

Democrats are expected to offer a plan soon that also would abolish the unpopular AMT, but offset such a move by raising other taxes. Appearing with other House GOP members, Ryan said Wednesday that we want to prevent such tax increases. They proposed eliminating the AMT as part of a broader reform plan that gives taxpayers the option of using a simplified income tax with just two rates. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/11/07] Ryan Called Alternative Minimum Tax And Illegitimate Tax. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The AMT is a mistake. Its an illegitimate tax, which was originally designed to tax about 155 wealthy taxpayers who were dodging taxes in 1969, Ryan said in an interview taped Wednesday for C-SPANs Newsmakers show (to be aired Sunday at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central time). Ryan said that if left intact, the AMT eventually would drive the U.S. tax burden well above the 18% to 19% of the Gross Domestic Product that it currently represents. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/11/07] Ryan Said Budget Hole Left By Alternative Minimum Tax Elimination Should Be Plugged By Cuts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said that if left intact, the AMT eventually would drive the U.S. tax burden well above the 18% to 19% of the Gross Domestic Product that it currently represents. But because the projected growth of the AMT is figured into current budget estimates, abolishing the tax results, on paper, in a large boost to future deficits. Ryan said Congress should address those deficit projections by reducing spending, not raising taxes. The Janesville congressman sits on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and is the top Republican on the House budget panel. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/11/07] Ryan Voted for One-Year $22.58 Billion Extension of Alternative Minimum Tax Relief. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, part of which was the extension of relief from the Alternative Minimum Tax for one year, which cost $22.58 billion, according to the AP. [Roll Call 472, H 1308, 09/23/2004; AP, 9/23/04] Ryan Voted for a 1 Year Fix of the Alternative Minimum Tax. On December 19, 2007 Ryan voted to provide a one-year adjustment to exempt an additional 21 million taxpayers from paying the alternative minimum tax on income from 2007. According to the Chicago Tribune, On Congress last working day this year, the House voted 352-64 for a one-year fix or patch of the alternative minimum tax (AMT), which increasingly would ensnare middle-class people because it wasnt indexed for inflation when it was approved in 1969. [Roll Call 1183, H 3996, 12/19/2007; Chicago Tribune, 12/20/07] Ryan Voted Against an Adjustment to the Alternative Minimum Tax. On December 12, 2007 Ryan voted against a oneyear adjustment to prevent an additional 21 million taxpayers from paying the alternative minimum tax (AMT) on income from 2007. According to CNN Money, By the end of next week 21 million taxpayers will probably receive the protection theyve been promised from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). But the fix likely wont account for an estimated $50 billion in lost tax revenue. The House on Wednesday passed a revised bill calling for a one-year fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) that would be fully paid for by imposing new taxes and penalties, primarily on businesses. The move is likely to be rejected by the Senate, which last week passed its own AMT fix with no funding, a stance that Republicans and the White House have insisted on repeatedly. [Roll Call 1153, H 4351, 12/12/2007; CNN Money, 12/13/07] Ryan Voted against Fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that would exempt 21 million taxpayers from paying the alternative minimum tax on income from 2007. The bill would also expand the eligibility in 2008 for the refundable child tax credit. The bill passed 216-193. [Roll Call 1081, H 3996, 11/09/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported Alternative Minimum Tax Relief. In 2004, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would extend the alternative minimum tax relief from 2003 and 2004 and index the relief for inflation. Supporters claimed the bill was needed to prevent middle-class taxpayers from being subject to a tax meant to prevent wealthy Americans from avoiding taxes through breaks and loopholes. The bill passed 333-89. [Roll Call 144, H 4227, 05/05/2004; States News Service, 5/7/04] Paul Ryan Voted against Bill to Protect Taxpayers from the Alternative Minimum Tax. In 2008, Paul Ryan voted against a one-year adjustment for the Alternative Minimum Tax to prevent an additional 21 million taxpayers from paying it on their 2008 income. Democrats put revenue- raising offsets into the bill, arguing that the $62 billion in revenue that would be lost through the patch must be made up. The revenue increases targeted private-equity managers, the oil and gas industry, certain foreign-owned corporations and merchants who underreport their income. Republicans contended that offsets were unnecessary because the patch would simply maintain the tax status quo. They also said a temporary tax reprieve should not require permanent revenue increases and argued that the budget deficit should be closed by spending cuts, not revenue increases. [Roll Call 455, H 6275, 06/25/2008; CQ Today, 6/25/08] 246

Bush Tax Cuts


Paul Ryan Voted To Extend Bush Tax Cuts And Unemployment Benefits. Paul Ryan voted to extend the 2001 and the 2003 Bush tax cuts for 2 years and revise the estate tax to 35% on estates worth more than $5 million. The bill also would extend unemployment insurance benefits for 13 months and cut the employee portion of the Social Security tax by 2 percentage points. [Roll Call 647, H 4853, 12/17/2010] Ryan Voted Against Extending Bush Tax Cuts to Low-And-Middle Income Americans, Eliminating Cuts For Wealthy. On December 02, 2010, Ryan voted against legislation that would make permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, also known as the Bush tax cuts, on income under $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for married couples. It would eliminate the tax breaks for the top two percent of Americans, saving $70 billion over the next ten years. The extensions would also include current lower tax rates for capital gains and dividends, elimination of the marriage penalty and an expansion of the increased child tax credit. [Roll Call 604, H 4853, 12/02/2010; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/2/10] Ryan Predicted That Bush Tax Cuts Would Cost $1.4 Trillion In The First Four Years. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, According to Ryan, it will cost the government about $ 1.4 trillion in lost revenue to make permanent the tax cuts of Bush's first four years, everything from completely ending the federal estate tax to expanding the lowest tax bracket. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/21/04] Ryan Praised Bush Tax Cuts, Bur Was Silent On The Increased Share Of National Debt Households Would Face As A Result. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan praised the Bush tax cuts in his speech given to the Republican convention, using the example of a Janesville family of five that had their taxes reduced by $2,000. We need to hear the rest of the story. Our budget deficit this year is $500 billion. The share of this deficit for the Janesville family of five is $8,500. Our national debt is now $25,000 for each American; $125,000 of debt for the Janesville family used in Ryan's example. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/5/04] Ryan Urged Americans To Support GOP Push To Make Bush Tax Cuts Permanent. According to Capital Times, Speaking before the Republican National Convention, Ryan urged Americans to join the GOP in pushing to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent. [Capital Times, 9/2/04] Ryan Opposed Measure To Include Bush Tax Cuts In Pay-As-You-Go Budget Rules. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Members failed, 209-209, to include President Bushs tax cuts in pay-as-you-go budget rules in the fiscal 20052009 congressional budget, just as entitlement spending hikes are covered by those rules. A yes vote urged pay as you go for tax cuts. A yes vote backed pay as you go. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Supported The Bush Tax Cuts And Highlighted That They Would Not Go Into Full Effect Until 2006. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said Republicans cut taxes because they believe people are overtaxed, and they ought to keep more of what they earn. He said Republicans believe tax cuts stimulate the economy and eventually boost federal revenue. Kleczka said the economy was still in a slump after the 2001 tax cuts. He called the economy President Bushs Achilles heel. That was what did his daddy in, he said, referring to former President George H.W. Bush. Ryan said the 2001 tax cuts didnt have the desired impact on the economy because they wouldnt take full effect until 2006. That was why Republicans accelerated the tax cuts in this years tax bill, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/1/03] Ryan Voted For Conference Report on Bush Tax Cuts. On May 23, 2003, Ryan voted for the conference report on the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, otherwise known as the Bush tax cuts. The bill would provide $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. The agreement includes a new top tax rate of 15 percent on capital gains and dividends through 2007 (5 percent for lower-income taxpayers in 2007 and no tax in 2008). According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Some 53 percent of all U.S. households or 74 million households will receive a tax cut of $100 or less in 2003 from the bill, according to analysis by the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center. In addition, 36 percent of households or 50 million households will receive no tax cut whatsoever in 2003. [] The bills provisions (except the one providing relief through the Alternative Minimum Tax) are extended, the cost through 2013 will be $807 billion to $1.06 trillion, depending on how one measures the cost of extending the bills business depreciation tax cut. Also, the bill will raise the cost of interest payments on the national debt by $300 billion to $400 billion through 2013 if it is extended. As a result, the 247

bill could increase the deficit over that period by $1.1 trillion to $1.5 trillion. [Roll Call 225, H 2, 05/23/2003; Center for Budget & Policy Priorities, 5/28/03] Ryan Voted for Original House Version of Bush Tax Cuts. On May 16, 2001, Ryan voted for H.R. 1836, the tax-cut reconciliation measure that would set the stage for the 2001 Bush tax cuts. Specifically, the legislation would cut all income tax rates and make tax cuts totaling $958.3 billion. Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor reported that the House is pressing to pass a tax-cut reconciliation measure intended to set the stage for a conference committee to write the final version of a $1.35 trillion 11-year tax-cut package. The new measure (HR 1836) is a repackaging of the $958 billion income tax rate reduction measure (HR 3) that the House passed March 8 on a largely party-line vote. The Senate tomorrow takes up a far broader measure including marriage penalty relief, expansion of the child tax credit, education and retirement tax breaks and estate tax repeal. The two will be melded in conference. President Bush wants to reduce the top income tax rate from 39.6 percent to 33 percent, but the tax bill awaiting floor action in the Senate would drop the top rate only to 36 percent. [Roll Call 118, H 1836, 05/16/2001; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 5/16/01]

Capital Gains
Ryan Supported Extending Capital Gains & Dividends Tax Cuts. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a $56 billion tax cut measure that would extend reduced rates on capital gains and dividends investment income for two years, through 2010. Roughly 40 percent of the benefits of the tax package would go to people with incomes above $1 million. About 26 million households (or about 17 percent of all households) would receive some benefit from the extension of capital gains and dividend tax cuts in 2009. Households with income of less than $50,000 would receive an average tax cut in 2009 of less than $11 from the capital gains and dividend measures. Households with incomes of less than $100,000 would receive an average tax cut of $29. In contrast, the average tax cut for households with incomes of more than $1 million would be $32,000 in 2009. The package included several sweeteners, including extending several business tax cuts and the Savers Credit, which encouraged moderate-incomes taxpayers to save for their retirement. The measure would also extend for one year the deduction for state and local sales taxes, the deduction for teachers classroom expenses, and the work opportunity and welfare-to-work tax credits. The measure passed 234-197 [Roll Call 621, H 4297, 12/08/2005; Rep. Cardin Press Release, 4/6/06] Ryan: Mutual Funds Have Helped To Put Real Wealth And Assets Into The Hands Of The Middle Class, Yet They Are Discriminated Against In Tax Policy. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, This year is likely to see a bumper crop of capital gains distributions. Mutual fund investors are likely to be hit with unexpected tax bills for investment gains that they've prudently kept in the accounts. This tax structure makes it more expensive to invest through mutual funds than it is to buy the same stocks directly. That strikes U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as unfair. Mutual funds have helped to put real wealth and assets into the hands of the middle class, yet they are discriminated against in tax policy, he said. He is leading a legislative effort to change the way that mutual fund distributions are taxed. The whole concept of the capital gains tax is you pay the tax when you realize the gain, Ryan said. For the (mutual fund) owner, the gain is not realized until he or she sells the fund. They are getting hit with these unforeseen capital gains tax bills yet they have not done anything with their mutual fund. They have not sold it. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/16/05] Ryan Proposed A Bill That Would Allow Fund Investors Defer Capital Gains Taxes On Reinvested Distributions Until They Sell The Fund. According to the Chicago Tribune, After years of hoping for tax reform to ease the burden on mutual-fund shareholders, theres a proposal that appears to have a chance. Its an obvious boon for fund investors, but theres a question as to whether its best for the country. To see why that is, lets consider what Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) introduced recently into the House Ways and Means Committee, the congressional body responsible for writing tax legislation and revenue bills. Ryan has proposed a bill allowing fund investors to defer capital gains taxes on reinvested distributions until they sell the fund, a change that instantly makes funds more attractive. [Chicago Tribune, 5/20/03] Paul Co-Sponsored The Capital Gains Rep. Kim Saxton, Who Years Previously Failed To Pas Similar Legislation, Ryans Bill Had A Good Change Because Capital Gains Distributions Were Way Down. According to the Baltimore Sun, Ryans new proposal is co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Saxton, the New Jersey Republican who for several years has introduced legislation that would allow individual fund investors to defer $3,000 per year in gains, with couples able to defer $6,000 in interest. That proposal never made much headway, partly because it was introduced in the Joint Economic Committee, which is a Capitol Hill lightweight, and partly because deferral of only some gains makes for a future accounting 248

nightmare. Ryans proposal is much simpler and, with Ways and Means support, it has a shot. For starters, capital gains distributions are way down. The Investment Company Institute reported that mutual funds distributed $16 billion in capital gains in 2002, much of that going into tax-deferred accounts. By comparison, in 2000 - when funds were unloading bullmarket winners - gains payouts totaled $326 billion, with one-third of the money headed to taxable accounts. Currently, about 80 percent of all stock funds have tax-loss carry-forwards, meaning theyll need to be profitable for a while before they have gains to distribute. With little immediate or near-future economic impact, Ryans bill has bipartisan appeal. [Baltimore Sun, 5/18/03] Ryans Capital Gains Bill Would Make Capital Gains Taxes From Mutual Funds Payable The Same Way It Is For Stocks. According to the San Antonio Express-News, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on May 6 filed House Resolution 1989, which would make capital gains taxes from mutual funds payable the same way it is for stocks. For stocks, capital gains on the profits of shares are not paid until the shares are sold. Mutual fund capital gains are generated when fund managers sell stocks to invest in other stocks or securities. The profits from those sales are then passed on to nearly all shareholders in the form of reinvested mutual fund shares. A small percentage of mutual fund investors elect to receive capital gains by check. Those investors must pay income taxes on that amount each year because the capital gains already have been realized or locked in. Under Ryans bill, the reinvested long-term capital gains would not be taxed until investors sell their shares. [San Antonio Express-News, 5/14/03]

Corporate Taxes
Ryans Second Budget Called For Replacing The Current Corporate Tax With A Territorial System In Which Companies Would Only Pay Tax On Income Earned In The US And Eliminated The AMT. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, Ryans plan also embraces a proposal advanced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., to replace the current corporate tax code with a territorial system in which companies would only pay tax on income earned in the United States, eliminating tax on profits earned abroad and brought back into the country. Last year, Ryan only proposed a maximum corporate tax rate of 35 percent. Ryan also calls for repeal of the alternative minimum tax, while a year ago his budget only broadly assumed Congress will not let the AMT ensnare growing numbers of middle-class taxpayers. [CQ Today, 3/20/12] Ryan Said Corporate And Income Tax Rates Needed To Be Lowered. According to CNBC, in an interview, Ryan said The corporate rate is the second highest in the industrial world. It is a chief problem for us in our inter-national competitiveness. Number three, on income tax rates, lower income tax rates. Lighten the tax rates, simplify the code territorial system, lower more competitive corporate rate -- 26 percent is basically the international average. So we wouldnt even be going below the average. Wed be going to the average from where we are right now. That is a great consensus, I think, that can be worked off of. It is not where the left is but it is where the center is. And I think that this -- thats a harbinger that things would come. [CNBC, 11/15/10] Ryan Sponsored A Bill That Would Suspend A Federal Tax On Jet Fuel For Two Years, Said Some Assistance Was Needed For The Airline Industry. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Airline legislation also has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives, including a bill from U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-Janesville), that would suspend a federal tax on jet fuel for two years. One way or another, the aid is needed, Ryan said. And I believe the administration is warming up to including airline assistance in the war spending bill. Most airlines have still not recovered from the terrorist attacks, after which passenger levels plummeted. The airline industrys most likely war scenario projects losses in 2003 totaling $ 10.7 billion, bankruptcy from several carriers, the loss of 2,200 daily flights and 70,000 additional jobs. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/1/03] Ryan Contended That Tax Breaks For Industries Were Vital To Jump-Starting The Economy, Supported A Stimulus Package That Called For Tax Cuts For Corporations And Higher-Income Earners. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, How to interpret last weeks stimulus meltdown may be debated deep into 2002, especially if lawmakers fail to agree on a bill in the new year. It stinks, said House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville, who contends that tax breaks for industry are vital to jump-starting the nations, and particularly Wisconsins, economy, which is highly dependent on manufacturing Many Democrats decided no bill was better than a bill they didnt like. They regarded even a scaled-back GOP proposal as too heavy on tax cuts for corporations and higher-income earners, as a budget-buster, and as wrong-headed in its approach to helping the unemployed pay for health care. Feingold called it a re-creation of the big Bush 249

tax cut enacted earlier in the year. The Senate said, Wait a minute. I thought the purpose of this was to put money in the hands of people likely to spend it very quickly, Feingold said. But Ryan argued that its a decline in investment and manufacturing -- not consumption -- that needs to be reversed, and the corporate tax breaks decried by Democrats would serve that purpose. God, the Senate gets so frustrating sometimes, said Ryan, a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/23/01]

Estate Tax
Paul Ryan Voted Against Raising Estate Tax On Multi-Millionaires. Paul Ryan voted against an amendment that would revise the lapsed estate tax at a 35 percent rate on estates worth more than $5 million for individuals and $10 million total for couples, and insert provisions that would set the estate tax rate for 2011 and 2012 at 45 percent on estates worth more than $3.5 million for individuals and $7 million total for couples. [Roll Call 646, H 4853, 12/16/2010] Paul Ryan Voted Against Making Estate Tax Cuts Permanent. Paul Ryan voted against making permanent the current estate and gift tax levels, which set a 45 percent top tax rate and a $3.5 million per-person exemption amount from the tax. The estate tax was scheduled to expire in 2010 and then be reinstated in 2011 at a rate of 55% with a $1 million exemption. Supporters of the big argued it allowed for easier estate planning because the rates do not fluctuate year to year. [Roll Call 929, H 4154, 12/03/2009] Ryan Voted in Favor of Cutting the Estate Tax. On June 22, 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would reduce the estate tax. According to the Washington Post, The House yesterday approved a deep, permanent tax cut on large, inherited estates that would cost the Treasury hundreds of billions of dollars, then sought to burnish its reputation for fiscal discipline by granting the president power to rescind pet projects from spending legislation. The twin actions, cutting taxes and approving a line-item veto, came as Congress struggles to contain stubborn budget deficits.[] The estate tax bill -- which would cut but not eliminate taxes on inheritances -- marked a significant turnaround for House Republicans, who have made full estate tax repeal an economic tenet for more than a decade. [] The legislation, which passed 269 to 156, would exempt estates worth as much as $5 million -- $10 million for couples -- from taxation indefinitely. The tax rate on estates worth more than the exemption level up to $25 million would be set at the same tax rates that apply to capital gains -- now 15 percent but scheduled to rise to 20 percent in 2011. The tax for estates worth more than $25 million would be twice the capital gains rate. The bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the estate tax cut would cost the government $279 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. But between 2012 and 2021, the first decade the tax would be fully in force, the cost to the Treasury would climb to $602 billion -- $762 billion if the costs of additional interest payments are included. [Roll Call 315, H 5638, 06/22/2006; Washington Post, 06/23/06] Ryan Supported Estate Tax Elimination Six Times in Previous Sessions. Ryan voted in favor of overriding President Clintons veto of the bill. The veto override failed 274-157, 14 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. [Roll Call 458, H 8, 09/07/2000] Ryan Supported Estate Tax Elimination Six Times in Previous Sessions. Ryan voted favor of a bill to phase out the estate tax over a ten-year period. The bill passed 279-136 [Roll Call 254, H 8, 06/09/2000] Ryan Supported Estate Tax Elimination Six Times in Previous Sessions. Ryan voted in favor of overriding President Clintons veto of the bill. The veto override failed 274-157, 14 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. [Roll Call 458, H 8, 09/07/2000] Ryan Supported Estate Tax Elimination Six Times in Previous Sessions. Ryan voted favor of a bill to phase out the estate tax over a ten-year period. The bill passed 279-136. [Roll Call 254, H 8, 06/09/2000] Paul Ryan Voted for Permanent Repeal of Estate Tax: April 2005. On April 13, 2005, Paul Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would make permanent the full repeal of the estate tax contained in the 2001 tax cut law (PL 107-16) and which was set to expire after 2010. The total cost of repeal would be nearly $1 trillion between 2012 and 2021 - including $745 billion in revenue losses and $225 billion in higher interest payments on the national debt. The House passed the bill 272-162. [Roll Call 102, H 8, 04/13/2005; Washington Post, 4/14/05] 250

