Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the DSCC and serves on the Budget and Appropriations panels, will join Sens. Max Baucus and John Kerry on the deficit reduction panel.
House Republicans’ panel picks might prove the most important. Several attempts at reaching a “grand bargain” on the deficit have blown up over the House GOP’s consistent opposition to tax increases. Reid last week warned that the committee would not produce a bill unless Republicans agreed to increase revenue.
Failing to reach a deal would trigger an automatic $1.2 trillion cut in defense, Medicare and other programs starting Jan. 1, 2013.
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