Republicans Calling For Smaller Government?

Republicans have been calling for smaller government, but they're wishy-washy on President Obama's plan to merge six agencies. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) says "there is no shortage of agencies and programs ripe for streamlining." But she worries that the plan to consolidate the Small Business Administration into a larger Commerce Department could make it harder for small businesses to get help. Collins is the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. On the House side, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) says he's "ready to work" with the president. Congress will have to reinstate the president's power to consolidate agencies for any merger to happen. It abolished that power in 1984.