House & Senate Leaders Appoint Most Super Committee Members

Aug 10: House and Senate leaders have announced their appointments to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (JSC, a.k.a. "Super Committee") recently created under the Budget Control Act of 2011 (i.e. debt ceiling legislation). The JSC is charged with devise a long-term approach to reducing the nation's deficit by at least $1.5 trillion before this Thanksgiving. The bipartisan, bicameral committee will be comprised of 12 members, 6 from each Chamber, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. The JSC has been given broad leeway to examine all areas for deficit reduction, and its legislation will be given expedited consideration, with a guaranteed up-or-down vote in the Senate before Christmas.

 

    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced his appointments as: Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA). Senator Murray will serve as the co-chair of the JSC. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) appointed Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ); Budget, Banking, Commerce and Joint Economic Committee member Pat Toomey (R-PA), and former OMB Director and now Budget Committee Rob Portman (R-OH).

 

    House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) announced his appointments as: House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX); House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI); and House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has not yet announced her appointments.

 

    Access a release on the Senate Democrat appointments (click here). Access a release on the Senate Republican appointments (click here). Access a release on the House Republican appointments (click here). Access a release on the House Democrats (click here, posted soon). [#All]