McConnell, Boehner Announce Super Committee Picks

Republican Congressional leaders announced Wednesday their selections for the powerful Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction charged with putting a plan forward to cut at least $1.5 trillion from the deficit, following Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's selection announcement Monday.

On the House Republican side, Speaker John Boehner tapped House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich. and House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell selected Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa, and Sen. Rob Portman R-Ohio.

The selections reveal a mix of partisans and budget experts, similar to Reid's selection of Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray, D-Wash., Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass.

For example, Sen. Portman, who was budget director for President George W. Bush, is paired with Sen. Toomey, a tea party favorite who suggested the United States could not raise its debt limit and just prioritize payments.

Rep. Hensarling, part of the House leadership and a leading conservative voice in the party, stands in contrast to Rep. Upton, who is considered a more moderate voice in the party.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has until Tuesday to announce her selections to round out the 12-member committee. The group is to identify a plan to cut federal deficits by $1.5 trillion that will face a vote before both chambers of Congress before the end of the year.

If the committee's plan does not pass, automatic spending cuts of $1.2 trillion will go into effect.

Photo of July 10, 2011 debt meeting at the White House by Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images.