Congressman Paul Ryan gains a key role, in writing the next federal budget. The Janesville Republican is now ranking member on the House Budget Committee , the chief GOP negotiator in assembling the federal budget. Ryan says he's ready to represent the values of fiscal responsibility. "We're spending too much money," says Ryan. "There's too much pork barrel spending, and we need to tighten our belts and control spending in order to balance this budget."
Ryan agrees when asked whether the perception of free spending Republicans contributed to his party's losses in November; "we as Republicans lost our brand as the party of fiscal discipline."
Ryan says he wants to balance the federal budget not by raising taxes, but by controlling spending, a message he says many in his own party needed to hear. Ryan, who negotiated earmark reforms that passed the House last fall, says he'll continue to push that issue and hopes incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is serious about her claim to be for earmark reform.