Paul Ryan, Wisconsin’s Representative for the 1st Congressional District
Paul Davis Ryan, Jr. is most known for his position as a Republican member of the House of Representatives for the 1st congressional district of Wisconsin.
Paul Ryan was born on January 29, 1970 in Janesville Wisconsin where he was raised as the youngest out of four children. He went to Joseph A. Craig High School and after that he went to Oxford Ohio to attend Miami University in where he received his undergraduate degree in political science and economics in 1992.
During college, Paul Ryan briefly worked as a Wienermobile driver for Oscar Meyer. He also took a position as a college intern for U.S. Senator Bob Kasten in his senior year. After graduating, he worked as a marketing consultant for his family’s business in the private sector throughout the 1990’s. He also worked as a volunteer economic analyst for Freedom Works.
In 1995, Paul Ryan accepted a congressional position that had been offered after his graduation. He became a staff economist for an office that worked in conjunction to U.S. Senator Bob Kasten. Two years later, he began to work in U.S. Senator Sam Brownback’s office as a legislative director. In 1996, Paul Ryan worked as a speechwriter to U.S. Representative Jack Kemp along with the Director of the National Drug Control policy, William Bennett.
Paul Ryan was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1998 after Mark Neumann, the incumbent who was in office for two terms, retired from his position. Since then, he has maintained his seat in and is now serving is 7th term as a Representative.
Paul Ryan is currently the chair of the Committee on the Budget and he also sits on the Committee on Ways & Means as well as the Subcommittee on Health.
Here are some of Paul Ryan’s opinions on critical issues:
Social Security and Medicare
• Social security must be strengthened in order to provide retirement security for future generations.
• Pass reforms to improve the return rate and to make Social Security as well as Medicare permanently solvent.
• Propose legislation that secures Social Security numbers in order to fight against identity theft and illegal immigration.
Federal Budget and taxes
• Create more accountability in Congress by controlling spending which will balance the budget without raising taxes.
• Expose examples of excessive government abuse and waste.
• Reduce tax burden by fixing spending problem in the government.
• Create legislation that simplifies individual taxes while making them fairer.
Education
• Advocating reform to the No Child Left Behind act.
• Strengthening autonomy of teachers, school districts, states, and families.
• Driving down college costs and tuition through accessibility and increased transparency.
Health care
• Providing universal access to all Americans for health care coverage.
• Creating more transparency in the health care market.
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