WASHINGTON
(AP) -- Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is a fiscal
conservative, champion of small government and critic of federal
handouts. But as a congressman in Wisconsin, Ryan lobbied for tens of
millions of dollars on behalf of his constituents for the kinds of
largess he's now campaigning against, according to an Associated Press
review of 8,900 pages of correspondence between Ryan's office and more
than 70 executive branch agencies.
For 12
years in the House, Ryan wrote to federal agencies supporting expansion
of food stamps in his Wisconsin district. He supported city officials
and everyday constituents who sought stimulus grants, federally
guaranteed business loans, grants to invest in green technology and
money under the health care law he opposes.
On
the campaign trail, Ryan has called those kinds of handouts
big-government overreaching. He tells crowds he supports smaller
government and rails against what he calls President Barack Obama's
wasteful spending, including the president's $800 billion stimulus
program. Ryan renewed his criticism about stimulus spending in Thursday
night's vice presidential debate.
"Was it a
good idea to spend taxpayer dollars on electric cars in Finland or on
windmills in China?" Ryan said. "Was it a good idea to borrow all this
money from countries like China and spend it on all these various
different interest groups?"
Yet the AP's
review of Ryan's congressional correspondence showed that he sought
stimulus funding on behalf of residents and at one point told federal
regulators that cutting a stimulus grant in his district at the 11th
hour would be "economically devastating."
Vice
President Joe Biden cited during the debate Ryan's letters seeking
stimulus money: "I love that. This was such a bad program, and he writes
me a letter saying, writes the Department of Energy a letter saying,
`The reason we need this stimulus, it will create growth and jobs.' His
words. And now he's sitting here looking at me," Biden said.
Much
of Ryan's correspondence is similar to other lawmakers performing
constituent duties, describing problems that residents have reported.
They include requests such as assisting a family missing airline baggage
and helping a man who didn't receive a pancake maker he had ordered.
But
in other correspondence, Ryan explicitly supports programs and
encourages federal agencies to take actions. He supported in his
congressional letters some Wisconsin farms' share of an $11.8 million
loan guarantee but later criticized other loan guarantees, such as the
$535 million loan that went to now-defunct solar panel maker Solyndra.
He asked transportation officials for a grant for green technology and
alternative fuels, although his proposed budget as House budget chairman
called loans for electric car development "corporate welfare."
He's
also supported federal money to help a Kenosha, Wis., community center
cover health care costs of low-income families under Obama's health care
reform law - the very program he and Romney say they will repeal if
they win the White House.
Ryan spokesman
Brendan Buck said AP's findings represented a member of Congress helping
people in his district. "Part of being a congressman is vouching for
constituents and helping them navigate the federal bureaucracy when
asked," he said.
Among the ways Ryan went to bat for his constituents, as detailed in his correspondence:
-A
Kenosha community center's grant proposal under the Food Stamps Access
Research program, to educate families about the nutritional benefits of
food stamps. Ryan said in a 2002 letter the program would increase the
enrollment of eligible individuals in the program by providing laptop
computers to pre-screen applicants. Ryan's budget proposed cutting food
stamps by $134 billion over 10 years, although his spokesman said he
"has always made clear we need a strong safety net."
-Letters
offering support or forwarding requests for projects funded by stimulus
money. Ryan's May 2009 letter to a regional Environmental Protection
Agency office asked for its "full consideration" in awarding grant money
to an organization under the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance
Program, which reduces diesel emissions.
Ryan
also wrote to the EPA in 2009 on behalf of a small town trying to secure
$550,000 in stimulus money for utility repairs. Ryan, whose staff
requested meetings with the EPA about the matter, said the rescinding of
the grant "would be economically devastating" to Sharon, Wis., since it
already began spending the money.
The EPA said project costs were
incurred before October 2008, making the project ineligible for stimulus
cash. Ryan has also voiced support for millions in EPA grant money to
clean up abandoned building sites in Wisconsin towns.
-A
2002 Agriculture Department loan guarantee to develop a pork-packing
and processing plant for farms in the region, including some in his
district. The new factory appeared to be "state of the art" and worthy
of funding, he said, adding: "It is my hope that the USDA will reach a
favorable decision" on the application for a 60 percent federal loan
guarantee toward a $19.7 million loan.
-A
Kenosha health center's request to use money under Obama's new health
care law to help meet health care needs of "thousands of new patients"
who lack coverage. Ryan's December 2010 letter to the Health and Human
Services Department, first reported by the Nation magazine and also
obtained by the AP, appears at odds with his pledge to repeal
"Obamacare."
-Support for a grant for the
Historical Society in Milton, Wis., from the National Park Service for
$271,000 in order to preserve a Civil War-era home. Ryan supported the
plan in 2002, saying historical artifacts inside the former transfer
point for slaves "have aged to a point where aggressive preservation and
restoration is needed to save them." Meanwhile, he's supported recent
cuts to the federal budget that would invariably affect national parks.
The
AP obtained requested documents from nearly every executive branch
agency, although many have been slow to provide any relevant files. Some
Obama administration agencies declined AP's request to quickly turn
over materials even though they involve an election that's just weeks
away.
