The panel’s mandate to reduce the deficit by at least $1.5 trillion over a decade has a short time frame in a debate packed with short fuses. While the composition of the committee is not complete - House Democrats have not yet been named to the committee - the six Republicans named yesterday and the three Senate Democrats picked Tuesday represent a potentially combustive mix.
“They cover the waterfront,’’ said Bill Frenzel, a GOP congressman of 20 years from Minnesota now affiliated with the Brookings Institution. “There are some rather left Democrats who are quite proud of being left and some rather right Republicans who are quite proud of being right.’’
Yesterday, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky chose Jon L. Kyl of Arizona, the minority whip; freshman Pat J. Toomey of Pennsylvania; and Robert J. Portman of Ohio, a former budget director for President George W. Bush.
Like his Democratic counterpart, majority leader Harry Reid, McConnell eschewed any of the Gang of Six senators. That group has been the only one to come to a comprehensive bipartisan deal on the long-term deficit, although theirs was only a framework and was not put to a vote in either chamber.
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio chose House Republican Conference chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas, House Ways and Means chairman Dave L. Camp of Michigan, and Energy and Commerce chairman Fred S. Upton of Michigan. While all of his choices are ardent conservative veterans, Boehner did not choose any freshman lawmaker affiliated with the Tea Party movement. Those newcomers have been polarizing forces in the debate.
The six Republicans join the three Senate Democrats Reid named Tuesday: Foreign Relations chairman John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, Finance chairman Max Baucus of Montana, and Patty Murray of Washington, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