Ryan Called The Estate Tax A Double Tax On Death. According to a transcript of Fox News Sunday, Ryan said, I dont want to get into the whos a hostage-taker discussion here, but what is the estate tax? Its a double tax on death. Economists will tell you that its really not a tax that soaks the rich, but its a tax on capital that deprives business investment and therefore job creation. [Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 12/12/10] Ryan Said The Estate Tax Was A Killer Of Intergenerational Transfer Of Businesses. According to a transcript of Political Capital with Al Hunt that was obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, What they are really creating a fuss over, as you say, is the provision to lower the estate tax. And what that $14 billion over two years, it affects very, very few, wealthy heirs. The Democrats claim that while working-class Americans are struggling, why give this kind of break to the very wealthy, what the conservative economist Irwin Stelzer calls affirmative action for the rich? Ryan responded, There should be an estate tax. You already pay taxes on this. So, well, first of all, with the zero estate tax, you have a step- up in basis, a carryover, and then you do pay capital gains when you sell the asset as an heir so you do actually end up paying capital gains. But put that point aside for a moment. This is the biggest killer of intergenerational transfer of businesses. Were not talking about, you know, Bill Gates here. Were talking about successful family businesses and farms that are big employers having to be cut in half or liquidated in order to pay a tax when the owner dies. This is not right. [Analyst Wire, 12/10/10]

Flat Tax
Ryan Said He Supported The Hall-Rabuska Flat Tax. According to a transcript of a Manhattan Institute event with Ryan at the National Press Club that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, Most people whove -- Ive been involved in tax reform, you know -- for a long time, but they all involve broadening the base and lowering the rates. And so how you do that matters greatly with respect to our economic competitiveness, but I would like to think that we can get consensus on broadening the base and lowering the rates to make our tax code more competitive. So I do hold out some hope that theres a shot at some actual, maybe not wholesale fundamental -- you know, Im a Hall-Rabuska flat-tax guy myself. [Federal News Service, 1/6/11] Ryan Spotted Short Of Endorsing A Flat Tax; Called For A National Debate Over Tax Reform. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Republican congressional candidate Paul Ryan wants to give Congress a deadline to overhaul the federal tax code by 2001, a measure already approved by the House, and he said he likes the flat-tax ideas of GOP presidential hopeful Steve Forbes, who has just endorsed Ryan. But Ryan wont say exactly how the tax code should be overhauled, only that he favors a simpler, fairer tax code. Besides Forbes and other flat-tax ideas, a national sales tax also would fit his general principles about how the overhauled tax code should work, Ryan said. I dont have all the answers, he said. I do know when you set a deadline, you can make it. Lets have a national debate about how to do it. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/12/98]

IRS
Ryan Voted Against IRS Reforms. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would make revisions to certain record-keeping requirements in the tax filing process. The bill would eliminate an IRS debt-collection program that used private companies to collect delinquent taxes. It would also require more reporting on how taxpayers use their Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Supporters of the bill argued that federal workers would be able to collect delinquent taxes more efficiently than private companies. Opponents of the bill contended that the existing debt-collection program allowed the IRS to go after tax delinquents it would not otherwise contact. The bill passed 238-179. [Roll Call 190, H 5719, 04/15/2008; CQ Weekly, 4/21/08; CQ Weekly, 4/21/08] Ryan Voted Against Ending the Collection of Taxes by Private Contractors. On October 10, 2007, Ryan voted against a bill to end the collection of taxes by private companies. According to the Washington Post, The House voted yesterday to kill an Internal Revenue Service program that uses private companies to track down delinquent taxpayers and lets the companies keep a percentage of the taxes they collect. The vote, generally on party lines, was 232 to 173. House Democrats portrayed the program as a contracting failure by the Bush administration, with start-up costs of $71 million, five times higher than initially projected. [] Republicans said the private collectors had come up with $32 million in gross revenue and predicted that junking the program would cost the government $1.1 billion over the next decade. []The National Treasury Employees Union [] contends the program has fallen short of IRS goals. The revenue that the companies actually collected -- not 251

including what taxpayers paid in response to letters indicating their cases were being turned over to the companies -- is about $25 million, far less than the $43.5 million to $61.8 million projected for 2007, the union said. The union also said that the IRS has received more than five dozen complaints about the debt-collection program, mostly involving taxpayer privacy. The private-sector coalition stressed that the two companies in the IRS program scored a 100 percent rating for professionalism and a 98 percent rating for regulatory and procedural accuracy in IRS-sponsored surveys. [Roll Call 960, H 3056, 10/10/2007; Washington Post, 10/11/07] Ryan Voted in Favor of Changing Internal Revenue Code. On June 19, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would make numerous revisions to the Internal Revenue Code, including changes to tax collection practices, tax filing procedures and IRS administrative policies. According to Congressional Quarterly Weekly, The House passed a bill June 19 that would alter IRS procedures, rejecting warnings from Democrats who said one of its provisions threatens consumer protections in some health insurance plans. [] The measure would change tax collection practices, tax return filing procedures and IRS administrative policies at an estimated cost of $352 million over 13 years. It would give taxpayers who file their returns electronically an extra 15 days to pay their taxes, extending their deadlines to April 30 for the next five years. The goal is to reduce costs by increasing the percentage of tax returns filed electronically to 80 percent by 2007. The bill also provides that interest paid to taxpayers who overpay their taxes would no longer count as taxable income. Interest would no longer be charged when taxpayers receive erroneous refunds or underpay their taxes based on faulty advice from the IRS. The most contentious provision in the bill would allow waivers of some consumer protections, such as coverage for pre-existing conditions, for certain unemployed workers who purchase health insurance from state-run pools. Under the fast-track trade negotiating law (PL 107-210), workers whose jobs end because of competition from foreign trade would be eligible to receive a 65 percent tax credit for the purchase of health insurance. That credit would be available to workers only if the state-run plans adhere to certain consumer protections laid out in the trade bill. Not all states have implemented those changes, and supporters of the bill said if workers could waive those protections, 12,000 would be able to take advantage of the insurance plans. Democrats unsuccessfully sought to remove the waiver, saying the provision would make it more difficult for older workers or those with health problems to get coverage. [Roll Call 293, H 1528, 06/19/2003; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 06/20/03]

Payroll Tax
Ryan Voted to Disapprove of Senate Passed Payroll Tax Cut Extension. On December 20, 2011, Ryan voted for a motion to disagree with the Senate amendments and request a conference on a bill (HR 3630) that would extend through February 2012 the 4.2 percent employee payroll tax rate, Medicare payments rates to doctors and workers eligibility for certain expanded unemployment benefits. The bill also would require the president to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline within 60 days of the bills enactment unless he certifies that doing so is not in the national interest. According to Bloomberg, The U.S. House of Representatives lurched toward a showdown over an expiring payroll tax cut, escalating a legislative fight that may result in smaller paychecks in January for 160 million workers. The Republican-controlled House is scheduled to vote today to reject a bipartisan Senate plan that would extend the expiring tax cut and other provisions for two months. House leaders said the stopgap measure was unworkable and wouldnt provide enough certainty for businesses. Democrats said Republicans were bowing to Tea Party resistance. [] With 11 days before the two-percentage-point tax cut expires, lawmakers are sticking to their positions in a political messaging battle that both sides say they are winning. Neither side gave any ground yesterday. If neither budges, the tax cut will end Dec. 31. House Republicans slammed the Senate, saying lawmakers in both parties there were too eager to get out of Washington for the holiday recess and too unwilling to negotiate a yearlong extension. The House on Dec. 13 passed a bill that extends the payroll tax cut and expanded unemployment benefits through 2012. It includes a provision that would prevent doctors from seeing their Medicare reimbursements cut starting in January. [Roll Call 946, H 3630, 12/20/2011; Bloomberg, 12/20/11] Ryan Voted for GOP Payroll Tax Cut Extension Plan. On December 13, 2011, Ryan voted for a Republican plan to renew an expiring payroll tax cut, extend the federal unemployment compensation program and prevent a 27 percent cut to Medicare payments to physicians, According to Congressional Quarterly Today. The bill would provide a one-year extension of a reduced Social Security payroll tax and self-employment tax, enacted last December (PL 111-132); renew for two years a doc fix to prevent Medicare payments to physicians from being cut more than 27 percent; and extend and overhaul the unemployment compensation program. [] To offset the cost of the bill, the measure would cut spending for a prevention and public health fund established by last years health care overhaul (PL 111-148, PL 111-152). It also would establish a way to take back subsidies paid to people who receive health insurance through new state-run exchanges and then become 252

ineligible for the benefits. It would also require wealthier Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher premiums. []The White House issued a veto threat against the bill Tuesday, arguing that it breaks the bipartisan agreement on spending cuts. [] Democrats have criticized proposed Republican changes to the unemployment insurance benefits program. Though the bill would extend federal and state unemployment benefits through Jan. 31, 2013, it would reduce the total number of weeks the jobless are eligible for assistance from 99 weeks to 59 weeks. The measure also would impose new job search, re-employment training and education requirements on laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits. [Roll Call 923, H 3630, 12/13/2011; Congressional Quarterly Today, 12/13/11] In 2001, Ryan Said Payroll Tax Collection Would Not Be Enough To Cover Annual Payments By 2016 And By 2032. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, It was akin to a breath of fresh air when Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, spoke at length about Social Security last week during Strong Funds Financial Writers and Editors Conference in Menominee Falls. Hearing about a pre-Sept. 11 problem seemed refreshingly normal. As Ryan related, annual Social Security payroll tax collections will no longer be enough to cover annual payments by 2016. By 2032, all of the nominal Social Security surplus will be gone and deficit spending will be required to keep the benefit afloat. [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 11/5/01]

Tax Code
Ryan Supported Scrapping The Current Tax Code. According to the Janesville Gazette, Ryan said his solution is to scrap the current code, with its loopholes and tax shelters that keep corporations such as General Electric from paying taxes. Eliminate the loopholes and lower tax rates for everyone, Ryan said. Ryan said 90 percent of Wisconsin business owners file not as corporations but as individuals, so personal income tax rates affect those businesses. Other countries are lowering their tax rates, and lowering U.S. rates would make businesses more competitive globally, Ryan said. Another man challenged that, saying that while corporate tax rates are high, the U.S. is near the bottom of the list of industrialized countries in terms of corporate taxes paid. Good point, Ryan responded, which is why the tax system should be revamped and rates lowered for all. The problem with the high tax rate is that a lot of businesses do pay it, and business decisions are made based on that rate, Ryan said. [Janesville Gazette, 10/29/11]

Tax Cuts
Ryan Voted for $7.6 Billion Extension of Corporate R&D Tax Credit. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, part of which was the extension of the corporate research and development tax credit until 2005, the cost which was $7.6 billion, according to the AP. [Roll Call 472, H 1308, 09/23/2004; AP, 9/23/04] Ryan Voted against Extension of Deduction for State Sales Taxes, Deduction for Tuition. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would revive or extend about $55.5 billion in tax breaks for individuals and businesses for one year. Specifically, the bill would allot $1.7 billion to allow individuals to deduct state sales taxes instead of income taxes from their 2008 tax filing, and $2.6 billion to extend the deduction for tuition and related expenses through 2008. The bill also extended tax credits for solar energy, wind energy, biomass, geothermal energy and certain coal projects. The bill would also create a new category of tax credit bonds to help state and local governments with projects designed to reduce greenhouse gases. The bill passed 263160. [Roll Call 344, H 6049, 05/21/2008; CQ Weekly, 5/26/08] Ryan Opposed Tax Breaks for First-Time Homebuyers. In 2008, Ryan voted against an amendment to a housing package that would establish a refundable tax credit of up to $7,500 for first-time homebuyers that would serve as an interest-free loan. It provided an additional standard deduction in 2008 of up to $350 for individuals and $700 for married couples for state and local property taxes. It would authorize an additional $10 billion in tax-exempt bonds that would be used to refinance subprime loans, finance the construction of low-income rental housing, and support loans to first-time homebuyers. It also increased the number of low-income housing tax credits. The motion passed 322-94. [Roll Call 302, H 3221, 05/08/2008; Congressional Quarterly Today, 5/8/08] Ryan Voted For Rebates for Taxpayers to Stimulate Spending. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of concurring with a Senate amendment to a stimulus package that would provide advance refund of a tax credit for most taxpayers equal to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. Families would receive $300 for each child under 17. It would begin phasing out the 253

benefit for individuals with adjusted gross incomes above $75,000 and married couples with incomes above $150,000. Companies could write off an additional 50 percent of new investment expenditures in 2008 for items subject to depreciation over 20 years or less. Small businesses would be allowed to write off the entire cost of new investment expenditures up to $250,000. It would temporarily raise the size of mortgage loans the Federal Housing Administration could insure and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could purchase. It would expand eligibility for rebate checks to include low-income senior citizens, disabled veterans and widows of veterans. It also would provide that illegal immigrants would not be eligible for rebate checks. The bill passed 380-34 [Roll Call 42, H 5140, 02/07/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 2/09/08] Ryan Supported Tax Cuts, Rebates for Taxpayers to Simulate Spending. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bipartisan, $146 billion fiscal stimulus package that would provide tax rebates and business incentives intended to jolt the economy with new spending. The bill would provide advance refund of a tax credit for most taxpayers equal to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples, with the payments phased out for individuals earning more than $75,000 and couples earning more than $150,000. It would provide a minimum payment of $300 for individuals paying less than that in income taxes who show earned income of at least $3,000. And it would provide an additional payment of $300 a child for all families receiving a payment. On the business side, the House plan would give companies a 50 percent bonus deduction on new equipment that would normally be depreciated over many years. And it would double the limit on expenses to $250,000 from $125,000 that small businesses can deduct from annual income, with a total cap of $800,000. This version of the stimulus would raise the size limit on conforming mortgage loans the Federal Housing Administration could insure and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could purchase, a step that would help homeowners in expensive markets refinance their loans. The motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill was agreed to 385-35. [Roll Call 25, H 5140, 01/29/2008; Congressional Quarterly; New York Times, 1/30/08] Ryan Voted Against Raising Cigarette Taxes. In 2007, Ryan voted against a bill that would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products to offset a $35 billion expansion of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. The bill would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program at nearly $60 billion over five years. The bill would limit program eligibility to families earning three times the federal poverty level or less. It also would require the Social Security Administration to verify the citizenship of all applicants and require states to phase out coverage of childless adults by the end of 2008. The bill is nearly identical to an earlier version of the SCHIP expansion, HR 976. The most substantive change is that HR 3963 would limit SCHIP eligibility to families earning at or less than three times the federal poverty level -- about $62,000 for a family of four. The bill passed 265-142. [Roll Call 1009, H 3963, 10/25/2007; Congressional Quarterly; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 10/27/07] Ryan Voted Against Raising Taxes on Cigarettes and Tobacco Products. In 2007, Ryan voted against an attempt to override President Bushs veto of the bill that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, the bill would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. The bill would provide coverage to pregnant women and dental coverage to children enrolled in the program. States would have to meet new requirements before being allowed to expand eligibility beyond 300 percent of poverty. It also would authorize $100 million to fund state outreach and enrollment efforts and establish a contingency fund for states with funding shortfalls due to increased enrollment. The bill failed 273-156. A two-thirds majority was required to override the veto. [Roll Call 982, H 976, 10/18/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Opposed Budget that Protected Middle Class Taxpayers. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. The budget supported middle class tax relief, including an extension of marriage penalty relief, the child tax credit, and the 10 percent bracket. The budget also supported reform of the estate tax to protect small businesses and family farms. The budget passed 214-209. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the Six for 06, 5/24/07; House Budget Committee, Overview of FY2008 Budget Conference Agreement, 5/16/07] Ryan Supported $70 Billion Tax Cut Bill that Benefits the Wealthiest Americans. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a $70 billion tax cut bill. The bill extended the Bush tax breaks on capital gains and dividends for two years, but only included a one year patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax that was particularly painful for millions of middle class families. The Washington Post called the bill a windfall for the rich, and a hole in the federal budget. According to a study by the Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, Middle-income households would receive an average tax cut of $20, while the 0.2 254

percent of households with incomes over $1 million would get average tax cuts of $42,000. The Washington Post wrote that, This Congress and administration are putting the nation deeper and deeper in debt to benefit a sliver of the population that doesnt need the help. Someones going to have to pay for these deficit-financed tax cuts eventually, and its likely to be your grandchildren. The bill passed 244-185. [Roll Call 135, H 4297, 05/10/2006; Washington Post, 5/11/06] Ryan Supported Bill To Provide Tax Relief For Corporations And Extend Middle Class Tax Cuts. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 339 for and 65 against, the House passed a bill that provides tax relief to corporations, temporarily eases the Alternative Minimum Tax on personal returns and extends three middle-class tax cuts that are due to expire at the end of the year. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/26/04] Ryan Voted for $45 Billion Extension of Marriage Penalty Relief. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, part of which was the extension of marriage penalty relief through 2008 and the extension of the expanded 10 percent tax bracket through 2010, the combined cost of which was $45.05 billion, according to the AP. [Roll Call 472, H 1308, 09/23/2004; AP, 9/23/04] Ryan Voted for the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, which would extend the $1,000 per child tax credit through 2009, the upper limit for the current 10 percent bracket through 2010 and tax breaks for married couples through 2008. It also would provide a one-year extension of current income exemptions from the alternative minimum tax and extend the expiring research and development tax credit through 2005. [Roll Call 472, H 1308, 09/23/2004] Ryan Called Pay-As-You-Go Rules A Back Door Tax Raise. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Most Republicans supported the curbs on earmarks but opposed the other key piece of the package: restoring a pay-as-you-go rule requiring that any new tax cuts or entitlement programs not add to the deficit. That means such measures would have to be paid for by raising revenue or cutting spending elsewhere in the budget. This will have the back-door effect of simply raising taxes, said Janesville Rep. Paul Ryan, now the top Republican on the House Budget Committee. Ryan argued that the pay-asyou-go provision wasnt tough enough on spending (it applies only to new entitlement programs, not discretionary programs such as education and defense), and that it shouldnt apply at all to tax cuts. We dont have a tax revenue problem in Washington, we have a spending problem in Washington, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/6/07] Ryan Opposed Plan To Subject Tax Cuts To Same Pay As You Go Rules On Entitlement Spending. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 196 for and 218 against, the House rejected a bid by Democrats to subject tax cuts to the same pay-as-you-go rules that would apply to entitlement spending increases in the bill above. A yes vote backed pay as you go for tax cuts. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/27/04] Ryan Supported $143 Billion In Tax Breaks For Businesses, Which Would Add $34 Billion Onto The National Debt. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 251 for and 178 against, the House passed a 400-page bill providing $143 billion over 10 years in scores of tax breaks for businesses, including $9.6 billion for buying out owners of federal tobacco allotments. At least $34 billion of the bill's cost would be added to the national debt. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/20/04] Ryan Opposed Democratic Alternative, Which Would Prevent The Bills Increase In National Debt By Closing Loopholes. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 193 for and 235 against, the House defeated a Democratic alternative to the bill above that also showered tax breaks but which used offsets such as closing tax loopholes to keep the bill from adding to the national debt. A yes vote backed the Democratic plan. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 6/20/04]