WASHINGTON
(AP) -- Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is a fiscal
conservative, champion of small government and critic of federal
handouts. But as a congressman in Wisconsin, Ryan lobbied for tens of
millions of dollars on behalf of his constituents for the kinds of
largess he's now campaigning against, according to an Associated Press
review of 8,900 pages of correspondence between Ryan's office and more
than 70 executive branch agencies.
For 12
years in the House, Ryan wrote to federal agencies supporting expansion
of food stamps in his Wisconsin district. He supported city officials
and everyday constituents who sought stimulus grants, federally
guaranteed business loans, grants to invest in green technology and
money under the health care law he opposes.
On
the campaign trail, Ryan has called those kinds of handouts
big-government overreaching. He tells crowds he supports smaller
government and rails against what he calls President Barack Obama's
wasteful spending, including the president's $800 billion stimulus
program. Ryan renewed his criticism about stimulus spending in Thursday
night's vice presidential debate.
"Was it a
good idea to spend taxpayer dollars on electric cars in Finland or on
windmills in China?" Ryan said. "Was it a good idea to borrow all this
money from countries like China and spend it on all these various
different interest groups?"
Yet the AP's
review of Ryan's congressional correspondence showed that he sought
stimulus funding on behalf of residents and at one point told federal
regulators that cutting a stimulus grant in his district at the 11th
hour would be "economically devastating."
Vice
President Joe Biden cited during the debate Ryan's letters seeking
stimulus money: "I love that. This was such a bad program, and he writes
me a letter saying, writes the Department of Energy a letter saying,
`The reason we need this stimulus, it will create growth and jobs.' His
words. And now he's sitting here looking at me," Biden said.
Much
of Ryan's correspondence is similar to other lawmakers performing
constituent duties, describing problems that residents have reported.
They include requests such as assisting a family missing airline baggage
and helping a man who didn't receive a pancake maker he had ordered.
But
in other correspondence, Ryan explicitly supports programs and
encourages federal agencies to take actions. He supported in his
congressional letters some Wisconsin farms' share of an $11.8 million
loan guarantee but later criticized other loan guarantees, such as the
$535 million loan that went to now-defunct solar panel maker Solyndra.
He asked transportation officials for a grant for green technology and
alternative fuels, although his proposed budget as House budget chairman
called loans for electric car development "corporate welfare."
He's
also supported federal money to help a Kenosha, Wis., community center
cover health care costs of low-income families under Obama's health care
reform law - the very program he and Romney say they will repeal if
they win the White House.
Ryan spokesman
Brendan Buck said AP's findings represented a member of Congress helping
people in his district. "Part of being a congressman is vouching for
constituents and helping them navigate the federal bureaucracy when
asked," he said.
Among the ways Ryan went to bat for his constituents, as detailed in his correspondence:
-A
Kenosha community center's grant proposal under the Food Stamps Access
Research program, to educate families about the nutritional benefits of
food stamps. Ryan said in a 2002 letter the program would increase the
enrollment of eligible individuals in the program by providing laptop
computers to pre-screen applicants. Ryan's budget proposed cutting food
stamps by $134 billion over 10 years, although his spokesman said he
"has always made clear we need a strong safety net."
-Letters
offering support or forwarding requests for projects funded by stimulus
money. Ryan's May 2009 letter to a regional Environmental Protection
Agency office asked for its "full consideration" in awarding grant money
to an organization under the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance
Program, which reduces diesel emissions.
Ryan
also wrote to the EPA in 2009 on behalf of a small town trying to secure
$550,000 in stimulus money for utility repairs. Ryan, whose staff
requested meetings with the EPA about the matter, said the rescinding of
the grant "would be economically devastating" to Sharon, Wis., since it
already began spending the money. The EPA said project costs were
incurred before October 2008, making the project ineligible for stimulus
cash. Ryan has also voiced support for millions in EPA grant money to
clean up abandoned building sites in Wisconsin towns.
-A
2002 Agriculture Department loan guarantee to develop a pork-packing
and processing plant for farms in the region, including some in his
district. The new factory appeared to be "state of the art" and worthy
of funding, he said, adding: "It is my hope that the USDA will reach a
favorable decision" on the application for a 60 percent federal loan
guarantee toward a $19.7 million loan.
-A
Kenosha health center's request to use money under Obama's new health
care law to help meet health care needs of "thousands of new patients"
who lack coverage. Ryan's December 2010 letter to the Health and Human
Services Department, first reported by the Nation magazine and also
obtained by the AP, appears at odds with his pledge to repeal
"Obamacare."
-Support for a grant for the
Historical Society in Milton, Wis., from the National Park Service for
$271,000 in order to preserve a Civil War-era home. Ryan supported the
plan in 2002, saying historical artifacts inside the former transfer
point for slaves "have aged to a point where aggressive preservation and
restoration is needed to save them." Meanwhile, he's supported recent
cuts to the federal budget that would invariably affect national parks.
The
AP obtained requested documents from nearly every executive branch
agency, although many have been slow to provide any relevant files. Some
Obama administration agencies declined AP's request to quickly turn
over materials even though they involve an election that's just weeks
away.
