Chris Collins on Principles & Values

Stripped of committee posts while under indictment

For his part, Collins said he plans to devote more time to constituent services, and attend more district events. "I'm disappointed, but I'm making the best of it," Collins said. "You can't control what you can't control. But in my case, you offset it."

Collins was arrested on insider trading charges and pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. Collins infuriated their Republican colleagues by staying on the ballot in the midterms--and won reelection. But shortly after the elections, the House GOP adopted a new conference rule forcing anyone under indictment for a felony to relinquish his or her committee assignments or leadership posts until the legal matter gets resolved.

Member of the House Republican Young Guns.

The new generation of pro-market, small government leaders filled such a need that in October 2007, Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard profiled Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy and christened them the "young guns."

Kevin approached Eric & Paul about the idea of traveling together, as "Young Guns", to visit Republican candidates interested in a new approach for the party.

What began as an informal way to support like-minded candidates became a more formal structure. Once the three Representatives had studied the candidate and given their support to become a Young Gun, they committed to providing financial support through their campaign committees.

Existing House Republicans were approached with a simple pitch: Are we willing to help ourselves by being proactive and going on the offense to change this House? Dozens of our House Republican colleagues joined the Young Gun effort as one of the many signs that the Republican Party had shifted.

Member of the Republican Study Committee.

Organizational Self-Description: The Republican Study Committee (RSC) has served as the conservative caucus of House Republicans and a leading influencer on the Right since its original founding in 1973. It exists to bring like-minded House members together to promote a strong, principled legislative agenda that will limit government, strengthen our national defense, boost America's economy, preserve traditional values and balance our budget.

The RSC provides the tools and research that members of Congress need to craft and advance policies that will benefit the American people. It also provides a forum for like-minded members to join together to support common causes and challenge the status quo. By doing so, the RSC ensures that conservatives have a powerful voice on every issue coming before the House, whether it is the economy, health care, defense, social safety net reform, or Washington's dangerous, out-of-control spending.

We believe that the appropriate role of a limited government is to protect liberty, opportunity, and security, and that it is the responsibility of this generation to preserve them for the next. We believe that more government is the problem, not the sol