Ryan Sponsored Provision Of $34 Billion Corporate Tax Bill To Help U.S. Manufacturers Of Bowhunting Equipment. According to Capital Times, A mammoth $34 billion corporate tax bill making its way through the House this week includes a measure aimed at helping U.S. manufacturers of bowhunting equipment. The sponsor, Rep. Paul Ryan, a Janesville Republican and avid bowhunter, said the provision simply levels the playing field by requiring foreign manufacturers to pay the same tax that domestic ones do. But critics call it one more unnecessary add-on to a bill that has grown exponentially in recent months. The bills main purpose is to gradually reduce the top tax rate for manufacturers from 35 percent to 32 percent, to replace an export benefit ruled illegal by the World Trade Organization. []Ryan said critics dont understand bowhunting. We do not tax imported arrows but we do tax domestically manufactured arrows -- its a glitch in the 255

system, Ryan said. As a result, he added, domestic manufacturers are moving overseas to avoid paying the 12.4 percent tax, which goes into a wildlife conservation fund. [Capital Times, 6/17/04] Ryan Voted for $105 Billion Marriage Penalty Relief. In April 2004, Ryan voted for a bill, that the AP wrote, would permanently change three parts of tax law that cause some married couples to pay higher taxes than they would as single individuals and reduce their taxes $105 billion over the next decade. Some married couples face a tax increase next year if the changes expire as scheduled. The vote passed, 323-95. [Roll Call 138, H 4181, 04/28/2004; AP, 4/28/04] Ryan Voted for Expanded Tax Deductions for Charitable Giving. On September 17, 2003, Ryan voted for the Charitable Giving Act. The bill would provide $12.7 billion in tax breaks and incentives to encourage charitable giving. Taxpayers who do not itemize deductions could deduct up to $250 in charitable donations ($500 for couples) in each of the next two years. The cap on deductible corporate charitable contributions would increase gradually from 10 percent of taxable income to 20 percent by 2012. The bill also would reduce the current excise tax on foundations investment income, but tighten a requirement that they contribute 5 percent of their assets to charity each year. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported that the bill, would allow an estimated 86 million people who dont itemize deductions on their tax returns to deduct part of their donations to charity [...] The bill also would allow tax-free donations to charity from individual retirement accounts and would increase corporate tax breaks for charitable donations. [Roll Call 508, H 7, 09/17/2003; Cleveland Plain Dealer, 09/18/2003] Ryan Supported Expansion of Adoption Tax Credit. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of a tax cut bill that included the Hope for Children Act, legislation to extend and increase the adoption tax credit to from $5,000 to $10,000. The bill permanently extended and doubled the adoption credit, indexed the credit for inflation, increased the earnings limit, and exempted beneficiaries from the Alternative Minimum Tax. In addition, the bill extended and doubled the tax exclusion allowed for employer-provided adoption benefits which were set to expire in 2001, and included a $10,000 flat credit for special needs adoptions. The bill passed 240-154. [Roll Call 149, H 1836, 05/26/2001] Ryan Supported Tax Cut for Social Security Recipients. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would repeal a tax imposed in 1993 that increased the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation from 50 percent to 85 for the onefifth of Social Security recipients with the highest incomes. The 1993 tax increased to 85 percent, from 50 percent, the part of Social Security benefits subject to income tax when a recipients income, including half the annual Social Security benefit, exceeds $34,000 for a single person and $44,000 for a married couple. The revenue generated by the 1993 tax was $8 billion in 2000 alone, and was projected to total $117 billion over the following decade. This revenue was earmarked only for Medicare, but the bill provided that the revenues that would have been collected had the tax not been repealed would be transferred to the Medicare trust fund from the general fund. The bill passed, 265-159. [Roll Call 450, H 4865, 07/27/2000; New York Times, 7/28/00] Ryan Supported Moratorium on Internet Taxes in 2000. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to impose a five-year moratorium on state and local taxes on Internet access until Oct. 21, 2006. It would also eliminate the grandfather clause that allows certain states to collect taxes on Internet access. The bill passed 352-75 [Roll Call 159, H 3709, 05/10/2000] Ryan Voted for $792 Billion Tax Cut Plan That Would Reduce Income & Capital Gains Taxes While Eliminating the Estate Tax. Ryan voted for a $792 billion GOP tax plan that would, according to the AP, gradually cut 1 percentage point off each personal income tax rate. It also would provide relief from the so-called marriage penalty, cut the personal capital gains tax rate and eventually eliminate the estate tax. The AP reported that President Clinton repeatedly threatened to veto the package because it would use up almost all of the projected non-Social Security surplus over the next decade, leaving almost nothing for needed government programs and paying down the national debt. [Roll Call 379, H 2488, 08/05/1999; Associated Press, 8/4/99] Paul Ryan Voted against FY2010 Budget That Provided Framework for Middle Class Tax Cuts. In 2009, Paul Ryan opposed a budget that provided a framework for extending middle-income tax cuts. The measure provided for $1.086 trillion in fiscal 2010 discretionary spending, not counting emergency funds for Iraq and Afghanistan operations. The bill provided the framework to permanently extend the middle-income tax cuts, the 10 percent individual income bracket, marriage penalty relief, and the $1,000 child tax credit. In total, the resolution supported the extension of $1.75 trillion in tax relief. [Roll Call 216, S 13, 04/29/2009; CQ Bill Analysis] Ryan Voted Against $400 Making Work Pay Tax Credit. Ryan voted against the conference report of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included a refundable income tax credit for two years, beginning in 2009 and 256

2010. The credit was to be the lesser of 6.2 percent on an individuals earned income or $400, $800 in the case of a joint return. [Roll Call 70, H 1, 02/13/2009; CQ Bill Analysis HR1; CQ House Action Reports, 2/13/09] Paul Ryan Voted for 2004 Corporate Tax Bill That Included $42 Billion in Tax Cuts for Overseas Operations of U.S. Companies. In 2004, Ryan voted for the final version of a far-reaching tax bill that would provide a rich array of breaks to manufacturing companies, energy producers and small businesses and would underwrite a $10 billion buyout of American tobacco farmers over the next decade. The Washington Times reported, The bulk of the new tax breaks - $76.5 billion - are for U.S.-based production, a broad category that includes manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, architecture and engineering, electric generation, some farming, and construction. The bill also reduces taxes for the overseas operations of U.S. companies by $42 billion, House Democrats said. [Roll Call 509, H 4520, 10/07/2004; Washington Post, 10/8/04; Washington Times, 10/8/04] Paul Ryan Voted To Increase The Deficit By Extending Child Tax Credit To The Wealthy. In 2004, Ryan voted for the child tax credit bill, which over the next ten years will add $228 billion to the national debt. The $1,000 credit per child was made permanent and extended to higher-income taxpayers: couples that earn up to $250,000 now qualify for the credit. Previously the income cap was $110,000. The bill passed the House 271-139. [Roll Call 209, H 4359, 05/20/2004] Ryan Voted For A Budget That Failed To Control The Federal Deficit While Continuing Tax Cuts For The Wealthy. In March 2004, Ryan supported Bushs budget that permanently locked in multitrillion-dollar tax breaks that mostly benefit the nations wealthiest. According to the AFL-CIO, To finance these taxes cuts for millionaires and billionaires, the Republican budget resolutionwhich mirrored Bushs proposalinflated the record-high $477 billion U.S. deficit and by $120 billion shortchanged or cut funds for the domestic programs working families need mostfrom job creation to health care, transportation and education. It also accelerated the repeal of the estate tax and made permanent tax cutssuch as the estate tax repeal, the capital gains and dividend rate cuts and the reduction in marginal ratesthat provide huge benefits to families with the highest incomes. [Roll Call 92, S 393, 03/25/2004; 2004 AFL-CIO Scorecard] Paul Ryan Voted for $1.4 Trillion in Tax Cuts and Massive Spending Cuts. In 2003, Ryan voted for the initial House version of the $2.2 trillion Fiscal 2004 budget resolution which included $1.4 trillion in tax cuts and $265 billion in mandatory spending cuts over ten years. According to the AP, Republican House leaders overcame opposition from moderates who disliked their budgets tax reductions and cuts in programs like Medicaid and agriculture. The centrists closed ranks and voted for the budget blueprint only after intensive lobbying by Vice President Dick Cheney, Treasury Secretary John Snow and other administration officials. In addition, the House-passed budget included no money for the war in Iraq. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; AP, 3/21/03; Star-Tribune, 3/22/03] Ryan Voted for $1.4 Trillion in Tax Cuts and Massive Spending Cuts. In 2003, Ryan voted for the initial House version of the $2.2 trillion Fiscal 2004 budget resolution which included $1.4 trillion in tax cuts and $265 billion in mandatory spending cuts over ten years. According to the AP, Republican House leaders overcame opposition from moderates who disliked their budgets tax reductions and cuts in programs like Medicaid and agriculture. The centrists closed ranks and voted for the budget blueprint only after intensive lobbying by Vice President Dick Cheney, Treasury Secretary John Snow and other administration officials. In addition, the House-passed budget included no money for the war in Iraq. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; AP, 3/21/03] Ryan Voted for Budget Resolution That Included $1.6 Trillion Tax Cut And Limited Spending Growth to Half of Previous Years. In 2001, Ryan voted for a fiscal 2002 budget resolution that called for a 10-year, $1.6 trillion tax cut as proposed by President Bush. The House GOP budget also envisioned using parts of the Social Security and Medicare surpluses to overhaul both programs and limiting many programs to four percent growth half the increase for 2001. [S]ome moderate Republicans have said Bushs 10-year, $1.6 trillion tax cut is too big and his proposed spending restraints too stingy, the Associated Press reported. [Roll Call 70, S 83, 03/28/2001; AP, 3/28/01] 2000: Ryan Voted Against Responsible Social Security Tax Cut That Would Benefit Individuals Who Make Up To $80,000. In 2000, Ryan voted against a Democratic substitute to a GOP Social Security tax cut proposal that President Clinton pledged to veto. The Democratic substitute would reduce Social Security taxes, from 85 percent of benefits to 50 percent, for individuals with incomes up to $80,000 and couples with incomes up to $100,000. At the time, the 85 percent level applied to individuals with incomes up to $34,000 and couples with incomes up to $44,000. The Democratic substitute included a provision making it effective only as long as the budget surplus was sufficient to cover losses to Medicare. The vote was on a 257

Pomeroy (D-ND) amendment, which Ryan voted against, to the Social Security tax repeal bill. [Roll Call 449, H 4865, 07/27/2000; AP, 7/28/00] Paul Ryan Voted For Budget Resolution That Included Up To $150 Billion In Tax Cuts. In 2000, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the $1.82 trillion budget resolution for fiscal 2001. Of the non-Social Security surpluses, the Associated Press reported that Republicans would use much of it for a tax cut of at least $150 billion and perhaps more than $200 billion [.] The resolution provided a discretionary spending increase of roughly $14 billion slightly over two percent over the previous year. [Roll Call 125, S 290, 04/13/2000; AP, 4/13/00; National Journals CongressDaily, 4/13/00] Ryan Voted For 5-Year Moratorium on Internet Taxes. Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would impose a five-year moratorium on state and local taxes on Internet access until Oct. 21, 2006. It would also eliminate the grandfather clause that currently allows certain states to collect taxes on Internet access. [Roll Call 159, H 3709, 05/10/2000] Ryan Said That Democrats Were Engaged In Political Demagoguery When They Said The Republican-Backed $792 Billion Tax Cut Would Lead To Massive Cuts In Domestic Spending. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday accused two Democratic members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation of trying to scare the public with misrepresentations about a Republican-backed federal tax cut plan. Ryan said Reps. Dave Obey and Tammy Baldwin were engaging in sheer scare tactics and political demagoguery when they said the $792 billion tax cut that passed Congress last month would lead to massive cuts in domestic spending during the next decade if the economy falters. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/9/1999]

Tax Increases
Ryan Supported Moratorium on Internet Taxes in 2000. In 2000, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to impose a five-year moratorium on state and local taxes on Internet access until Oct. 21, 2006. It would also eliminate the grandfather clause that allows certain states to collect taxes on Internet access. The bill passed 352-75. [Roll Call 159, H 3709, 05/10/2000] Ryan Claimed A Budget Deal With 50% Tax Increases Would Send Us Into Cardiac Arrest. According to a transcript of Squawk on the Street obtained via Analyst Wire, Ryan was asked, Congressman, on the -- on the refusal to consider revenue, right, Ezra Klein had an argument that said it`s, kind of, like going to the doctor where the doctor says, look, you have to get in shape; your health is in -- in real danger. And the patient says, OK, I`ll do everything, but I`m not going to exercise. Right? I mean, wouldn`t -- isn`t it almost a, sort of, you have to do -- it has to be both diet and exercise? Why -- why should it only be one? Ryan responded, Yes. So the right thing to get our economy in shape is not to tax it to death. Look, they`re talking about 50/50 -- 50 percent spending cuts and 50 percent tax increases in the Senate. That would -would send us into cardiac arrest. [Analyst Wire, 5/17/11] Ryan Said Global Competition Made Tax Increases Untenable. According to a transcript of Meet the Press obtained via States News Service, Ryan was asked, But still no tax cuts in the future even? Ryan responded, Were--no, were talking about tax reform. Look, we have to recognize the fact that were in global competition. Were competing against China and India. And when we tax our job creators more than they tax theirs, we lose, they win, and we dont want that to happen. [States News Service, 4/10/11] Ryan Said That That Calling For Higher Taxes On The Wealthy Was Stoking The Flames Of Envy And Resentment. According to the Janesville Gazette, Without directly mentioning President Barack Obamas talk of increasing taxes on the rich, the Republican congressman and Janesville native decried the politics of division. I dont think its healthy for us to be stoking the flames of envy and resentment. I dont care about rich people, because theyre already rich, Ryan said. What I worry about is making it easier for people to become successful, whove never seen it before. [Janesville Gazette, 10/29/11]

258

TRANSPORTATION
Ryan Voted Against 2007 Transportation and Treasury Funding Bill, Easing Restrictions on Trade with Cuba. On June 14, 2006, Ryan voted against a $139.6 billion Transportation and Treasury appropriations bill that included amendments that would increase funding for Amtrak and ease trade restrictions on Cuba. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House passed a $139.6 billion Transportation-Treasury-Housing appropriations bill Wednesday, after rejecting a slew of amendments that would have stripped some of the many member-requested spending projects tucked into the bill. The fiscal 2007 spending bill (HR 5576), passed by a 406-22 vote, with the House adopting amendments designed to ease restrictions on agricultural trade with Cuba and boost funding for Amtrak and certain housing programs. The bill funding the Housing and Urban Development, Transportation and Treasury departments, the judiciary, the District of Columbia and other general government operations includes $67.8 billion in discretionary spending, $3.7 billion more than enacted in fiscal 2006 (PL 109115) and slightly more than the White House sought. Overall appropriations, including mandatory spending, would represent an $8.5 billion increase over fiscal 2006 and $1 billion more than President Bush requested. [Roll Call 286, H 5576, 06/14/2006; Congressional Quarterly Today, 06/14/06] Ryan Voted for the $27.5 Billion Fiscal 2004 Transportation-Treasury Appropriations Bill. On September 09, 2003, Ryan voted for passage of the bill that would appropriate $89.6 billion in fiscal 2004 spending, including $27.5 billion in discretionary spending, for the departments of Treasury and Transportation, and related agencies. It includes $33.4 billion for highway projects, $14 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration, $900 million in grants to Amtrak, $3.4 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, and $11.3 billion for the Treasury Department. It also would lift the ban on most travel to Cuba. [Roll Call 489, H 2989, 09/09/2003] Ryan Voted for the 2002 Transportation Appropriations Bill. On November 30, 2001, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $59.6 billion for fiscal 2002 transportation programs, $1.5 billion more than fiscal 2001. The agreement would include $1.25 billion for a security office responsible for passenger and baggage screeners at airports established under the aviation security measure (PL 107- 71). It also would allow trucks from Mexico to travel throughout the United States but those trucks would be subject to additional inspection, safety and border controls. [Roll Call 465, H 2299, 11/30/2001]

Amtrak and High Speed Rail


Ryan Voted against Amtrak Reauthorization. In 2008, Ryan voted in favor of a bill that would authorize $14.4 billion for Amtrak and other rail investments through fiscal year 2013. The bill included language that would allow private companies to bid on building a rail line to get passengers between Washington and New York City in less than two hours. The bill passed 311-104. [Roll Call 400, H 6003, 06/11/2008; CQ Today, 6/16/08] Ryan Voted to Cut Amtrak Funding. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of an amendment to the fiscal year 2009 appropriations bill for the Department of Housing and Urban Development that would have cut $475 million from Amtrak capital. The amendment would have eliminated $475 million in the bill that for operating subsidy grants for Amtrak. It also would have struck language directing Amtrak to adhere to a number of business practices, including requiring the submission of certain reports and a comprehensive business plan and prohibiting the use of funds to support routes on which Amtrak offers discounts of more than 50 percent off normal peak fare The amendment was defeated 94-328. [Roll Call 693, H 3074, 07/24/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan: Were Not A Fan Of High-Speed Rail. According to a transcript of a Congressional Republicans press conference that was obtained via Federal News Service, Ryan said, Were not a fan of high speed rail. I can tell you right now were rescinding the high speed rail stimulus in the current CR. I think theres a $53 billion high speed rail initiative. Thats something were not -- we just disagree with this. We disagree with the high speed rail. [Federal News Service, 2/14/11] The Wisconsin Democratic Party Claimed Ryan Acknowledged That Gov. Scott Walker Lied About Diverting $820 Million In Rail Money For Road Projects. According to States News Service, The following information was released by the Wisconsin Democratic Party: Paul Ryan and Wisconsins other GOP representatives acknowledged today what weve 259

known all along, that Scott Walker lied entirely when he claimed on the campaign trail that hed divert $810 million in rail money for roads projects. It was a lie when Walker claimed it on the campaign trail, and it was no less a lie today, when Ryan issued a joint statement with Reps. Tom Petri and Jim Sensenbrenner. Meanwhile, Ryan, who supported trillions of dollars of deficit spending under President Bush, said now that Wisconsin should give up the money that would create thousands of jobs here. What a rare act of political courage for a career politician like Paul Ryan to wait until after an election to acknowledge that Scott Walker was lying all along, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Tuesday. [States News Service, 11/16/10]

Aviation
Ryan Voted For Passage Of Airline Relief Bill Providing $5 Billion In Grants, $10 Billion In Loan Guarantees To Airlines After 9/11/01 Attacks. Ryan voted in favor of legislation to provide $5 billion in grants and up to $10 billion in loan guarantees to airline companies to compensate for losses incurred as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The bill also would create a federal board to review how the loan guarantees were handled and established a victims compensation fund to compensate victims killed or injured in the attacks or their survivors. Airlines liability for damages related to the Sept. 11 attacks would be limited to the amount of insurance coverage they had for such incidents. Shortly after the bailout passed the House, American Airlines announced it would invoke an emergency clause in its union contracts allowing the airline to forgo giving severance pay to the 20,000 workers it planned to let go. The bill passed 356-54. [Roll Call 348, H 2926, 09/21/2001; Los Angeles Times, 9/25/01] Ryan Voted to Reauthorize Federal Aviation Programs Through 2015. On February 3, 2012, Ryan voted for the conference report on the bill that would authorize $15.9 billion annually for federal aviation programs through fiscal 2015. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Friday backed an agreement for legislation that would authorize $15.9 billion annually for federal aviation programs through fiscal 2015. House lawmakers voted 248-169 to adopt the conference report for the measure (HR 658 -- H Rept 112-381), which would authorize slightly more funding for the Federal Aviation Administration each year than the House had proposed but less than the Senate initially backed (S 223). The proposed authorization is consistent with fiscal 2012 appropriation levels. [] The agreement calls for $190 million annually for the Essential Air Service program, which provides subsidies for airlines to fly to rural communities, although the House had pushed to terminate it by Oct. 1, 2013. The measure also would allocate $13.4 billion over four years for the Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants for the planning and development of public airports. [Roll Call 33, H 658, 02/03/2012; Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/3/12] Ryan Voted for Short-Term Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization. On July 20, 2011 Ryan voted for the bill that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration through Sept. 16, 2011. According to The State Journal, the bill is a short-term extension that allows the FAA to remain funded and continue its programs through Sept. 16. However, House Republicans attached a variety of provisions to that extension act that the Senate warned would not pass, including a provision that would cut funds to 13 rural and small communities that depend on Essential Air Service subsidies. The previous authorization ended July 22, causing the partial shutdown. [Roll Call 611, H 2553, 07/20/2011; The State Journal 08/05/2011] Ryan Voted to Provide $3.5 Billion for the FAAs Airport Improvement Program. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the FY 2005 Transportation and Treasury Appropriations budget. One part of the appropriations was $3.5 billion for the Federal Aviation Administrations airport improvement program, which, according to the Bond Buyer, provides grants to airports that are sometimes used to back tax-exempt bonds. The vote succeeded, 397-12. [Roll Call 465, H 5025, 09/22/2004; The Bond Buyer, 9/23/04] Ryan Voted For FAA Reauthorization Bill That Could Increase Number Of Privately Run Air Traffic Control Towers. In 2003, Ryan voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal 2004-2007. The Associated Press reported that the bill could increase the number of privately run air traffic control towers a move Democrats resisted, saying private towers saved money through understaffing and were not as closely monitored by the FAA. The bill would authorize $62 billion over four years for aviation programs. [Roll Call 592, H 2115, 10/30/2003] Ryan Voted to Triple Funding for Major Airports While Mandating Aviation Tax Revenues Be Spent Only on 260

