Paul Ryan: 'Window of time' before US debt crisis

Rising Republican star Paul Ryan has defended his budget plan during a speech at Georgetown University.

Mr Ryan, the House budget committee chairman who unveiled his budget last month, recently told the Christian Broadcasting Network that the Church doctrine of "subsidiarity" was reflected in his budget proposal.

Faculty members and priests at Georgetown, a leading Catholic universit,y sent a letter on Tuesday criticising Mr Ryan's interpretation of doctrine and warning the spending blueprint would hurt society's most vulnerable.

On Thursday, Mr Ryan responded to that letter: "What I have to say about the social doctrine of the Church is from the viewpoint of a Catholic in politics applying my understanding to the problems of the day.

"Serious problems like those we face today require charitable conversation."