Boehner, McConnell Tap Trios For Super Committee, Ryan Left Off

Less than 24 hours after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced his picks for the new bipartisan, bicameral debt committee, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) countered with his choices.

McConnell declared Wednesday that he has tapped Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to serve on the “super-committee,” which will be tasked with putting together a plan to reduce the debt over the next ten years.

In a statement, McConnell explained the reasoning behind his picks.

“My main criteria for selecting members was to identify serious, constructive senators who are interested in achieving a result that helps to get our nation’s fiscal house in order. That means reforming entitlement programs that are the biggest drivers of our debt, and reforming the tax code in a way that makes us more competitive and leads to more American jobs. The goal is to achieve a result that convinces Americans and the world that we’re committed as a nation to prosperity for all our citizens.”

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) also unveiled his picks Wednesday to serve on the new Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was not among the names chosen.

Instead, the Ohio Republican tapped House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas). Hensarling will serve as a co-chair of the committee, along with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.).

“Times are tough, and American families have had to make many sacrifices over the last few years. While they didn’t cause this debt crisis, they’ve learned how to make do by tightening their belts and living within their means,” Hensarling said in a statement. “It’s time Washington did the same.”

With nine of the twelve spots on the committee now filled out, leaders are simply waiting on House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to make her picks.