Aviation Infrastructure. Ryan voted for House Transportation Chairman Bud Shusters proposal to take the aviation trust funds off budget and establish firewalls to prevent the accumulating billions of dollars in aviation taxes from being used for other purposes. Several GOP budget hawks failed to override the proposal with an amendment, claiming the issue was whether aviation needs should be put above all others, including fiscal discipline and preserving a tax cut Republican leaders want. [Roll Call 209, H 1000, 06/15/1999] Ryan Voted to Reauthorize Federal Aviation Programs. On April 01, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would reauthorize federal aviation programs through fiscal 2014. According to MarketWatch, the bill would cut Federal Aviation Administration spending and curb the ability of airline workers to unionize. The four-year, $59.7 billion bill sets up a showdown between the House and the Democratic-controlled Senate which passed its own measure in February on labor, safety and funding issues.[] Republicans said the bill aims to cut about $4 billion from projected spending through 2015, resetting the FAAs budget to 2008 levels. The Senate version of the bill called for increased FAA spending. [] The bill would also repeal a new rule implemented by the National Mediation Board allowing a union to be formed if a majority of votes cast are in favor of collective bargaining. Previously, it took a majority of a companys entire work force to vote to unionize, which meant that employees who didnt cast votes were counted as no votes. The White House this week threatened to veto the FAA bill if it contained the House measures labor provision. [Roll Call 220, H 658, 04/01/2011; MarketWatch, 4/1/11] Ryan Voted to Separate Flight Safety Rules for Commercial, Cargo and Charter Airlines, Undermine Air Safety Legislation. On April 01, 2011, Ryan voted for a Shuster, R-Pa., amendment that would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform industry analyses for the different segments of the aviation industry and tailor any regulations to the characteristics of each segment before proposing or issuing a regulation. According to Buffalo News, the Republican-led House on Friday narrowly passed an amendment that could undermine all the work the Families of Continental Flight 3407 did last year to force the government to try to prevent tired and inexperienced pilots from entering the cockpit. []Just nine months ago, President Obama signed air safety legislation backed by the families that requires the FAA to draw up tough new rules on pilot fatigue, experience, training and other issues. The FAA is writing several separate sets of rules under that new law, and if the Shuster amendment were to make it into law, finishing those rules would get much more difficult. Shusters measure would require the FAA to consider drawing up separate flight safety rules for commercial, cargo and charter airlines. In addition, the Shuster amendment imposes a series of tough new procedures that the FAA would have to follow in writing new flight safety rules. [Roll Call 218, H 658, 04/01/2011; Buffalo News, 4/2/11]

Funding
Ryan Voted for Extending Transportation Programs and Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline. On April 18, 2012, Ryan voted for a bill that would extend, through the end of FY2012, surface transportation funding. The bill would also require the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline within 30 days. According to the Los Angeles Times, The GOP-controlled House passed a transportation bill Wednesday that would advance the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, defying a White House veto threat and stoking an election-year fight over what Congress can do about gas prices. The 293-127 vote to extend highway and transit funding through September sets up contentious negotiations with the Democratic-led Senate, which rejected an effort to include the Canada-to-Texas pipeline project in its two-year, $109-billion transportation bill. The House measure would be the 10th extension of highway and transit funding since the last big transportation bill expired in 2009[] The House measure gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 30 days to issue a permit for the pipeline. It also includes a provision sought by Gulf Coast lawmakers to steer 80% of the penalties BP paid for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to help restore coastal ecosystems and rebuild economies in the region. [Roll Call 170, H 4348, 04/18/2012; Los Angeles Times, 4/19/12] Paul Ryan Voted Against $446 Billion Omnibus Spending Bill. Paul Ryan voted against the conference report on a bill that would provide $446 billion in discretionary spending for 6 unfinished 2010 spending bills: Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, State-Foreign Operations, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. Each of the 6 spending measures was bigger than the one from the year before. It also prohibited the release or transfer of Guantanamo detainees into the United States for any reason other than prosecution. [Roll Call 949, H 3288, 12/10/2009] Ryan Voted against Public Transportation Grants. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would authorize $1.7 billion for grants in fiscal 2008 and 2009 for transit agencies that reduce fares or expand public transportation services, as well as an 261

additional $750 million each year for urbanized area formula grants and $100 million per year for formula grants to rural areas. The bill would authorize $1.7 billion in grants over two years to local transit agencies to expand services and subsidize fares for federal employees. The bill passed 322-98. [Roll Call 467, H 6052, 06/26/2008; CQ Today, 6/26/08] Ryan Supported Transportation Bill. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of the Transportation Equity Act. The bill authorized federal-aid highway, mass transit, safety, and research programs through 2009. It would also increase the rate of return to states on their Highway Trust Fund Contributions to 92 percent by 2008. The bill passed 412-8, and was signed into law. [Roll Call 453, H 3, 07/29/2005]

Highways
Ryan Approved St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, Earlier today, Wisconsins First District Congressman Paul Ryan joined a bipartisan majority in approving S. 1134, the St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 339-80, allows Wisconsin and Minnesota to proceed with the construction of a new bridge over the St. Croix River and addresses a major regional transportation priority. Following the passage of S. 1134, Congressman Ryan offered the following statement: I was grateful to join members of the Wisconsin Congressional delegation in supporting S. 1134, which authorizes Wisconsin and Minnesota to make a much needed upgrade to their transportation systems. This project is supported by both states Governors and Senators and funds have already been set aside for the bridges construction. States should have the ability to decide how their transportation dollars are spent and Congress was right to prevent this project from being delayed further due to unnecessary litigation and an expansive reading of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 3/1/12] Ryan Introduced Bill Prohibiting Funding For Motorcycle-Only Safety Checkpoints. According to Congressional Press Releases, Wisconsin Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner, Tom Petri and Paul Ryan, today introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Transportation from providing funds to state and local governments for the use of creating motorcycle-only checkpoints. We introduced this important piece of legislation because Secretary LaHood and NHTSA remain adamant that mandating helmet use will prevent motorcycle crashes, Sensenbrenner said. The first step in motorcycle crash prevention should be rider education and increased awareness. Taxpayer money should not be spent on helmet checkpoints that do not prevent crashes. [Congressional Press Releases, 3/4/11] Ryan Voted Against Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance. On July 23, 2008 Ryan voted not to appropriate $8.02 billion to the Highway Trust Fund, which would be drawn out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. [Roll Call 518, H 6532, 07/23/2008] Ryan Voted against Highway Bridge Safety Bill. In 2008, Ryan voted against a bill that would authorize funding for bridge repairs and inspection. The bill would authorize $1 billion to improve repair work on the nations bridges and to restructure how the federal government monitors them. The bill was introduced in response to the August 2007 collapse of the I-35 bridge over the Mississippi River in which 13 people died and more than 100 were injured. The bill passed 367-55. [Roll Call 530, H 3999, 07/24/2008; CQ Today, 7/28/08; CQ Today, 7/28/08] Ryan Voted For Extending Programs Funded By The Highway Transportation Fund Pending Reauthorization Of The Transportation Equality Act. On April 28, 2004 Ryan voted to suspend the rules and pass the Surface Transportation Act of 2004, Part II. The bill provided an extension of highway and motor carrier safety, transit and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act. Proponents said an extension of funding for surface transportation and infrastructure programs is necessary while the House and Senate work out differences on the Transportation Bill. The bill passed 410-0. [Roll Call 134, H 4219, 04/28/2004; Tulsa World, 5/2/04] Ryan Voted For Transportation Funding for 2004-2009. On March 10, 2005, Ryan voted for the bill that would authorize $283.9 billion for federal aid highway, mass transit, safety and research programs from 2004 to 2009. According to the Los Angeles Times, the bill is relaxing a decades-old restriction on tolls on interstate highways... would give states greater authority to impose tolls to reduce gridlock... would give states authority to open more carpool lanes to solo motorists willing to pay a toll to speed past the traffic... would establish three pilot programs that would allow tolls to be levied to fund new interstate construction. And it would authorize 25 so-called congestion-pricing projects on existing highways. Under that 262

program, motorists would be charged the higher tolls during rush hours. [Roll Call 65, H 3, 03/10/2005; Los Angeles Times 3/10/2005] Ryan Voted for FY 2005 Transportation and Treasury Appropriations Budget. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the fiscal year 2005 Transportation and Treasury appropriations budget. The vote succeeded, 397-12. [Roll Call 465, H 5025, 09/22/2004] Ryan Opposed Measure Aimed At Reducing Pork Barrel Spending By Reducing States Highway Funding. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Members rejected, 60-367, a bid to reduce pork-barrel spending for hometown projects in the bill above. The bill contains up to $11 billion for about 3,000 such projects. These earmarks are selected by individual members rather than state highway officials. The amendment sought to reduce a states overall highway funding by the amount of its earmarked projects. A yes vote was to reduce pork-barrel spending. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Supported Amendment To The Bill To Allow Trucks To Increase Weight To 400 Lbs. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 198 for and 228 against, members defeated an amendment to the bill above concerning the many thousands of trucks that idle for long periods at rest stops, polluting the air and wasting fuel. Drivers at rest usually keep engines running for heating or cooling. This amendment sought regulatory relief to allow trucks to take on self-standing electrification units of up to 400 lbs. Foes said the added weight would make trucks more unsafe and wear down highway infrastructure. A yes vote backed the amendment. Ryan voted yes. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04]

Ryan Voted Against $275 Billion Bill For Highway And Bridge Construction. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 357 for and 65 against, the House passed a bill authorizing $275 billion over six years for highway and bridge construction, road safety and urban and intercity transit. Partly deficit spending, the figure is $43 billion less than the Senate has voted but $19 billion more than President Bush has said he will accept. A yes vote was to pass the bill. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 4/4/04] Ryan Voted For Conference Report On Transportation Budget - $50.2 For Transportation, Eliminate FAA General Fund. Ryan voted for the conference report on a bill to appropriate $50.2 billion for transportation programs in fiscal 2000. The report would provide $27.7 billion for highways, $5.8 billion for mass transit, $10.1 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $4 billion for the Coast Guard and $571 million for Amtrak. The conference report includes Senatepassed language to fund the FAA entirely out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which would eliminate the general fund contribution to the agency. [Roll Call 466, H 2084, 10/01/1999] Ryan Voted for Transportation Appropriation Bill that Included $27 Billion for Highway Construction, $4 Billion for Coast Guard Operations, and $571 Million for Amtrak. Ryan voted for a $44.5 billion transportation spending bill that would provide $27 billion for highway construction, $2.25 billion for airport improvement projects, $4.05 billion for Coast Guard operations, and $571 million for Amtrak. The bill was approved 429-3 after a voice vote to strip $300 million in not yet spent airport improvements. [Roll Call 250, H 2084, 06/23/1999; Baltimore Sun, 6/24/99]

263

TRADE
Ryan Voted for Suspending Tariffs on Components Used by U.S. Companies to Manufacture Made-In-America Products. On July 21, 2010 Ryan voted for the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would temporarily suspend or reduce duties on hundreds of specific imported goods, make several technical corrections to trade laws and streamline current customs laws. According to the Washington Post, the bill would reduce or suspend tariffs on the import of thousands of components and raw materials used by U.S. companies to manufacture made-in-America products. The bill is designed to boost production and create jobs in industries such as automobiles, agriculture, chemicals, electronics, machine tools, pharmaceuticals and textiles. [Roll Call 456, H 4380, 07/21/2010; Washington Post 7/25/2010] Ryan Voted for Establishing the Committee on Foreign Investment. On July 11, 2007, Ryan voted for a motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to the bill that would establish the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in statute, with the Treasury secretary as chairman. According to the Bangor Daily News, the bill that reforms the review of potential foreign investments in the U.S., such as last years proposed takeover of several large port operations by a company owned by a foreign country. The bill requires reports to Congress, allows for a review by the director of intelligence and requires presidential review of all projects subject to extended review. [Roll Call 614, H 556, 07/11/2007; Bangor Daily News 07/16/2007] Ryan Voted to Eliminate Two-Year Grace Period During Which Mexican Trucks Entering the U.S. Are Not Subject to Most U.S. Safety Regulations. In September 2004, Ryan voted for the FY 2005 Transportation and Treasury Appropriations budget. One measure in the budget eliminated a two-year grace period during which Mexican trucks entering the United States are not subject to most U.S. safety regulations, according to the Washington Post. The vote succeeded, 39712. [Roll Call 465, H 5025, 09/22/2004; Washington Post, 9/23/04] Ryan Supported Fast Track in 2001. In 2001, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to give President Bush broad authority to negotiate trade deals known as Fast Track. The bill included provisions that would require increased consultations with Congress on any proposed changes of tariffs for imports of sensitive agriculture products and on trade disparities for textile products. The bill passed 215-214 [Roll Call 481, H 3005, 12/06/2001]

Trade Agreements
ASIA
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Bipartisan US-South Korea Trade Agreement. On October 12, 2011 Ryan voted in favor of a US-South Korea trade agreement, this ended a 5-year political standoff between Republicans and Democrats standoff on free trade agreements. According to the New York Times, The approval of the deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama is a victory for President Obama and proponents of the view that foreign trade can drive Americas economic growth in the face of rising protectionist sentiment in both political parties. They are the first trade agreements to pass Congress since Democrats broke a decade of Republican control in 2007. All three agreements cleared both chambers with overwhelming Republican support just one day after Senate Republicans prevented action on Mr. Obamas jobs bill. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said, At long last, we are going to do something important for the country on a bipartisan basis. [Roll Call 783, H 3080, 10/12/2011] Ryan Voted to Increase U.S.-Taiwan Military Relations. Ryan voted to increase U.S.-Taiwanese military relations. The measure would require the secretary of Defense to establish direct military communication with forces in Taiwan, increase the number of Taiwanese military officials trained at U.S. military academies and require the Pentagon to issue annual reports detailing threats to Taiwans security. The measure does not include any authorization for sales of advanced air- and sea-based weapons to Taiwan. [Roll Call 5, H 1838, 02/01/2000] Ryan Voted For Trade with Vietnam. Ryan voted against the passage of the resolution disapproving of the presidential waiver that allows U.S. trade credits and guarantees for companies that do business with Vietnam. [Roll Call 365, S 58, 08/03/1999] 264

Ryan Supported Trade with Singapore. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to implement the United StatesSingapore Free Trade Agreement. Opponents claimed the agreement had insufficient safeguards and would cost jobs. The bill passed 272-155 [Roll Call 432, H 2739, 07/24/2003; CQ Weekly, 8/02/03; Washington Post, 7/25/03; States News Service, 7/25/03] Ryan Voted For Trade with Vietnam. Ryan voted against the passage of the resolution disapproving of the presidential waiver that allows U.S. trade credits and guarantees for companies that do business with Vietnam. [Roll Call 365, S 58, 08/03/1999]

CENTRAL AMERICA
Ryan Voted In Favor Of Bipartisan US-Panama Trade Agreement. On October 12, 2011 Ryan voted for passage of the US-Panama trade agreement, which ended a 5-year political standoff between Republicans and Democrats standoff on free trade agreements. According to the New York Times, The approval of the deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama is a victory for President Obama and proponents of the view that foreign trade can drive Americas economic growth in the face of rising protectionist sentiment in both political parties. They are the first trade agreements to pass Congress since Democrats broke a decade of Republican control in 2007. All three agreements cleared both chambers with overwhelming Republican support just one day after Senate Republicans prevented action on Mr. Obamas jobs bill. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said, At long last, we are going to do something important for the country on a bipartisan basis. [Roll Call 782, H 3079, 10/12/2011] Ryan Voted In Favor Of Bipartisan US-Columbia Trade Agreement. On October 12, 2011 Ryan voted in favor of a US-Columbia trade agreement, this ended a 5-year political standoff between Republicans and Democrats standoff on free trade agreements. According to the New York Times, The approval of the deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama is a victory for President Obama and proponents of the view that foreign trade can drive Americas economic growth in the face of rising protectionist sentiment in both political parties. They are the first trade agreements to pass Congress since Democrats broke a decade of Republican control in 2007. All three agreements cleared both chambers with overwhelming Republican support just one day after Senate Republicans prevented action on Mr. Obamas jobs bill. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said, At long last, we are going to do something important for the country on a bipartisan basis. [Roll Call 781, H 3078, 10/12/2011] Ryan Voted Against Suspending Fast Track, Delaying Columbia Trade Bill. In 2008, Ryan voted against a resolution that suspended fast-track requirements for consideration of HR 5724, which would implement a free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia. Adoption of the resolution (H Res 1092), indefinitely stalled further legislative action in the House on the trade pacts implementing legislation countering President Bushs effort to force a speedy vote on a measure opposed by many Democrats. Minority Leader Boehner, called the vote an effort to kill the Colombia free-trade agreement. Rep. McGovern, a member of the House Rules Committee, said the resolution was a direct response to the arrogance of this president, and Majority Leader Hoyer said passage of the resolution would give Congress more time to discuss this with the administration. Most Democrats opposed the trade agreement, saying the Colombian government had not taken sufficient steps to reduce violence against union members. Republicans countered that Colombia had worked hard to crack down on right-wing paramilitary groups blamed for much of the violence. The resolution passed, 224-195. [Roll Call 181, S 1092, 04/10/2008] Ryan Voted to Extend Duty Free Products from Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of legislation extending the duty-free treatment of certain products from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru until February 2008. The legislation passed 365 59 [Roll Call 583, H 1830, 06/27/2007] Ryan Supported CAFTA. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of a bill approving the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which would remove most of the trade barriers between the United States and Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Opponents claimed that CAFTA weakened labor rights protection by undercutting labor standards and enforcement mechanisms. According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis, CAFTA would cost American taxpayers $50 million per year in loan forfeitures by sugar farmers and cost the U.S. $4.4 billion over ten years, primarily in lost tariffs. The bill passed 217-215. [Roll Call 443, H 3045, 07/28/2005; Economic Policy Institute, NAFTAs Cautionary Tale, Issue Brief #214, 7/20/05; Associated Press, 7/21/05] 265

Ryan Said CAFTA Was Strongest Agreement To Date For Enforcement Of Labor Law. In a Capital Times editorial Paul Ryan wrote, What about labor? CAFTA is the strongest agreement to date with respect to the enforcement of labor laws. It will -- and has already begun to -- improve labor standards in these countries, as well as require effective enforcement, including monetary fines. [Capital Times, 6/16/05] Ryan: CAFTA Would Level The Playing Field For American Workers. In a Capital Times editorial Paul Ryan wrote, It's no secret that the anti-democracy forces in Central America are fighting CAFTA to stifle fledgling democratic reforms. It would be a shame to walk away from the democracy movement in this region by defeating CAFTA. In short, by leveling the playing field for American workers and producers, we not only remove the current incentive to relocate production in the CAFTA region, we finally achieve equal treatment for our exports, raise labor standards and enforcement, and bolster the democracy movement within the Western Hemisphere. That sounds fair to me. [Capital Times, 6/16/05] Ryan Said CAFTA Was A No Brainer. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Janesville Republican Paul Ryan, a vocal supporter of liberalized trade, said Wednesday that the pact was a no-brainer for manufacturing and agriculture. Ryan said it would remove trade barriers to U.S. goods in those Central American countries without giving goods from those countries any more access to the U.S. market than they already enjoy. Ryan also argued that it would encourage enforcement of labor standards in Central America. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/8/05]

MIDDLE EAST
Ryan Supported Free-Trade Pact with Oman. In 2006, Ryan voted in favor of a bill creating a free-trade pact with Oman, a country located on the southeastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. The trade agreement required market liberalization for most U.S. goods and services in Oman, and increase U.S. market access for certain Omani sectors and industries, including textiles. Bilateral trade between the US and Oman was relatively small, about $1 billion, in 2005. The bill passed 221-205. [Roll Call 392, H 5684, 07/20/2006; CQ Today, 7/20/06; Leadership Document, Oman Trade Deal: Flawed for Workers & US National Security, 7/20/06]

