Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is taking a different approach to poverty than most Washington lawmakers do, reports Salena Zito of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Zito spoke with the 2012 Vice-Presidential nominee and current House Budget Committee chairman about the future of anti-poverty programs in the United States. Ryan previously worked for the Housing and Urban Development’s Empower America program.

During his time with HUD, Ryan met Bob Woodson, Founder and President of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise. Woodson has been developing and coordinating national and community development programs in impoverished areas since the 1960’s.

Ryan began visiting low-income neighborhoods in February 2013 with Woodson, emphasizing in his speeches that government programs implemented in the last 50 years fail to combat poverty, and merely perpetuate it.

In his “The War on Poverty: 50 years later,” Ryan writes that the 92 federal programs enacted since President Johnson launched his “War on Poverty” have had little success.

“The federal government’s anti-poverty programs have reduced the incentive to work via the complex web of federal programs and sudden drop-off in benefits causing extraordinarily high marginal tax rates,” Ryan wrote.

Through his April House Budget Proposal entitled “A Path to Prosperity,” Ryan aims to reduce spending by $5.1 trillion over ten years.

Ryan wrote that, “this budget applies the lessons of welfare reform to other federal-aid programs.” Its long term goal is to “empower recipients to get off the aid rolls and back on the payroll.”

Woodson told the Tribune-Review he believes Ryan has visited more poor urban households than members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and that the Wisconsin Representative has been “giving validation and recognition to people that many times their own representative ignore.”

Ryan also briefly discussed his thoughts on the border crisis, as he is one of the GOP’s most high profile supporters of fixing our nation’s immigration policy.

Firmly believing that we need to secure our borders, Ryan favors accountability for illegal immigrants. The Congressman stated that if an undocumented worker is discovered, he or she must acknowledge that they broke the law, pay a fine, undergo background checks, and learn English and civics. This probationary learning period allows them the opportunity to earn a work permit.

Unfortunately, according to Ryan, immigration reform is a matter of “when,” and with the President and Congress in constant gridlock, it is unclear when, or if, any tangible legislation will be considered or approved.

Rep. Ryan is reportedly considering vying for the GOP nomination in 2016, and if he were to win the Presidential election, it is certain that poverty and immigration would be among his top priorities.