Six Republicans Named to U.S. Deficit Panel

Republicans named their six members to a U.S. congressional deficit-reduction super committee Wednesday, setting the stage for an attempt to create bipartisan agreement on taxes and government spending.

Senators Jon Kyl, Rob Portman and Patrick Toomey were selected by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, named Representatives Dave Camp, Jeb Hensarling and Fred Upton to the committee.

The panel is known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction and was established to find $1.5 trillion in additional budget saving over 10 years.

Expectations for a fiscal policy breakthrough by the panel were on the rise as markets whipsawed through the week following a historic downgrade of U.S. debt and a deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling that postponed tough decisions.

Senate Democrats were first out of the gate Tuesday with their appointments to the 12-member panel. They were Senators Max Baucus, John Kerry and Patty Murray, a trio that analysts said sent a mixed message about the panel's potential.

Only three more slots on the panel remained to be filled by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.