SOUTH AMERICA
Ryan Supported Fast Track, Andean Trade Deal. In 2002, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to renew presidential fasttrack trade negotiating authority and provide trade preferences for Andean nations. Under the bill, The Andean Trade Preference Act was extended through 2006, granting duty-free status to about 6,000 products from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It also extended the Generalized Systems of Preferences, which offers duty-free entry for selected good from developing countries. It would authorize additional funds for the U.S. Customs Service. It also would include provisions related to certain textile imports from the Caribbean and Africa. The bill passed 215-212. [Roll Call 370, H 3009, 07/27/2002] Ryan Voted for Trade Agreement with Peru. In 2007, Ryan voted for a trade agreement between the United States and Peru. The agreement reduced most tariffs and duties affecting trade between the two countries, increased protections for intellectual property and required Peru to take steps to strengthen its labor and environmental enforcement standards. Under the agreement, 80 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial goods to Peru would enter duty-free immediately. The bill passed 285-132. [Roll Call 1060, H 3688, 11/08/2007; Congressional Quarterly] Ryan Supported Trade with Chile. In 2003, Ryan voted in favor of legislation to implement the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement. The bill passed 270-156. [Roll Call 436, H 2738, 07/24/2003]

World Trade Organization


Ryan Voted Against Removing the United States from World Trade Organization. On June 9, 2005, Ryan voted against removing the USA from the World Trade Organization. According to the Washington Post, the joint resolution would 266

withdraw the United States from the 10-year-old World Trade Organization, which enforces trade agreements among its 148 signatory countries. [Roll Call 239, S 27, 06/09/2005; Washington Post 06/12/2005]

267

VETERANS
Ryan Voted in Favor of Making the Desecration of Veterans Memorials a Felony. On May 20, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of a bill making it a felony to desecrate veterans memorials. According to Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, On a 419-0 vote, the House cleared legislation (S 330) that would make it a felony to desecrate veterans memorials. [Roll Call 196, S 330, 05/20/2003; Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 05/20/03]

Benefits
Ryan Voted Against Protecting Veterans Benefits from the Cut, Cap, and Balance Cuts. In July 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit the bill with instructions that it be reported back with an amendment that would state that it will not be in order to consider balanced-budget constitutional amendments that could result in a reduction in veterans benefits. According to the St. Louis Dispatch, Members defeated, 236-188, a bid by Democrats to protect veterans benefits from being trimmed in the $5.8 trillion, 10-year budget-cutting plan imposed by HR 2560A yes vote backed the motion over GOP arguments that the plan already protected veterans benefits in full. [Roll Call 605, H 2560, 07/19/2011; St. Louis PostDispatch, 7/25/11] Ryan Voted to Streamline Veterans Benefits Appeals. On May 31, 2011, Ryan voted for a bill that would waive the Veterans Affairs regional office review of new evidence in veterans benefits appeals. It would provide that if a claimant submits new evidence in support of a case for which a substantive appeal has been filed, such evidence would be submitted directly to the Board of Veterans appeals. According to the Buffalo News, the bill would direct the Board of Veterans Appeals at the Department of Veterans Affairs to directly consider evidence submitted by veterans for their claims appeals. He said the measure would avoid the current situation of the board issuing often unnecessary supplemental statements of the case that serve only to delay and to deny veterans appeals. [Roll Call 377, H 1484, 05/31/2011; Buffalo News 06/06/2011] Ryan Supported Budget that Cut Veterans Programs. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of the $2.6 trillion budget conference report for 2006. The conference report cut funding for veterans health care by $13.5 billion over five years. However, the budget still found room for $106 billion in tax cuts for those who need it the least. The budget passed 214-211. [Roll Call 149, S 95, 04/28/2005; House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, Summary and Analysis of FY 2006 Budget Resolution Conference Report, 4/28/05] Ryan Supported Additional Health Care to Purple Heart Recipients. In 1999, Ryan voted in favor of a bill to provide Purple Heart recipients the same priority as Prisoners of War (POWs) and expands health care eligibility for other veterans. The bill established a co-payment for certain services and required the federal government to give the VA a proportional amount of any funds recovered for the treatment of tobacco- related illnesses and extended the VAs authority to provide grants to assist homeless veterans. In addition, the bill: Extended care services for veterans; Granted higher priority access to VA medical services for military retirees; Authorized a pilot program for health care for dependents of veterans; Expanded the VAs authority to lease unneeded property, authorizes compensation and health care services to veterans who suffer disability or death due to participation in the work therapy program; Extended the VAs authority to provide counseling to sexual trauma victims and Vietnam-era veterans; Required the VA to develop a policy that could potentially lead to full integration of chiropractic care in the VA health care system. The bill passed 369-46 and was signed into law. [Roll Call 427, H 2116, 09/21/1999; Public Law No: 106-117] Ryan Voted To Authorize The Department Of Veterans Affairs To Expand Long-Term Care For Veterans. Ryan voted for a bill to authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand long-term care services for veterans and allow the VA to generate increased revenue to help pay for health care costs. The measure also would extend the length of time the VA could lease facilities, space or land to private companies from 35 years to 75 years. [Roll Call 427, H 2116, 09/21/1999] Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible FY 2009 Budget With $48.1 Billion for Veterans Services. In 2008, Ryan voted against a budget resolution that would establish the congressional budget for FY 2009. The resolution would call for expenditures of $3.1 trillion and would allow up to $1 trillion in discretionary spending, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5.8 billion for hurricane recovery. The bill would also include $48.1 billion in funding for veterans 268

benefits and services. The bill passed 212-207. [Roll Call 141, S 312, 03/13/2008; Congressional Quarterly; Summary of the 2009 Democratic Budget; House Committee on the Budget, 3/11/08] Ryan Opposed Budget that Included Record Increase for Veterans. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 without raising taxes. The budget increased funding or veterans health care and services by $6.7 billion (18.3 percent) above the 2007 enacted level, and $3.6 billion above the Presidents budget. According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the budget represented a historic $6.7 billion increase over the previous years budget. Meanwhile, the American Legion wrote, The American Legion and its 2.8 million members applaud the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Resolution. According to the Military Officers Association of America, ...the resolution makes a strong statement of Congresss commitment to restoring national confidence that our wounded warriors will receive the kind of first-quality care and services that they have earned... The budget also saved veterans from paying increased fees totaling $355 million in 2008 and $2.3 billion over five years. The Presidents budget imposed those new enrollment fees and increases co-payments on Priority 7 and 8 veterans. The budget passed 214-209. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the Six for 06, 5/24/07; Military Officers Association of America; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Washington Weekly, 5/25/07] Ryan Opposed Historic Funding Increase For Veterans Programs. In 2007, Ryan voted against a budget that provided a $6.6 billion increase in funding for veterans programs. However, the Veterans of Foreign Wars applauded the budget, and the House and Senate leadership who were instrumental in the adoption of this historic increase. These additional resources would cover increases in the costs of health care, the VAs increasing patient load, including veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and help cover the cost of forthcoming recommendations to improve military and veterans health care facilities and treatment. The budget passed 216-210. [Roll Call 212, S 99, 03/29/2007; VFW Washington Weekly, 4/2/07; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-4] Ryan Opposed Veterans Health Care Funds. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation that provided critical funding for veterans health care, including funds to enhance medical services for active duty forces, mobilized personnel and their family members and $1.7 billion for veterans health care priorities including maintenance at VA health care facilities like Walter Reed. The measure included: $550 million to address the maintenance backlog at VA health care facilities to prevent situations similar to those at Walter Reed; $250 million for medical administration to ensure sufficient personnel to address the rising number of veterans and to maintain a high level of service; $229 million for treating the growing number of veterans; $100 million to allow the VA to contract with private mental healthcare providers to offer veterans, including Guard and reserve members, quality and timely care; and, $62 million to speed claims processing for returning veterans. The measure passed 218212 [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3] Ryan Supported FY 2005 Budget Trashed by Veterans Groups. In 2004, Ryan voted in favor of a budget that was strongly opposed by major veterans organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. Passage of the budget resolution, as presented, would be a disservice to those men and women who have served this country and who are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world in our fight against terrorism, the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212 [Roll Call 92, S 393, 03/25/2004; Letter to Members, 3/23/04] Ryan Voted in Favor of Expanding Health Benefits for Veterans. On November 21, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of suspending the rules to pass a bill that would make several changes to veterans health programs, including eliminating the 90day requirement for former prisoners of war (POWs) to qualify for VA outpatient dental care, authorizing the Veterans Affairs Department to provide health care services to certain Filipino World War II veterans who permanently reside in the United States, and increasing the yearly earmarked funding for specialized mental health care services for severely and chronically disabled veterans from $15 million to $25 million. The bill also would authorize $277 million for medical construction projects. [Roll Call 658, S 1156, 11/21/2003] Ryan Opposed Motion To Allow Veterans With Service-Related Disabilities And 20 Years Honorable Service To Receive Full Disability Benefits And Full Retirement Pay. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Voting 188 for and 217 against, the House defeated a Democratic bid to allow veterans with a service-related disability and at least 20 years honorable service to receive full disability benefits as well as full retirement pay. At present, most veterans must deduct disability income from retirement pay in a subtraction known as the disabled veterans tax. The motion was offered to the 269

defense bill above, which already included GOP language phasing out the tax for about one-third of affected veterans. If not offset elsewhere in the budget, the Democratic motion would add over $50 billion to the national debt over 10 years. A yes vote backed full, dual benefits. Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03] Ryan Voted to Cut Funding for Veterans Programs, Impose Enrollment Fees. In 2003, Ryan voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans benefits, including veterans pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The Disabled Veterans of America strongly opposed the budget, sending a letter to all members of Congress to communicate our deep-seated outrage regarding the fiscal year 2004 budget adopted by the House Budget Committee, which would cut veterans programs by more than $15 billion during the next 10 years. The GOP budget also included the Presidents proposal to impose a $250 fee for enrollment in VA health care for category 7 and 8 veterans, along with a doubling of the drug co-payment for those veterans. The budget passed 215-212 [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Letter from Edward R. Heath, National Commander, Disabled Veterans of America, 3/17/03] Paul Ryan Voted to Cut Funding for Veterans Benefits By $25 Billion, Imposed Enrollment Fees. In 2003, Paul Ryan voted for a budget that called for cutting $25 billion from veterans benefits, including veterans pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The Disabled Veterans of America strongly opposed the budget, sending a letter to all members of Congress to communicate our deep-seated outrage regarding the fiscal year 2004 budget adopted by the House Budget Committee, which would cut veterans programs by more than $15 billion during the next 10 years. The GOP budget also included the Presidents proposal to impose a $250 fee for enrollment in VA health care for category 7 and 8 veterans, along with a doubling of the drug co-payment for those veterans. The budget passed 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Letter from Edward R. Heath, National Commander, Disabled Veterans of America, 3/17/03]

Funding
Ryan Voted Against Spending an Additional $20 Million to Prevent Suicides by Combat Veterans. In June 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit the Fiscal 2012 Military Construction-VA Appropriations bill with instructions that it be reported back with an amendment to increase funding for veterans medical services for PTSD and suicide prevention by $20 million. The funds would advertise suicide-prevention assistance and services for veterans. The $20 million would be offset by reducing funding for the Department of Veteran Affairs information technology program by $25 million. The motion to recommit failed, 184 to 234. [Roll Call 417, H 2055, 06/14/2011; Virginian-Pilot, 6/20/11]

GI Bill
Ryan Opposed New GI Bill. In 2008, Ryan voted against an amendment that would create an expanded educational benefit for veterans, imposing a surtax on the very wealthy to offset the costs of the new veterans program and suspend implementation of seven Bush administration Medicaid regulations. The amendment appropriated $21.2 billion for domestic programs, military construction and foreign aid programs. It would provide $4.6 billion for military construction and $5.8 billion for levee building in Louisiana. The amendment would provide a permanent expansion of education benefits for postSept. 11 veterans, offset with 0.47 percent surtax on modified adjusted gross income above $500,000 per year for individuals and $1 million for couples. It also would temporarily extend unemployment insurance benefits and place a moratorium through March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the administration. It would appropriate $9.9 billion for the State Department, USAID and international food assistance. The amendment passed 256-166 [Roll Call 330, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08]

270

WELFARE
Ryan Announced YouCut Proposal To Eliminate State Welfare Program Lacking Job-Training Requirement. According to U.S. Fed News, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. (1st CD), issued the following news release: Following the launch of YouCut last week, Congressman Paul Ryan joined House Minority Whip Eric Cantor and fellow Republican Members to announce the proposed spending cut that received the most votes from the American people. The spending cut which received the most votes this week addresses a non-reformed welfare program that provides incentives for states to increase their welfare caseloads without any work or job-training requirements. Reforming the welfare program was one of the great achievements of the mid-1990s, saving taxpayers billions of dollars and ending the cycle of dependency on welfare. This new program, created in 2009, is a backdoor way to undo those reforms. The program currently costs approximately $2.5 billion a year. As the YouCut vote winner, a proposal to terminate this program and save taxpayers $2.5 billion will be voted on in the House later this week. [U.S. Fed News, 5/20/12] Ryan Voted in Favor of a Temporary Welfare Extension. On June 11, 2003, Ryan voted in favor of temporarily extending the 1996 welfare bill. According to Congressional Quarterly Today, The House on Wednesday voted 406-6 to temporarily extend the 1996 welfare law, allowing the Senate more time to consider its version of a reauthorization measure. The House bill (HR 2350) would extend major programs in the 1996 law (PL 104-193) through Sept. 30. That law, which ended more than 60 years of guaranteed assistance, imposed new work requirements and offered greater state flexibility. It originally was to expire Sept. 30, 2002, but was extended through stopgap spending bills. The latest extension (PL 108-7) is set to expire June 30. The House passed its version of welfare reauthorization (HR 4) on Feb. 13, but Senate Finance Chairman Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, has not yet produced a Senate version because the tax cut measure (PL 108-27) and a Medicare prescription drug benefit were higher priorities for his panel. [] Democrats complained that they were ignored in writing the House bill and said its focus on a 40-hour workweek is unrealistic because of rising unemployment and state budget crunches. [Roll Call 261, H 2350, 06/11/2003; Congressional Quarterly Today, 06/11/03] 2003: Ryan Voted For Welfare Reauthorization Bill That Would Deprive Low-Income Women Of Needed Child Care. In 2003, Ryan voted for House passage of the welfare reauthorization bill that the Washington Post reported would compel poor parents to work more [.] The Post reported that the bill passed despite Democratic warnings that it would deprive low-income women of the child care they need to succeed in the workforce and deprive states of adequate aid to implement revised welfare rules. [Roll Call 30, H 4, 02/13/2003; Washington Post, 2/14/03] Ryan Voted For Passage Of Welfare Reauthorization Bill That Lacked Access To Education. In 2002, Ryan voted for House passage of the welfare reauthorization bill that the Washington Post reported would steer more poor Americans into jobs and deemphasize education as a means to help people out of poverty. The bill would require most parents on welfare to work 40 hours per week, instead of 30, and would gradually increase the proportion of recipients subject to that requirement from 50 percent to 70 percent. Ryan voted for passage of the bill, which President Bush supported and the NAACP opposed. [Roll Call 170, H 4737, 05/16/2002; Washington Post, 5/17/02] Ryan Introduced A Bill That Would Lower The Wisconsin Welfare Work Requirement Threshold From 70% To 45%. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin would get a significant break in meeting new federal work rules under a change pushed by Rep. Paul Ryan and folded into the welfare reform bill expected to pass the House. Two committees in the Republican-controlled House approved welfare plans Thursday on party lines. Those measures -- patterned after a Bush administration plan -- require states to have 70% of their welfare recipients working by 2007. Thats compared with an average of about one-third now Wisconsin had the third-biggest caseload drop between 1995 and 2001 -- 76%. Under Ryan's change, that would mean the state would need to have 54% of its welfare recipients working by 2007, instead of 70%. Sixteen other states would get relief under the change, but only two states would benefit more than Wisconsin. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/3/02] Ryan Believed The Bush Renewal Of Welfare Reform Would Make It Harder For States To Use Education To Move Recipients Toward Independence. According to the Associated Press, Ryan worries that the Bush plan doesnt give states enough freedom. Hes urging GOP colleagues to modify the House welfare bill that is largely based on the Bush proposal. Ryan is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which will take up the bill this week. Ryan said the increased work hours in the new plan could make it harder for states to use education to move welfare recipients toward independence. [Associated Press, 4/29/02] 271

WOMEN AND CHILDREN


Child Support
Ryan Introduced Bill To Stop The Federal Government From Intercepting Child Support Payments And Using Them To Offset Welfare Payments. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A bill introduced in the House last month by Ryan and Moore would mean the federal government would stop intercepting child support payments and using them to offset welfare payments as early as October 2008. The change would apply to all states, not just Wisconsin. Some issues transcend party politics, Ryan said. Wisconsins experiment with allowing W-2 recipients to keep their child support proved the policy works, Ryan said. Even if the Ryan-Moore bill is not passed, the changes approved by Congress in last years budget bill call for some relief to poor families affected by the change - but not for two years. The bill included a provision for allowing aid recipients to keep up to $200 in support payments a month, starting in October 2008. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/11/06] Ryan Supported Budget Bill With Cuts To Child Support Enforcement. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, They arent likely to shake the resolve of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). He supported the reconciliation bill with the child support enforcement cuts in the House Ways and Means Committee and plans to continue to support the measure, Ryan said. Though hes concerned about appeals being made by Walker and others, Ryan said, Im for balancing the (federal) budget and paying for the hurricane without raising taxes or deficit spending. Ryan noted he couldnt vote to remove the child support enforcement cut even if he wanted to because the budget reconciliation bill cannot be amended on the House floor. Budgetcutting bill. The cuts for child support enforcement are a small part of the overall budget-cutting bill, but the pieces are necessary to hold the line on federal spending, Ryan said. The enforcement cuts nationally were justified by a government study that showed child support enforcement caseloads have declined since the federal welfare reform bill was passed in 1996 , he said. The reduction in federal support returns the federal match to 50% from its current 66% level, which makes sense because caseloads are down, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/9/05]

272

POLITICS
2012 Election
Ryan Said Democrats Would Tear Republicans Down To Win By Default In 2012 Elections. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview with David Asman of Fox Business Network, Ryan said So what I think what youre going to have this fall are two kinds of campaigns, one to exploit fear and another to exploit envy. And that is, basically, theyre going to run a campaign trying to appeal to the worst of peoples emotions, try to tear us down so that they can win an election by default. Thats hardly the hope and change weve been hearing about in the past. And really, what theyre trying to do is scare people out of the alternative party so that they can win an election by default, partly aspirational, but I think thats where theyre at these days. [CQ Transcriptions, 7/29/10]

CONGRESSIONAL REELECTION CAMPAIGN


2011, Ryan Was Challenged By Kenosha County Supervisor Rob Zerban For 1st District Seat. According to the Associated Press, With 17 months to go before the November 2012 congressional elections, the Democratic Party in Wisconsin is already throwing support behind Kenosha County supervisor Rob Zerban. Zerban will run against U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan in the states 1st Congressional District. [] Zerban is a Kenosha County Board supervisor and has built his own business. He told the Journal Times he has already received financial support for his campaign, but his first campaign finance report will not come out until July. Ryan has $3 million, according to his most recent report filed with the Federal Election Commission in April. [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 6/5/11]

GOVERNORSHIP SPECULATION
In March 2002, Ryan Denied That He Was Interested In Running For Governor. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Another two-term member of Congress, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), laughed Thursday at reports that he had been called about a possible run for governor this year. I have not been approached; thats Madison chatter, Ryan said. Thats a rumor spinning out of control. Party leaders are behind McCallum, said Ryan, 32. No one has approached me to run. I know Mark Green is behind the governor, and Im pretty darn sure the whole party is as well. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/29/02]

