The Republican majority in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives has placed fiscally conservative Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan in charge of the House Budget Committee, a reflection, writes Time, not just of Ryan's political rise, but also the party's desire to slash federal spending. At last, that desire may finally be turning into potential policy, as U.S. House Republicans begin offering some specifics on cuts.

When it comes to the newbies in Colorado's GOP delegation, Scott Tipton, who represents the state's 3rd Congressional District, wants to see less regulation on food and health care, writes the Denver Post. And Cory Gardner, who oversees Colorado's 4th Congressional District, would like unspent stimulus dollars returned to the U.S. Treasury. "You've got to pay the piper at some point, and that point is now," says Gardner, who is asking constituents for ideas on other cuts. District 6 Congressman Mike Coffman, who's in his second term in the U.S. House, recommends saving $5.5 billion by furloughing federal employees. He's even willing to cut his own pay—$174,000 a year—by 10 percent.

Meanwhile, back in the Colorado Legislature, the Pueblo Chieftain identifies a number of proposed measures that will certainly impact the state budget, some of which seek to undo the legacies of former Governor Bill Ritter's Democratic administration. One would limit how certain transportation funds are spent, another would exempt online purchases from sales taxes, and a third would reduce the penalties for late vehicle registrations, from $100 to $10.