Budget

For super committee, is compromise possible?

Sandy Johnson, the executive editor of the Center for Public Integrity, joined the Federal Drive to discuss how the various reputations and relationships among ...

Federal News Network Staff

August 16, 2011 9:22 am

< a min read

wfedstaff | June 4, 2015 10:01 am

Download audio

We know who they are. Now, we’re learning a little more about why they’re serving on the so-called “super committee” — the bipartisan panel established by the debt-ceiling deal.

The 12 lawmakers must identify more than a $1 trillion in spending cuts by Thanksgiving, and Congress has to sign off on the cuts by Christmas.

The Center for Public Integrity has taken a much closer look at those serving on the committee, providing an in-depth look in an article last week, “Who bankrolls the Super Congress?”

Sandy Johnson, the executive editor of CPI, joined the Federal Drive to discuss how the lawmakers, each with own “history of political patrons and connections with special interests” — as CPI described in its report — will ever reach a compromise.

As it turns out the across-the-board agency spending cuts that hang over the super committee member’s heads could provide a powerful impetus for consensus.

Analysis: No ‘firebrands’ on super committee