PRESIDENTIAL DRAFT EFFORTS


Hotline: Ryan Considered Presidential Bid After Top National Conservatives Encouraged Him To Run. According to the National Journals Hotline, Weekly Standards Hayes writes that several top natl conservatives are encouraging Rep. Paul Ryan (R) to run. He is expected to decide on a run in the next two weeks. IN Gov. Mitch Daniels (R): If there were a Paul Ryan fan club, Id be a national officer. ... Ive been strongly encouraging him to run as well. He has all the qualities our party needs to be emphasizing in these elections. He can explain and is willing to explain in plain English why todays policies are a disaster for the middle class, and he has the smarts to go toe-to-toe with the people who are saying misleading things about the proposals that hes put out there. [] Ex-FL Gov. Jeb Bush (R): Win or lose, he would force the race to be about sustained, job-creating economic growth and the real policies that can achieve it. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has been pushing Ryan for months. So has House Speaker John Boehner, according to two sources. Boehner has praised Ryan as a natural candidate to fellow House GOPers. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): Hed certainly be an asset to the race. Three sources close to Ryan said wife, Jana, is on board with a bid. A Ryan confidant: Not that shes enthusiastic, but she understands and shes with him on it. Ex-Educ. Sec. Bill Bennett will be taking a hike with Ryan later this week and will be talking to him about a run. Ryan asked him if a run would pass the laugh test. Bennett told him it would and encouraged him to try. Ryan listened (The Blog, 8/17). [Hotline, National Journal, 8/18/11]

273

Ryan Announced He Would Not Run For President. According to CNN, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin announced Monday that he will not run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. Ryan said he appreciates the support of those who encouraged him to launch a bid for the White House, but that he will continue to serve in Congress. While humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our partys nomination for President, Ryan said in a statement. I remain hopeful that our party will nominate a candidate committed to a pro-growth agenda of reform that restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation. I remain grateful to those I serve in Southern Wisconsin for the unique opportunity to advance this effort in Congress. [CNN, 8/22/11]

Group Of GOP Activists Launched DraftRyanNow.Com Petition To Convince Rep. Paul Ryan To Run For President. According to The Hotline, A group of GOP activists is launching DraftRyanNow.com, an online petition -- and, they hope, national movement -- to coax Ryan into the PRES campaign. The group is headed by businessman Denison Smith and atty Charles Kozak. The group, which includes members from the early-voting states of IA and FL, and has top-flight online communications skills to get the movement launched, according to Smith. Smith says the group hopes to produce a groundswell that will convince Ryan it is his patriotic duty to run for PRES. Members of the Draft Ryan group believe that government overspending is the most important issue facing the country and that most GOP PRES hopefuls are compromised on it. Smith: Ryan is the only one of the whole group -- other than Herman Cain -- to speak to it [.] [The Hotline, 5/31/11] Ryan Said There Was No Chance He Would Run For President in 2012. According to National Journal, Ryan, on if there is any chance of a WH 12 bid: No, no there isnt. I want to be a normal person. Other people can run for that thing. Other people cant do this, pointing to one of his three young children sipping a kiddie cocktail. Many politicians say they wont run for higher office because of their family, but Ryan really seems to mean it. Ryan: I lost my dad when I was a little kid. So Im very sensitive to that issue. Id be on the campaign trail in a month, and Id be crying myself to sleep because I hadnt seen my kids for eight or ten days. Right now, I can handle it when I dont see them for three or four days. [National Journal, 7/20/10]

VICE PRESIDENTIAL SPECULATION


Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Said Ryan Should Be Considered For GOP Ticket. According Politico, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walkers victory in Tuesdays recall election has some speculating that he could be-come Mitt Romneys running mate. But Walker thinks another Wisconsinite is right for the job: Rep. Paul Ryan. If [Romney] were to ask me about what to do with Wisconsin, Id say one of the most powerful reformers in the country grew up just down the way from me - Paul Ryan. Id probably suggest he put him on the ticket, Walker told CNNs Piers Morgan on Thursday night. After a year and a half of all this, I want to stay focused in helping Wisconsin move forward. Pressed by Morgan on whether hed turn down an offer to be the Republican Partys vice presidential candidate, Walker repeated, I would properly eagerly persuade [Romney] that the best person in Wisconsin to put on the ticket is indeed Paul Ryan. [Politico, 6/8/12] The Hill: Ryans Vice Presidential Prospects Could Be Hurt By Mean Spirited Votes On Immigration Bills. According to The Hill, Controversial votes to crack down on illegal immigrants could hurt the chances of Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) or Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) landing on the Republican presidential ticket. The two men are rising stars in the GOP believed to be on the shortlist of possible running mates for Mitt Romney. But their prospects could be endangered by their votes on legislation that pro-immigrant advocates describe as mean-spirited and still sparks anger among Hispanic voters. [The Hill, 5/10/12] Ryan Said He Would Consider Joining A GOP Ticket As Vice Presidential Nominee. According to Market Watch, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan on Sunday told Fox News Sunday he would consider being on the GOP ticket if asked to be the Republican vice-presidential nominee. I would have to consider it, but its not something I am even thinking about right now because I think our job in Congress is pretty important, Ryan told Fox host Chris Wallace when asked about his willingness to join the Republican presidential ticket. [Market Watch, 3/25/12] Many Conservative Analysts Believed Ryan Was The Best Pick For A Running Mate Due To His Their Different Persona Than Romney. According to the Washington Post, To some Republicans, Ryans positive attributes are obvious. Where some conservatives see Romney as ideologically squishy, they consider Ryan not only a conservative of conviction but also one of the movements intellectual champions. [Washington Post, 4/5/12] 274

WISCONSIN SENATE SEAT


Ryan Said Wisconsin Senate Candidate Tommy Thompson Was A Household Name. According to the National Journal, Rep. Paul Ryan(R-01) said he talked to Thompson last weekend about the race. Ryan: He is clearly interested. Ryan said Thompson will have name recognition as an advantage if he enters the race. Ryan: He is Tommy Thompson. ... He is a household name (Jones, Racine Journal Times, 5/19). [National Journal, 5/20/11] Ryan Said He Would Not Run For The U.S. Senate Seat Vacated By Retiring Democrat Herb Kohl. According to The Janesville Gazette, Rep. Paul Ryan will not run for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Democrat Herb Kohl, he told the Gazette this morning. Ive decided to stay where I am, he said in a phone interview. Ryan said he wanted to make his decision quickly in order to make way for other prospective Republican candidates--including former Gov. Tommy Thompson -- to make their own decisions about whether to seek the seat in the 2012 elections. Ryan did not endorse anyone, saying the Republicans have many qualified people who would make good candidates. [The Janesville Gazette, 5/17/11]

2010 Election
Ryan Called House Majority Win For Republicans A Repudiation Of President Obama And The Democratic Party. According to Analyst Wire, in an interview with Joe Kernen, Ryan said This is the biggest repudiation in 72And we, Republicans, don`t misunderstand us. We don`t think this is a validation of Republicans that we`ve become all of a sudden popular. This is not what is happening. This is a repudiation of the President and his party, the direction they`ve taken this country. It`s the most steaming repudiation in a generation. And what concerns me is if the lesson the President and his people get out of this is what they`re saying, which is they have a marketing problem, or they weren`t political enough or they didn`t explain things enough, then I think we`re in for a bumpy two years. If they do take heed of this and realize it really was a substance problem, the country just doesn`t want to go this far left. Then I think we`ve got a shot at making, you know, a difference and at going in the right direction. But if they really do think they think they need a new marketing strategy, that`s going to be tough. I think they need a new ideology, personally, not a new marketing strategy. [Analyst Wire, 11/15/10] In 2010, Ryan Was Challenged By Longtime Racine Democrat John Heckenlively. According to the Federal News Service, Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, faces a challenge from John Heckenlively, a longtime Democratic Party activist from Racine, in the 1st District. Heckenlively decided just days ago to run, and in fewer than four days, he may have succeeded in rounding up the necessary 1,000 signatures. Heckenlively said Tuesday that the Government Accountability Board raised minor issues on several nomination forms, such as the date not including 2010. If the challenged sheets are accepted after the circulators clear up the errors, then he should have enough, but its going to be real close, Heckenlively said. []Also running against Ryan are an independent, Bill Tucker of New Berlin, and Libertarian Joseph Kexel of Kenosha. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/14/10]

2008 Election
Rep. Ryan, Along With Reps. Eric Cantor And Kevin McCarthy, Founded Young Guns Program During 20072008 Election Cycle. According to a National Republican Congressional Committee news release, Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) as a member-driven organization, the Young Guns program has become an official NRCC effort dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. Reps. Cantor, McCarthy and Ryan remain actively involved in the Young Guns program, working together to recruit and prime conservative leaders for victory. []To combat Washingtons reckless spending and borrowing binge, the American people are in need of reinforcements in Congress, said Congressman Paul Ryan. These 18 Young Guns will play a critical role in charting a new fiscal and economic course for our nation. We need a new generation of leaders that will fight to spur job creation now, lift our crushing debt burden, and reclaim the promise and prosperity of this great nation. [Targeted News Service, 9/16/10]

275

2004 Election
2004: Ryan Elected To Fourth Term In Congress. Wisconsin State Journal, In District 1, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, RJanesville, defeated perennial Democratic candidate Jeff Thomas, and Libertarian challenger Don Bernau, of Greenfield. Ryan, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Robert Kasten, was elected to his fourth term in Congress. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/3/04] 2004: Ryan Was Challenged By Four Candidates For 1st District House Seat. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Four candidates are challenging U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for the 1st Congressional District seat, but only two will compete in the primary. Two Democrats -- physician Jeffrey Thomas, who is making his sixth run for the seat, and Chet Bell, who is making his first run for public office -- will square off Sept. 14 for the right to appear on the general election ballot Nov. 2. Ryan, independent Norman Aulabaugh and Libertarian Don Bernau will automatically qualify for the general election because they are running unopposed in their primaries. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/19/04]

2000 Election
Ryans Opponent In 2000 Was Dr. Jeff Thomas Who Made Health Care A Center Of His Campaign. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Dr. Jeff Thomas contends that to fix the nations health-care system, voters need to put a doctor in the House. Thats why this orthopedic surgeon, despite three previous losing campaigns that racked up huge debts, again is running for Congress in southern Wisconsins 1st District. Thomas, 60, a Democrat, is seeking to unseat first-term incumbent Paul Ryan, a Republican half his age. Ryan earned 57 percent of the vote in the 1998 general election in defeating Democrat Lydia Spottswood. Although Ryans campaign expenditures, $ 1.2 million and rising, dwarf Thomas $ 5,000, Thomas said his campaign is gaining momentum as he spreads his message through free newspaper and television stories. The 1st District has no dominant city, no dominant TV market or newspaper, making a race expensive and difficult. Thomas expects to spend about $ 20,000 of his own money on the race. [Wisconsin State Journal, 11/5/00]

1998 Election
Ryan Won His First Election To Congress With 55% Of The Vote. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In the 1st District, which covers the states southernmost counties, Spottswood conceded defeat to Ryan shortly before 10:30 p.m. Ryan had 55%, Spottswood 45%, with 79% of the vote counted. Spottswood, 47, a former Kenosha alderman, was making her second consecutive run for Congress. She lost narrowly in 1996 to Mark Neumann, who gave up the House seat this year to run for the U.S. Senate. Before Neumann, the seat was held by Democrat Les Aspin for 22 years. Ryan, 28, is a Janesville native who in recent years worked as a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., before returning home to work in his familys construction business. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/4/98] Wisconsin State Journal Endorsed Ryan In 1998 Was The Rich Kid With The Common Touch. According to a Wisconsin State Journal Editorial, At 28, Paul Ryan isnt old enough to run for the U.S. Senate. Thats OK, though. Hes running for the House of Representatives, where hes plenty old enough to serve. He is also the better bet for voters in southern Wisconsins 1st Congressional District. Age aside, Ryan is a throwback to how most Republicans used to be before they placed appeals to social and single-issue constituencies ahead of the need to reduce the size and reach of government. Ryan is a Republican in the mold of Jack Kemp and Ronald Reagan. Hes a relentless optimist about the power of individuals to rise above the constraints of a government that spends too much and reaches too far into our lives. Keep the federal government in check, Ryan says, and all will go well. But whats a 28-year-old guy from Janesville know? More than you might imagine. He has worked in Washington for former congressman Kemp, former U.S. Sen. Robert Kasten and former Education Secretary Bill Bennett. Hes a part of his family construction business, which was formed by his great-grandfather in 1884. Ryan might sound like a policy wonk (and, in some ways, he is) but hes also a likeable candidate who appears at home in many different settings. [Wisconsin State Journal, Editorial, 10/30/98] Ryans 1998 Opponent Said That She Was Old Enough To Be His Mom. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, At a recent debate, Democrat Lydia Spottswood had this to say about her youthful Republican opponent Paul Ryan: Im old enough to be his mom. The remark drew chuckles from the small crowd attending the debate, and even a grudging smile from Ryan. But in many ways, it neatly captured the essence of this tightly fought battle for the 1st Congressional District seat in southeastern Wisconsin. Its contestants: *Spottswood, 47, a native Virginian who moved to Wisconsin in the mid-1980s and 276

quickly rose to prominence in the rough-and-tumble world of Kenosha politics. *Ryan, 28, whose relatives immigrated to Wisconsin from Ireland before the Civil War, but who has lived little of his adult life in Wisconsin and is not legally old enough to run for the U.S. Senate. [Wisconsin State Journal, 10/25/98] Ryan Sponsored The First Negative Ad In His 1998 Congressional Race. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Spottswood said Sunday the new Ryan ad unfairly portrayed her as wanting Washington to spend your money, a line Ryan speaks in the ad, which began airing on Milwaukee TV stations over the weekend. Ryan, looking at the camera, says in the TV ad: Lydia Spottswood wants Washington to spend your money, but I think you should keep it. The theme of the ad is Ryans general assertion that he wants to lessen the federal tax burden. Jonathan Brown, Spottswoods spokesman, said the ad made inaccurate claims without offering any proof. Its just ironic that after all Mr. Ryans talk about a desire for a clean campaign, he just sponsored the first negative ad of the campaign, Brown said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/5/98] Ryans Primary Opponent Endorsed The Democrat For The General Election, Accused The Ryan Campaign And The Local Republican Party Of Mistreatment And Harassment. According to the Associated Press, Lydia Spottswood, Democratic nominee in the 1st District congressional race, was endorsed Tuesday by a pro-gun Republican who lost in last week's primary and said he now considers himself a DemocratMichael Logan of Twin Lakes, who was defeated by Ryan in the GOP primary, blamed his change of political sides on mistreatment and harassment by the Kenosha County Republican Party and Ryan's campaign organization. Specifically, Logan cited telephone accusations from GOP activists that he stole Ryan yard signs before the primary. [Associated Press, 9/16/98] Ryan Won The Republican Primary With 81% Of The Vote. According to the Madison Capital Times, In the 1st Congressional District in southeastern Wisconsin, Lydia Spottswood won the Democratic race and Paul Ryan took the Republican nomination Ryan had 81 percent to 19 percent for Michael Logan. [Madison Capital Times, 9/9/98]

Redistricting
According To Ryan, His District Switched 4 To 5 Percentage Points After The 2000 Redistricting. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Ryan said after his speech that his newly reapportioned district has switched about 4 to 5 percentage points from Democrat to Republican voters. Just statistically, it turned the district into a Republican district, he said after his speech. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/2/02] Op-Ed: Ryan Was Very Loyal To Janesville During The Redistricting Process... According to a Capital Times editorial, Amazingly, in this age of throwaway loyalties, Ryan was concerned about his roots. His family has been in Janesville for generations, and Ryan has always evidenced a love of his hometown and the people in it that extends beyond partisanship. That has been obvious in his relations with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., another Janesville native. Though the two men disagree on just about every issue, they bond -- frequently -- in their affection for the industrial town in which they both were reared. The problem for Ryan is that, while he loves Janesville, Janesville does not necessarily love Republicans. The town trends Democratic in most elections, and Republicans drawing congressional lines figured that they could create a safer district for Ryan -- and for Republicans who might seek the seat after he moves up to the governorship or a U.S. Senate seat. Democrats liked the plan, as well, since adding Janesville to U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwins 2nd District would add lots of Janesville union families to the vulnerable Madison Democrats base. But Ryan was not willing to give up Janesville and make a move to the east of town in order to live in a newly configured 1st District. He left the distinct impression that he would run for re-election from whatever district included Janesville -- a prospect that disquieted partisan Republicans as much as it did Democrats. [Capital Times, John Nichols, 1/8/02] 2002 Redistricting Map Would Protect Both Representatives Baldwin And Ryan. According to the Capital Times, A congressional redistricting map to be considered by a state Assembly committee redraws U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwins 2nd District to include safely Democratic Beloit, while leaving Republican-leaning Janesville in the territory of 1st District Rep. Paul Ryan. Ryan, R-Janesville, and Baldwin, D-Madison, would be protected for re-election prospects by the proposed districts. [Capital Times, 1/3/02]

277

Campaign Finance
Ryan Leadership PAC Known As Prosperity PAC Raised $3 Million Between January 2011 And February 2012 And Had $5 Million In His Campaign Account After First Quarter 2012. According to Politico, Prosperity PAC, the leadership fund Ryan created a decade ago, has been the source of funds for much of his political activity. Prosperity PAC has spent more than $1.2 million on direct mail over the past 14 months, and another $220,000 plus on telemarketing and marketing consulting, according to records on file with the Federal Election Commission. The PAC raised $3 million between January 2011 and February 2012. The $5 million war chest held by Ryan for Congress, his principal campaign committee, is only matched by House leaders such as Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), a conservative icon herself. [Politico, 4/20/12] Ryan Created Prosperity PAC Contributed Over $150,000 To Candidates As Part Of Young Guns Project. According to the Janesville Gazette, Long frustrated with GOP leadership, Ryan has been working with Reps. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on a project called Young Guns. The Young Guns strategy is to elect other like-minded congressional candidates. Ryan has a political action committee, Prosperity PAC, which funnels contributions to Young Guns that he, Cantor and McCarthy deem worthy of support. Prosperity PAC received $166,752 in contributions so far this year and has contributed $154,500 to candidates or other political action committees, according to its July filing with the Federal Election Commission. [The Janesville Gazette, 7/22/10] From 1998-2003 Ryan Collected More PAC Money Than Any Other House Member From Wisconsin. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Since his successful run in 1998, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan has collected more campaign money from political action committees than any other House member from Wisconsin, a Journal Sentinel analysis shows. The Racine areas representative to Congress, considered a shining star among state Republicans, said last week in response to the findings that campaigns in southern Wisconsin are the most expensive to run, but that he has made good on a pledge to collect more contributions from individuals than PACs. Ryan also discounted criticism that the amount of campaign money amassed by him and other incumbents has discouraged all but marginal candidates from running for Congress. No incumbent ran when Ryan was first elected to the 1st District. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/4/03] Ryan Received Over $3,777,026 Over The Last Five Years. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Representative, District, Year First Elected Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), 1st, 1998 CASH ON HAND* $614,865 1998-2003 TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED $3,777,026 PAC CONTRI-BUTIONS $1,679,184 (X) % OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PACs** 44 2003 TOTAL $84,834 PAC** $55,250 (X) 2001-'02 TOTAL*** $1,244,344 PAC*** $539,770 2000 TOTAL $581,751 PAC $207,469 1999 TOTAL $724,689 PAC $314,557 1998 TOTAL $1,141,408 PAC $562,138. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/4/03]

In 2002, Black Americas PAC Contributed $1,000 To Ryan. According to the Associated Press, Black America's PAC, a conservative political action committee founded by former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, has contributed to candidates in three of Wisconsin's eight congressional races this year - the highest proportion of any state The PAC has given Greer $5,000 in this election cycle, and expects to give more next month. It also donated $1,000 to Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, and $2,000 to Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay. [Associated Press, 8/26/02] In The First Six Months Of 2001, Ryan Raised $189,000 In PAC Money, More Than Any Member Of The Wisconsin Congressional Delegation. According to the Associated Press, U.S. Reps. Paul Ryan and David Obey topped the Wisconsin delegation in contributions from political action committees for the first half of the year, an Associated Press review found. Both lawmakers received money from groups with vested interests in their committees. Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, raised $189,000 in PAC money, his Federal Election Commission report shows. Obey, a Democrat from Wausau, was next with $157,000. PACs, or political action committees, are groups that raise and spend money to help elect or defeat candidates. [Associated Press, 9/4/01] Ryan Was Issued A $6,000 Federal Fine For Not Disclosing $36,5000 In Large Donations Before His November 1998 Election, The Unreported Donations Included $27,500 From 12 Special interest Groups Included, PACS For Chryslers, Bell Atlantic, And John Deere. According to the Capital Times, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan has been issued a $ 6,000 federal fine for not disclosing $ 36,500 in large donations before his November 1998 election, a newspaper reported today. Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he still believes a campaign volunteer who insists the donations were promptly reported. The Federal Election Commission imposed the fine on Ryans campaign Oct. 19, 1999. 278

