Paul Ryan is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. Before his speakership, Ryan was the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1999 to 2019. He was the Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2012 election alongside presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Ryan is well-known for his conservative views, particularly on fiscal policy and his proposals to reform Medicare.