Tag Archive: debt ceiling

Donors to super committee Senate Dems lobby for tax breaks, federal funding

by Bill Allison

investigations

Aug 31, 2011 11:31 am

Companies that earn billions from Pentagon contracts and lobby for billions more, universities that receive billions in research funding and financial firms that oppose new taxes and support old tax breaks for their industry figure in the top career donors to the three Senate Democrats on the super committee.

As we noted in our previous post on the three House Republicans on the super committee, the dozen members of the super committee--formally known as the Joint Select Committee on Debt Reduction--all have private interests backing them who are far more concerned with their own bottom lines than they are with ...

The Debt Ceiling and You

by Nicole Aro Aug 17, 2011 11:03 am

Congressional leaders have appointed members to the “Super Committee” — 12 lawmakers assigned the power and responsibility of cutting $1.5... View Article

Becerra, Clyburn, Van Hollen are House Dem Picks for Super Committee

by Anu Narayanswamy

investigations

Aug 11, 2011 5:11 pm

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has tapped three close allies who are on powerful House committees to serve on the Joint Special Committee to find new ways of cutting the budget to roll back the national deficit. Her picks are: Reps, Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, James Clyburn from South Carolina, and Xavier Bacerra from California.

Both Van Hollen and Clyburn also served on Vice President Joe Biden’s deficit reduction committee earlier this year.

Xavier Becerra, who serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, is ranking member of the subcommittee on social security—a flash point for debt ...

Super Committee Senate GOP picks: Kyl, Portman, Toomey

by Tessa Muggeridge

investigations

Aug 10, 2011 2:04 pm

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., picked Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio to the special joint committee, or "super committee," today that will be charged with finding $1.2 trillion in budget cuts and or revenue raisers.

Jon Kyl, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and member of the Senate Finance Committee, has deep ties to the financial industry. Kyl made headlines last spring when he announced he wouldn't run for reelection, and this final task of slashing the government's budget deficit by at least $1 trillion ...

Boehner selects Hensarling, Camp and Upton for the Super Committee

by Tessa Muggeridge

investigations

Aug 10, 2011 2:02 pm

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, just announced his picks to the special joint committee tasked to find at least $1.2 trillion to trim from the federal budget. They are: Reps. Jeb Hensarling from Texas and Dave Camp and Fred Upton, both from Michigan.

Jeb Hensarling, the hardline conservative, known around the Hill as the budget nanny, is a member of the House Republican leadership team, serving as chairman of the House Republican Conference. He's vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee, where he's vocal about trimming excessive spending and creating a balanced budget, and served on ...

Report: Reid names Murray, Baucus and Kerry to Super Committee

by Anu Narayanswamy

investigations

Aug 9, 2011 5:58 pm

Politico is reporting that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to nominate Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., as the co-chair to the special joint committee convened to propose reductions in the debt, and Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and John Kerry, D-Mass., as his other picks. The announcement of picks to what has been dubbed the super committee will be formally announced on Wednesday.

All three have substantial ties to beltway influencers and special interests.

Sen. Patty Murray serves on the all-powerful Appropriations Committee and is chair of the Transportation Subcommittee within Appropriations. Over the two decades she has served in ...

Lobbyist cash flows to Warner, possible Super Committee member

by Katy Schultz

investigations

Aug 9, 2011 3:15 pm

Creation of the “super committee” has been met with mixed reactions in Congress. While several members have called for its immediate repeal, others have balked at the idea of serving on it. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., however, has said he would “love” to serve on the bicameral, bipartisan committee charged with addressing the country's debt problems.

Warner, former governor of Virginia, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, and during the short time in the upper chamber has demonstrated an impressive fundraising ability. In all, he has brought in more than $27 million, of which more than ...

Quigley and Renacci Call for Open SuperCommittee

by John Wonderlich Aug 9, 2011 2:42 pm

Movement is building for a transparent “Super Committee”. (As the #supercongress or Joint Select Committee on Debt Reduction is also... View Article

D.C. insider, Sen. Portman, another possible pick for “Super Congress”

by Katy Schultz

investigations

Aug 5, 2011 5:04 pm

Sen. Robert Portman’s, R-Ohio, name is making the rounds as a contender to serve on the “super committee”, and with his prior stints at top federal agencies and with big name lobbying firms, his ties to industry interests runs deep.

Portman serves on the budget, armed services, energy and natural resources, and homeland security committees, all of which are are slated for some major cuts. He has received $4 million in contributions from the financial services and real estate sector and another $1.8 million has come from lobbyists and lawyers. Another prominent contributor to Portman in recent years ...

Debt Ceiling Legislative Action Calendar

by Daniel Schuman Aug 3, 2011 6:04 pm

We’ve compiled what we hope is a helpful calendar of dates when legislative action is required by the debt ceiling... View Article

Sunlight Foundation

Follow Us