Ryan acknowledged the fine after the Journal Sentinel obtained a file on the violation from the commission. Ryan said he thought a news release on the fine had been made public several months ago. But Steve King, Ryans 1998 campaign chairman, said the release was never sent out. We didnt volunteer it, of course, King said. The unreported donations included $ 27,500 from 13 special interest groups, including the political action committees for Chrysler Corp., Bell Atlantic Corp. and John Deere & Co., according to the Election Commission. The rest of the money came from individuals. King said the donations would not have put Ryan over any contribution limits. King said not reporting the contributions was certainly inadvertent and unintentional. [Capital Times, 3/13/00]

FUNDRAISING
Ryan Raised $330,715 In The First Half Of 2003. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan, whose district includes portions of Milwaukee County, was the top fund-raiser for the first half of this year, with $330,715. Not far behind was Obey, with $320,961. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/18/2003] By June 30 2001, Ryan Raised More Than $500,000 For His 2002 Campaign. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has already raised more than $500,000 for his 2002 re-election campaign. Ryan, who lives in Janesville, released figures Monday showing he had $545,336 in his campaign account on June 30, including $357,370 raised during the first six months of the year. Ryans campaign office issued a statement Monday saying the money is a testament to his political strength and support in Wisconsin. But Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, called the amount of money more than a year before the election obscene. Ryan has more money now than the $305,406 he held two years ago during the same point in Congress two-year election cycle, Heck noted. Hes trying to scare away competition, no question, Heck said. [Wisconsin State Journal, 7/31/01] Ryan Raised $1.34 Million For His 2000 Reelection Bid. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Two incumbents, Republican Paul Ryan and Democrat David Obey, were members of the million-dollar club, with Ryan raising $1.34 million and spending $1.04 million, and Obey raising $1.07 million and spending $1.05 million In 1996, more than $1.9 million was spent in an intense race between two major candidates for the 1st Congressional District seat in southeastern Wisconsin, a race that Republican Mark Neumann narrowly won over Democrat Lydia Spottswood. In 1998, that rose to over $2.5 million as Ryan and Spottswood battled, with each spending more than $1.2 million. But this year, with Ryan winning easily and appearing to move toward a firm hold on the seat, he spent a little over $1 million, while his main opponent, Democrat Jeffrey C. Thomas, spent only $13,000, federal records show. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/24/00] Ryan Raised $1.3 Million For His 2002 Reelection Bid. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Three Wisconsin incumbents raised more than $1 million for their campaigns during the cycle. First-termer Baldwin leads the pack, with nearly $1.4 million raised through Oct. 18, while Republican 1st District Rep. Paul Ryan, also in his first term, raised about $1.3 million and Democratic 7th District Rep. David Obey raked in just more than $1 million. Both Ryan and Baldwin set up fund-raising machines that never shut down after their 1998 campaigns, said Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/6/00] Ryan Raised $724,689 In 1999. According to the Associated Press, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., raised more than $720,000 last year, according to an analysis by the Common Cause. The citizen lobbying group said Ryan raised $724,689, compared with $590,596 by Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who was second among Wisconsin House members. [Associated Press, 2/18/00] Ryan Said Increased Fundraising Was Due To Swing District Status And His Support For Protecting The Social Security Trust Fund. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Ryan, who hopes to be re-elected to a second two-year term in November, said the money reflects his popularity and the fact that he represents southern Wisconsins 1st Congressional District, a swing seat. Weve brought a lot of excitement to our campaign, Ryan said. All these new supporters were getting like my agenda of protecting the Social Security trust fund, paying off debt and reducing taxes and want to see it continue. Ryan said big donations don't influence his votes. He also noted that some of the money he raised last year paid off debt from his 1998 campaign. His cash on hand at the end of the year was $ 505,000, about $ 1,000 more than Baldwin had. [Wisconsin State Journal, 2/18/00]

279

BAD DONATIONS
Ryan Campaign Received Illegal Contributions From Wisconsin Trucking Company. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, John Erickson, 57, of Kenosha faces up to two years in prison and a fine of $200,000. He has agreed to help the FBI as it continues its investigation. According to the plea agreement, Erickson worked for Trohas trucking company, JHT Holdings Inc., and its affiliates. Erickson controlled a fund that was used to make more than $250,000 in illegal contributions to more than 20 state and federal candidates, including U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the plea says. Ryan was the only politician named in the plea agreement. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/13/07] Ryan Campaign Donated Money It Received From Illegal Account. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryans campaign donated the $3,750 it received from Erickson from 2000 to 2005 to the U.S. Treasury when Erickson was charged on Sept. 4, said Susan Jacobson, Ryans finance director, on Wednesday. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/13/07] Ryan Supported Legislation That Benefited Company With Illegal Campaign Account, Claimed He Was Unaware. According to the Associated Press, Ryan supported legislation that Erickson and his boss, Dennis Troha, wanted that relaxes restrictions on trucking by allowing 97-foot-long multi-truck combinations. Before it went into effect in 2005, states could impose 75-foot maximum lengths. According to the Capital Times, Ryan had urged Young and Oberstar to support the new regulations. He received $58,000 from Troha and his family that he donated to the Kenosha Boys & Girls Club after Trohas indictment. Ryan has already said he was unaware of Trohas relationship to the legislation at the time he supported it. [Associated Press, 9/12/07; Capital Times, 9/5/07]

Ryan Received $58,000 In Donations From Trohas Family And Associates. According to the Associated Press, Ryan, who urged Young and Oberstar to support the trucking provisions, received $58,000 in contributions from [Dennis] Troha, his family members and his associates. [Associated Press, 4/18/07]

Jack Abramoff
Ryan Returned $1,000 Donation From PAC Connected To Jack Abramoff. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan said he will exorcise a $1,000 donation from the same Greenberg Traurig PAC in 2001, given several months after Abramoff started working there, by donating the same amount to charity. Just to remove any shred of concern, Ryan said. That comes on top of $950 he announced last week he was giving to charity to offset a $949 donation to him directly from Abramoff. But hes not giving back $25,000 he got from indicted Rep. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader and Abramoff associate, Ryan said, despite repeated calls from Democrats. He will return the money if DeLay is convicted, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/17/06] Ryan Donated $949 To Charity To Match Donation From Jack Abramoff. According to the Capital Times, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan said Wednesday he donated to charity a $949 campaign contribution he received from lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ryan, R-Janesville, said in a statement he donated the contribution to USO Operation Phone Home, which provides calling cards for soldiers to call home from abroad, and to the Bert Blain Memorial American Heart Association Heart Walk, held in Rock County, Wis. In the campaign statement, Ryan said he does not know Abramoff personally. I am disgusted by the reports I have read regarding Jack Abramoffs actions, Ryan said. He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. [Capital Times (Madison, WI), 1/5/06]

Tom DeLay
Ryan Donated Equivalent Of Donation Made By Tom Delay To Cancer Society. According to the Capital Times, Rep. Paul Ryan says he is donating to charity $27,500 in campaign contributions he received from the political action committee of former Majority Leader Tom DeLay because DeLays former top aide pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy. Now that a former senior DeLay staffer has (pleaded) guilty while serving on the congressional staff, I believe it is appropriate to donate these contributions to charity, even though these contributions were perfectly legal and appropriate, Ryan, R-Janesville, said in a campaign statement. I simply want to remove any doubt in this matter. Tony Rudy, DeLays former deputy chief of staff, admitted conspiring with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- both while Rudy worked for the Texas congressman and after 280

he left the lawmakers staff to become a lobbyist himself. DeLay announced this week he was not seeking re-election. Ryan said hell donate the money to American Cancer Society Relay for Life events held in his 1st Congressional District in southeastern Wisconsin. [Capital Times, 4/5/06] Ryan Said He Would Not Return $25,000 Donation From Tom Delay. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan said he will exorcise a $1,000 donation from the same Greenberg Traurig PAC in 2001, given several months after Abramoff started working there, by donating the same amount to charity. Just to remove any shred of concern, Ryan said. That comes on top of $950 he announced last week he was giving to charity to offset a $949 donation to him directly from Abramoff. But hes not giving back $25,000 he got from indicted Rep. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader and Abramoff associate, Ryan said, despite repeated calls from Democrats. He will return the money if DeLay is convicted, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/17/06] April 2005: Ryan Said Attacks On Tom Delay Were Part Of A Political Lynching. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Petri and Janesvilles Paul Ryan said most Republicans had rallied behind DeLay because he was under fire in the media and from across the aisle. Ryan said many GOP lawmakers view Democratic attacks and investigative stories on DeLay as an effort to lynch him politically. Tom is a very effective majority leader. If he did anything wrong, then he should go. If he broke a law or House ethics rule, he shouldnt be leader. But no one is even alleging that right now, Ryan said. I will not form my opinions based on articles in the newspaper and press releases from the Democratic National Committee. I will form my opinions based on a bipartisan investigation of the ethics committee as to whether or not Tom DeLay broke any law or any House ethics rule, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/18/05]

Mark Foley
Ryan Donated Equivalent Of Foley Donations After Scandal. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Thursday he had donated $3,000 to local charities to purge his campaign account of money that he received from Florida Rep. Mark Foley about eight years ago. Foley resigned from Congress last week after the disclosure that he had sent sexually explicit instant messages to teenage boys working as Capitol pages. Ryan said he gave away the money because I didnt want to be associated with Foley. What Mark Foley did was vile, disgusting, immoral and probably criminal, and the FBI needs to throw the book at him, Ryan said in an interview. Ryan gave the money to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Janesville and Kenosha, he said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/6/06] Ryan Said That GOP Members Shouldnt Be Chastised For Their Response To Foley Scandal Because They Were Not Aware Of All The Facts. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Another Wisconsin Republican, Janesvilles Paul Ryan, said GOP lawmakers should reserve judgment on how Hastert and other party leaders dealt with Foley until they have more facts. Hindsight is 20/20, said Ryan, who said GOP leaders were fervent during a conference call with GOP members Monday night in saying they were unaware until a few days ago of the sexually explicit e-mails that Foley sent to former pages. GOP leaders have admitted knowing for months about separate e-mails to a different page that were not sexually graphic, but were regarded by the page as inappropriately friendly. Given that they did not have any knowledge of these explicit text messages, they couldnt grasp just how depraved Mark Foley was, said Ryan, who served with Foley on the House Ways and Means Committee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/4/06]

Dennis Troha
Ryan Lobbied Federal Officials To Speed Up Approval Of Donors Casino. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, On Feb. 28, 2006, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan met with federal officials to complain that they were dilly-dallying on the application to build an $808 million casino at Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha. At the time, Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha was spearheading the lucrative deal. Troha has since sold his interest after being charged last month with using his kids to funnel donations to Gov. Jim Doyle. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/07] Businessman Dropped $25,000 Donation To NRCC After Ryan Met With Federal Officials To Speed Up His Application For A Casino. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, George Skibine, then the director of the Office of Indian Gaming Management, described the Ryan meeting in a March 1, 2006, e-mail: He (Ryan) asked us for a time frame to get a decision on this application. He was also really annoyed with Maria Wiseman for missing her self281

imposed deadlines for reviewing the draft (environmental impact statement). Sounds like the Janesville Republican leaned pretty hard on the feds to get the application moving. Then, three weeks after that meeting, Troha dropped $25,000 into the kitty of the National Republican Congressional Committee, a fund GOP House leaders use for key races. By March 06, Troha and his wife had already all but maxed out to Ryans campaign fund. Whats more, Ryan certainly would have scored points with his bosses by bringing in such a hefty gift. So did Ryan play any role in asking Troha for the NRCC donation? As this question relates to the ongoing investigation of Mr. Troha, it would be inappropriate to comment, said Ryan campaign coordinator Susan Jacobson. Not exactly the answer we were expecting. Instead of giving a yes or no, Ryans folks hid behind the Troha investigation. Got that? [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/26/07] Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Father Of Ryan Aide Signed Troha Fee Deal. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Willems - Clete to his friends and colleagues - currently works for U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan on the House Budget Committee minority staff and previously was Ryans legislative director. That made him one of the Wisconsin congressmans top aides, the guy tracking legislation for the office and a good person to know if you wanted Ryans ear. The aides father is Cletus Willems Jr., natch. The elder Willems, as anybody in Kenosha can tell you, is the executive vice president and general counsel for trucking conglomerate JHT Holdings. But few know this about the father: He is the guy who signed, on behalf of the company, the secret deal to pay former JHT owner and now-indicted Kenosha powerbroker Dennis Troha on the side through 2010 if Congress passed legislation that benefited the firm by easing federal truck-hauling regulations. Ryan then leaned on fellow congressmen and federal officials in support of this measure. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Ryan Was Aware Of Ties Aide Had To JHT Trucking. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, But was Ryan aware that one of his top aides was so closely tied to a top JHT exec? Apparently. In response to a series of questions posed on this issue, Ryans office issued a statement Friday that says he has known the elder Willems since 1998, when he was a partner at a Kenosha law firm and before he joined JHT. Campaign records show the Kenosha lawyer, who did not return calls, has given eight contributions totaling $3,750 to Ryan - most recently chipping in $1,250 in 2005. At that time, the younger Willems was working as Ryans legislative director. In that job, he kept tabs on the progress of the trucking measure sought by his fathers firm. Now theres a son going about his fathers business. Clete Willems monitored the issue, along with all other legislative issues, as part of his overall responsibilities, the Ryan statement said. According to House Ethics Rules, there was no conflict of interest in him having this role. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Trohas Father Signed A Non-Compete Clause That Hinged On Congress Passing Beneficial Legislation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, What few knew at the time, however, was that Troha and the aides father signed a non-compete agreement on Feb. 18, 2005, under which JHT would pay T Group Consulting, a firm solely owned by Troha, two separate annual fees until June 2010 if Congress passed the trucking measure. Just weeks later, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported out a huge highway bill with the Troha provision. The bill became law in August, and records show that JHT made two wire transfers totaling more than $107,000 to T Group on Sept. 30, 2005. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07]

Ryans Office Denied That He Urged The Bills Passage Because Of Influence By Aides Father. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In 2005, Ryan had the lead signature on a letter urging two other congressmen to fight for the Troha provision in a conference committee. Last year, Ryan wrote then-Acting Transportation Secretary Maria Cino urging her agency to adopt rules based on the legislation that were favored by JHT. But Ryans office said he was not acting in response to his aide or his aides father - just as he earlier said he wasnt influenced by Trohas cash. This relationship had no bearing on Congressman Ryans decision on these issues, the statement said, pointing out that many staffers come from the district and have relatives working for Wisconsin businesses. According to the House Ethics Rules, these family ties to the District and the work Congressman Ryan does to serve his constituents are not a conflict of interest. So Ryan was not pushing special-interest legislation that helped a firm tied to a major donor and the father of a staffer. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/25/07] Ryan Said He Wrote Letter As Routine And Appropriate Constituent Service. According to the Capital Times, Ryan described his role as providing routine and appropriate constituent service to a large employer in my district. Im as frustrated as anyone to learn that some individuals did not disclose their personal interests, which were unbeknown to me at all. He said that he and several colleagues decided to write the letter to the committee in 2005 because they believed the change would be good public policy. Ryan argued that it will improve safety and reduce fuel consumption. [Capital times, 3/20/07]

282

Ryan Gave Equivalent Of Troha Donations To Local Boys And Girls Club. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) said Tuesday that he would donate all funds contributed to his campaign by the family of indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha to the Kenosha Boys & Girls Club. Troha faces federal charges accusing him of illegally funneling at least $100,000 in contributions through his children to the campaign of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. Trohas family has contributed $58,802 to Ryans campaign fund since 1998, the year he was first elected, Ryan spokeswoman Susan Jacobson said. Those contributions are not subject to the Troha indictment. Troha had spearheaded efforts for an $808 million Indian casino proposed for a location in Ryans district. Members of Trohas family gave Ryan $31,700 in 2005, and the congressman has acknowledged contacting federal regulators about the progress of the casinos application. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/7/07] Ryan Pledge To Take Appropriate Action In Troha Investigation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Overall, Ryan, who has gone to bat for the Kenosha casino proposal with federal regulators, has received more than $50,000 from the family since 2001. The recent indictments surrounding the Troha family contributions to another campaign are very troubling, Ryan said in a statement. I am anxious to learn the results of this investigation. Once all of the facts become available, if any contribution to the Ryan for Congress campaign is found to be legally in question, I will take appropriate and corrective action. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/2/07] Ryan Pressured Bureau Of Indian Affairs For Donors Casino Application To Be Considered. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In between, on Sept. 16, Troha wrote a Ryan staffer a lengthy e-mail defending the [casino] project and responding to criticisms leveled by the Potawatomi tribe, which has its own money-making machine in the form of an off-reservation casino in Milwaukee. The Kenosha power broker expects to pocket at least $88 million in fees during the first seven years of operation if the feds and governor bless the project. Also, thank you for arranging the call this morning from the Congressman to me regarding the Land Into Trust and Environmental Impact Study matters regarding the Kenosha Casino, Troha wrote in September, and Bureau of Indian Affairs status of their review of both items. Just days later, Ryan did exactly what Troha wanted. The fourth-term congressman dialed up the BIA in Minneapolis to get the lowdown on the application and to lean on the bureaucrats. He stated that his constituents are in favor of the application, wrote BIA staffer De Springer to colleagues on Sept. 22. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/8/06] Troha Family Held Fundraiser For Ryan In 2006. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Last year, the rising Republican star received $31,700 from Troha, family members and a couple of his associates. They can afford it - Troha told state officials last year that he is worth $33.7 million. I think he throws money to everybody, said Ryan, a Janesville Republican. But not everyone goes to bat for Troha in his bid to convert the Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha into an $808 million, off-reservation Indian casino. Records show that Troha & Co. poured its money into Ryans account in the spring and then again at a November fund-raiser, for which Troha was a host. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/8/06] Ryan Said His Inquiry To BIA Was Routine Contact For A Constituent. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, In an interview last week, Ryan downplayed the significance of his inquiry, saying he was making a routine contact for a constituent. He said he was simply trying to get some answers to a few questions about the process. Im neutral, Ryan said. The point is, my constituents have twice voted, through direct democracy, for this casino. He added, I did tell the BIA my constituents voted for this. I told them also that Im neutral on this issue. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/8/06] Spokesman For Troha Said There Was Nothing Unusual About His Inquiry To Ryan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, As expected, Trohas flack, Evan Zeppos, pulled a few quotes from his PR manual, saying everything was on the up and up. He thinks Congressman Ryan is a rising star in Congress and has done an excellent job, Zeppos said. He does a good job of representing the district. Zeppos said there was nothing unusual about Trohas note to Ryan, Trohas call to the pol or Ryans rapid response. Congressman Ryan was basically doing his job, the hired gun said, and Mr. Troha exercised his rights by contacting the congressman. And were certain Ryan would have done the same for any other multimillionaire who had shipped him a boatload of campaign cash. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/8/06]

Campaign Staff
2005: Ryans Chief Of Staff Andrew Speth Served Tour In Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, On the go: House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville temporarily loses his chief of staff, Andrew Speth, a senior airman with the 440th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserves. Speth will be activated next month for a yearlong deployment supporting Operation 283

Iraqi Freedom. All of us are extremely proud of Andy for his dedication to our country and his commitment to a cause greater than self, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/27/05]

Relationships
MITT ROMNEY
Ryan Endorsed Romney For President. According to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin on Friday endorsed Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination and urged conservatives to coalesce around the former Massachusetts governor. Mitt Romney has the skills, the tenacity, the principles, the courage and the integrity to do what it takes to get America back on track, Ryan said on Fox News Channels Fox and Friends program. Its important that we coalesce as conservatives around Mitt Romney and focus on the big task at hand, which is defeating Barack Obama in the fall. Ryans endorsement was the latest in which a prominent Republican has called for an [end] to a primary contest that threatens to drag on for months and potentially lead to a delegate fight on the floor of the Republican National Convention Aug. 27-30 in Tampa, Fla. It comes days before Ryans home state - where Romney campaigned Friday - will hold its presidential primary election Tuesday. [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 3/31/12]

BARACK OBAMA
Ryan Accused President Obama Of Class Warfare And Envy Economics. According to a transcript of State of the Union with Candy Crowley, Ryan said, Its basically we believe the president is articulating a vision which I would call shared scarcity. I believe the presidents economic vision and the speeches hes been given are speeches in which they pit people against each other, play class warfare, envy economics which is bad economics. And I think it is really a vision of shared scarcity in bringing America to a period of managed decline, economic stagnation. [CNN, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, 5/15/11] Ryan Said He Was Used To President Obamas Politically Crass Rhetoric. According to the National Journals Hotline, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks to Washington Posts Rubin for a two-part interview, sand tells her that he has been in touch with the Romney campaign. Ryan says Obamas rhetoric is so politically crass. Were used to it. Were used to the demagoguery. I really think people will grow tired of it. Its cynical divide- and-conquer politics ... Romney is putting out a progrowth, pro-free market vision (5/9). Ryan declares himself optimistic about the WH 12 race. Ryan: The race is a Ronald Reagan kind of race. Its a Ronald Reagan kind of time. ... Mitt Romneys not only giving an uplifting message. . . he is offering specific solutions... [Hotline, National Journal, 5/10/12] Ryan Said He Did Not Enjoy Accusing President Obama Of Class Warfare. According to the National Journals Hotline, during an interview on Fox News On The Record, Ryan commented on attacking Obama: Its really disappointing, actually. I dont enjoy doing this because he gave us a message of hope three years ago, of uniting and not dividing. And what were getting are class warfare. Were getting very polarizing rhetoric that puts class against class, pits people against one another. And I would simply say sowing social unrest and class resentment does not make America stronger, it makes America weaker. [Hotline, National Journal, 10/27/11] Ryan Said President Obamas Rhetoric Of Class Division Was Destabilizing. According to the National Journals Hotline, during an interview on Fox News On The Record, Ryan commented on Obamas rhetoric: I think its the rhetoric of class division that is especially destabilizing. This is not the American idea. We believe in a system of upward mobility. We believe in a system to get the hurdles out of peoples way so they can rise in society. We dont believe in talking to people like theyre stuck in some class and the government is here to help them cope with their station in life. And I think thats the kind of rhetoric that hes using which, A, gives you bad policies, B, it sows social unrest, and C, it doesnt work. [Hotline, National Journal, 10/27/11]

Ryan Praised Obama For Focusing On The Economy In His State Of The Union Address And Said He Wanted To Help Obama Restrain Federal Spending. According to the Miami Herald, After speaking about Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, Ryan said President Barack Obama was right to focus much of his attention on the economy: Some of 284

his words were reassuring, he said. We want to work with the president to restrain federal spending. He characterized the deficit as a crushing level of debt -- Frankly, its one of my greatest concerns as a parent, said Ryan, who has three kids ages 6, 7 and 8 -- and bashed the stimulus spending spree. [Miami Herald, 1/26/11] Ryan Said Obama Was A Liberal ProgressivistIm Not Saying That In A Mean Way. According to a transcript of The Charlie Rose Show, Ryan was asked, And you think the president wants to reinvent the country to something else? Ryan said, I think he`s a liberal progressivist. Im not saying that in a mean way. I just think thats what he is and I think thats what he believes the government ought to be more active. [PBS, The Charlie Rose Show, 11/15/10] Ryan Said Obama Tried To Create A Cradle To Grave Social Welfare State. According to CQ Transcriptions, in an interview with David Asman of Fox Business Network, Ryan said We are still a center-right country. The vast majority of Americans want the American dream, the American idea. They believe in the principles that built the country -- liberty, freedom, free enterprise, equality, self-determination, government by consent of the governed. They dont want to abandon that American idea and go with this cradle-to-grave social welfare state that the president and his party are trying to create right now. [CQ Transcriptions, 9/13/10] Ryan Said He Didnt Think President Obama Would Be Able To Triangulate Like Bill Clinton. According to the Center For Individual Freedom, Heres Rep. Paul Ryans (R-WI) take on President Barack Obamas Clintonian ability to triangulate: Looking ahead, Ryan says a lot of people speculate on whether [President Obama] will triangulate like [Bill] Clinton did after the GOP sweep in 1994. The Wisconsin Republican isnt holding his breath. I dont know whether thats really who [Obama] is, Ryan says. First, the economy is not going to be like it was in 1995 or 1996. Second, the president is a liberal and Clinton was arguably a centrist. And third, I just dont think that [Obama] is willing to admit that all the things he did during the first two years of his presidency were wrong, because I dont think he believes that. I dont see a big triangulation happening. [Center For Individual Freedom, 8/11/10] Ryan Called Obamas Speech In Racine Partisan And Out Of Touch. According to Congressional Documents And Publications, After President Obamas Town Hall meeting in Racine, WI, First District Congressman Paul Ryan offered the following reaction to the visit: Im pleased the President came to Racine today, but I was rather shocked by the harsh partisan tone the President brought with him. The very real challenges facing Southern Wisconsin cannot be met by Washing-tons failed economic policies. Wisconsinites understand that you cant take money from the productive sector of our economy, funnel it through Washington, and create jobs. His speech sounded more like a campaign speech by a divider, not a uniter; by a partisan, not a President. It tells me that the President is not interested in learning from economic mistakes; but rather is set on repeating them. The President told a city with an unemployment rate over 14%: The stimulus worked. You just dont know it. That is out of touch and it encapsulates the frustrations I hear every week in Wisconsin. [Congressional Documents And Publications, 6/30/10] Ryan Told President Obama He Was Not Listening To The American People If He Thought They Wanted The Health Care Reform Bill. According to The Janesville Gazette, Rep. Paul Ryan is not particularly hopeful that the Republicans message got through at President Barack Obamas health care summit Thursday in Washington, D.C. The Janesville native was one of the members of Congress chosen to represent Republicans at the meeting called by President Obama and televised live to the nation. [] During his chance to speak, Ryan put it to the president: If you think (the American people) want a government takeover of health care, I would respectfully submit youre not listening to them. So what we simply want to do is start over, work on a clean sheet of paper, move through these issues step by step and fix them and bring down health-care costs and not raise them, and thats basically the point. [The Janesville Gazette, 2/26/10]

AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION


Ryan Was Recognized By The American Farm Bureau Federation As A Friend Of Farm Bureau. According to Targeted News Service, Wisconsin Representatives Tom Petri, Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner have been recognized by the American Farm Bureau Federation as Friends of Farm Bureau for their support of Farm Bureau priorities during the 111th Congress. To earn the distinction, Petri scored 67, Ryan scored 80 and Sensenbrenner scored 67 of the voting record on issues important to Farm Bureau. We want to congratulate Representatives Petri, Ryan and Sensenbrenner for their support of Farm Bureau policies, said Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Bruins. Since Farm Bureau policy is 285

developed by our members its gratifying that these individuals recognized what is important to production agriculture. [Targeted News Service, 10/14/10]

ANTHONY WEINER
Ryan Called On Rep. Anthony Weiner To Resign After Lewd Pictures Surfaced On Twitter. According to CBS News, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called on Sunday for the resignation of Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., noting that his recent indiscretions were a problem for the institution of the Congress. In an appearance on CBS Face the Nation, Ryan, alongside Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., condemned the New York Democrats behavior, and said it was proving a ridiculous distraction in America. I feel so sorry for [Weiners wife] Huma and her family most of all, Ryan told CBS Bob Schieffer. But weve got to get this behind us because its a distraction. And so yes, he should resign. I dont take pleasure in saying that because weve got important work to do and this is just a ridiculous distraction. [CBS News, 6/12/11]

NEWT GINGRICH
Ryan Said He Accepted Gingrichs Apology For His Comments On The Budget Plan. According to a transcript of The Ed Show, Ryan said, I think he now understands the magnitude of his comments, how wrong they were, and I think he`s going to have more to say about that and he`s working on that. He basically called and apologized. And I accepted his apology. [MSNBC, The Ed Show, 5/17/11]

GABBY GIFFORDS
Ryan Said His Heart Sank After Hearing Of Tucsons Shooting. According to Congressional Documents and Publications, Ryan heard the news of the shooting Saturday while he was taking down his Christmas tree in Janesville. He stepped down from the ladder he was on and started listening, he said. I didnt believe it at first, Ryan said. My heart just sank. He went upstairs to tell his wife, who was celebrating her birthday Saturday, and he prayed with her and his 8-year-old daughter, he said. Ryan knows the congresswoman he calls Gabby from working with her on an E-Verify bill that could help people secure their identities and serve as an alternative to national ID, he said. Shes a delightful, very energetic human being, Ryan said. Its tragic. It couldnt have happened to a nicer person. [Congressional Documents and Publications, 1/10/11] Ryan Offered Thoughts And Prayers To Tucson, Arizona And Rep. Gabrielle Giffords After Tucson Shooting. According to U.S. Fed News, Wisconsins 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan issued the following statement regarding the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona: I am deeply saddened by todays tragic shooting of my colleague Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, members of her staff and residents in Tucson, Arizona. My thoughts and prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords and her family, along with those impacted by this senseless act of violence. [U.S. Fed News, 1/8/11]

JEFF FLAKE
Ryan Said Jeff Flake Was His Favorite Guy. According to CQ Transcriptions, during an interview with Fox Business Network, host David Asman criticized Boehner after republicans supported porker over Rep. Jeff Flake for the Appropriations Committee, saying: there was a point in which there was a point at which there was an opening on the Appropriations Committee. Jeff Flake, who was historically against earmarks had a chance to go in there, and they didnt go with Jeff Flake, they went with a porker instead!...John Boehner was the one that ignored Jeff Flakes attempts to get in and put in a porker instead. Thats why a lot of us are suspicious of his commitment to the lower (ph) government. Ryan interjected saying Hes my favorite guy and continued I was just talking to Jeff yesterday in the gym. Im really trying to make a big push to get him on the Appropriations Committee. I think hes the perfect person to go on Appropriations... [CQ Transcriptions, 7/29/10] 286

MARCO RUBIO
Capital Times: Ryan Endorsed Marco Rubio In Floridas Senate Primary, Calling Him The Type Of Principled Conservative The Republican Party Needed. According to The Capital Times, Recently, Ryan made a splash endorsing Marco Rubio, a tea party conservative candidate in Floridas Re-publican U.S. Senate primary. Marco Rubio has proven he is exactly the type of consistent, principled conservative the Republican Party needs to ensure the relationship between the federal government and the individual is one that maximizes freedom and prosperity, chirps Ryan. [The Capital Times, 1/23/10]

MARK NEUMANN
Ryan Held A Fundraiser For Former Rep. Mark Neumanns Bid For Governor. According to The Frontrunner, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn (R) and WI1 Rep. Paul Ryan (R) hold a fundraiser on Tuesday for ex-Rep. Mark Neumann (R), whos running for governor. Coburn, a fiscal conservative, is endorsing Neumann. But Ryans campaign said that Ryan wont be making an endorsement for governor until after the Republican primary. [The Frontrunner, 5/4/10]

MITCH DANIELS
Ryan Said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Would Be A Great President. According to the National Journal, Ryan, on IN Gov. Mitch Daniels (R): He would be a great president. He looks like your accountant, but thats not so bad maybe. Are there [other] people who right now know these issues, have the principles, have the courage of their convictions, and are willing and able to defend them? Nobody comes to my mind [National Journal, 7/20/10]

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN


National Federation Of Republican Women Praised Ryans State Of The Union Response. According to Targeted News Service, The National Federation of Republican Women issued the following news release: Sue Lynch, president of the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW), issued the following statement in support of Congressman Paul Ryans (R-WI) response to the State of the Union address: I applaud the strong Republican response delivered by Congressman Paul Ryan following the State of the Union address. Due to the harmful effects of President Obamas stimulus spending spree and open-ended healthcare entitlements, Republicans owe Americans a better choice and a different vision. Congressman Ryan reaffirmed the Republican commitment to limited government and highlighted specific measures the new Republican majority has already implemented to begin to restrain federal spending and the spiraling deficit. [Targeted News Service, 1/25/11]

JOHN KERRY
Ryan Said John Kerry Never Met A Tax Increase He Didnt Like. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, House Republican Paul Ryan of Wisconsin made a strong pitch for lower taxes Wednesday at the GOP national convention, as he slammed Democrat John Kerry as a man who never met a tax increase he didnt like. [] Ryan maintained that, during Kerrys 20 years in Congress, Kerry voted against 126 tax cuts and supported 98 tax increases. This is one place where John Kerry never flip-flops, said Ryan, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/2/04] Ryan Accused John Kerry Of Trying To Have It Both Ways On Gay Marriage. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) listed what he said was another example of a Kerry flip-flop. Ryan said the Democrat was one of 14 senators to vote against a Senate bill to give states authority to legalize or prohibit gay marriages. By saying he supports civil unions but believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, Kerry is trying to have it both ways on that issue, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/16/04]

287

PETE HOEKSTRA
Ryan Endorsed Former Rep. Pete Hoekstras Senate Campaign Against Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow. According to The Frontrunner, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (R) on Wednesday endorsed ex-Rep. Pete Hoekstras (R) bid to unseat Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) in 2012. Hoekstra is battling several candidates in the GOP primary, including charter school founder Clark Durant. [The Frontrunner, 12/8/11]

SCOTT WALKER
Ryan Planned To Hold A Fundraiser For Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. According to The Frontrunner, Ryan will be holding a fundraiser for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, Ryans campaign said. [The Frontrunner, 5/4/10]

SEAN DUFFY
Ryan Helped Draft Wisconsin Congressional Redistricting Plan, Which Would Protect House Seat Of Republican Representative Sean Duffy. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Democrat Dave Obey calls it highly manipulative and crassly political. Republican Paul Ryan calls it a status-quo map with clean lines. Theyre talking about the congressional redistricting plan Republicans are preparing to move through the state Legislature in the coming weeks. [] Judging from a draft outline obtained by the Journal Sentinel, the plan has one key objective: protecting Republican freshman Sean Duffy, who represents Wisconsins 7th Congressional District in northern Wisconsin, the seat that Dave Obey, a Democrat, held for decades. [] In effect, the GOP map makes the states most competitive congressional district a few points more Republican than it is now. Thats a significant boost for Duffy, who will be one of the Democrats top national targets next year. Its the difference between losing a race by two points and winning it by three. [] Janesville Congressman Paul Ryan, who took the lead in drafting the plan, defends it on several grounds. In an interview, Ryan said Duffys district is still very competitive, which it is. In 2008, it was only three points more Democratic than the U.S. as a whole, based on the presidential vote. Under the new lines, that Democratic edge would all but disappear. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/18/11] Ryan Touted Decision Not To Write Duffys Opponent Pat Kreitlow Out Of The District. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan also contends the GOP showed restraint by not writing Duffys potential Democratic opponent Pat Kreitlow out of the 7th. We made sure at Duffys insistence that his opponent stays in the district, said Ryan. Under the GOP plan, Kreitlows home outside the city of Chippewa Falls is just inside the 7th District. Ryans District Became More Republican Under The Plan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Under the GOP plan, Ryans seat gets slightly more Republican by trading Greenfield in Milwaukee County for a slice of southern Waukesha County, but the overall partisan shift amounts to less than a percentage point. The other GOP districts -represented by Reid Ribble, Tom Petri and Jim Sensenbrenner -- change even less in their partisan tilt, though their boundaries are altered. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/18/11] Redistricting Scholar Michael McDonald Said Changes Under The Plan Seemed Largely Unnecessary And Politically Motivated. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Redistricting scholar Michael McDonald says some of the biggest changes appear to be largely unnecessary to equalize the populations of the states congressional districts. You have a plan that looks to be politically motivated, said McDonald, a political scientist at George Mason University in northern Virginia. When...one party controls the process, theyre going to do this, says McDonald. []McDonald describes the draft GOP plan as a move in the direction of more aggressive partisan line-drawing. The threat in the long run, once you start going down this path...is it just sets you on this course where eventually these districts are going to string themselves all over the state, he says. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/18/11]

TEA PARTY
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Ryan Called The Tea Party A Constructive, Organic Political Movement. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Early on in Wisconsin, veteran Republicans, who had long campaigned as fiscal conservatives, took notice of the tea party. Guys like Paul Ryan and I said these are the people who are the lifeblood of our campaigns, said Walker, the Republican nominee for governor who spoke at a major tea party rally in the fall of 2009 on Milwaukees lakefront. These are the people of passion. But the lid that blew off was really about health care. Ryan said the tea party is a constructive organic political movement in America which is pushing the political class. to get back to core fiscal principles. He said the tea party has provided a helpful burst of energy in Wisconsin and beyond, upsetting conventional wisdom and in some ways blowing apart polling models. What the tea party is doing is bringing people into politics who just havent participated before, Ryan said. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/20/10]

TOMMY THOMPSON
Ryan PAC Donated To Tommy Thompson Presidential Bid In 2007. According to the Associated Press, So far, the only PAC to contribute to Thompson is Rep. Paul Ryans Prosperity PAC, which gave $1,000. I simply wanted to wish him well, said Ryan, R-Wis. Hes Wisconsins favorite son. It was the least I could do for a governor whos done so much for our state. Ryan said the contribution was not an endorsement of Thompsons candidacy. I havent endorsed anybody, he said. [Associated Press, 4/30/07] Ryan Described Tommy Thompson As His Greatest Mentor. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Republican Reps. Mark Green and Paul Ryan, in statements released Friday, praised Thompson for improving Medicare and preparing the nation for chemical and biological terrorist threats. He has led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a difficult and dynamic time of positive changes, Ryan said. Ryan and Green also acknowledged Thompsons role in their careers. Tommy has been my greatest mentor, Ryan said. Of all things, he taught me that public service is about helping people reach their potential. He is a man of passion, big ideas, and boundless enthusiasm. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/4/04]

JOHN SHADEGG
Ryan Supported Rep. John Shadegg For House Majority Leader In 2006. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan not only backs Shadegg but has been actively recruiting his colleagues to support him. In an interview Thursday, Ryan touted Shadegg as a Republican who didnt go native after the GOP takeover of the House in 1995. He said Shadegg was a longtime supporter of cutting back on earmarked spending projects, a big issue for small-government conservatives. Shadegg was a reformer when it wasnt cool to be a reformer, said Ryan, who said the issue in the GOP leadership race is, Are we going to have real reform or not? Ryan said he was approached by some colleagues to make a leadership run himself but didnt seriously consider it, saying it would double my time away from my family. Ryan is planning instead to seek the House Budget Committee chairmanship next year. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/20/06]

BILL CLINTON
Ryan Believed Clinton Should Consider Resigning. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said, I said he ought to consider resigning in order to prevent us from going through a wrenching impeachment process. Well, its a little late now. . . . To resign, thats a decision that isnt required by any objective law or fact. Impeachment is more of a technical question, a legal l question of whether this legal threshold has been crossed. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/18/98] Ryan Said He Had No Idea If President Clintons Conduct In Office Was Impeachable. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Should conservative Republican Paul Ryan win his hotly contested, closely watched bid to represent southern Wisconsin in Congress, it will be seen by some as bad tidings for President Clinton, a pro-impeachment signal from a battleground Midwestern district. The only problem with that analysis is that Ryan isnt campaigning for impeachment. Ask him whether the presidents conduct is impeachable, and he answers, I have no idea. I havent seen the facts. . . . I dont know what the definition is. I dont know specifically what is and isnt an impeachable offense. I really dont, says Ryan, a first-time candidate from Janesville. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/18/98] 289

Ryan Called For Clinton To Resign Over The Lewinsky Scandal. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kemp, in a phone interview from Janesville, said any consideration of impeachment should be done carefully and in a bipartisan manner. Im not shouting for resignation or anything like that, said Kemp, who came to Wisconsin to stump for Paul Ryan, the Republican candidate in the 1st District covering the southeast corner of the state. As a part of the Republican ticket headed by Bob Dole that lost to Clinton and Al Gore in 96, it would be unseemly for him to suggest Clinton should resign or be impeached, Kemp said. Ryan, a former speech writer for Kemp, has called for Clintons resignation. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/2/98]

J.C. WATTS
Ryan Said That J.C. Watts Would Being Vitality, Charisma, And A Needed Message That The Republican Partys Principles Crossed Racial Boundaries. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said Watts would bring vitality, charisma and a much-needed message that the Republican Partys principles cross racial, ethnic and partisan boundaries. I know him, I like him, hes a principled man, Ryan said. But most importantly, he knows how to articulate the principles we believe in, in a way that attracts all Americans. Some people have the gift, some dont. He does. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/19/98]

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