Jockeying Anew in Congress in Next Budget Fight Phase

The names of possible appointees to the powerful deficit-cutting panel included, clockwise from top left, Senator Max Baucus, Senator Kent Conrad, Representative Chris Van Hollen, Senator Rob Portman, Representative Paul D. Ryan and Representative Dave Camp.

By ROBERT PEAR
NYT

WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats maneuvered for advantage on Wednesday in the next battle over federal spending, trying to influence the choice of members and frame the agenda for a powerful “supercommittee” that is supposed to recommend at least $1.5 trillion of additional deficit reduction measures.

A huge fight has already erupted over how to count the costs of extending tax cuts for high-income people, which are due to expire at the end of 2012. Republicans want to extend the tax cuts, but Democrats want the cuts for more affluent people to expire.

Congressional leaders have two weeks to name panel members. Names of candidates were circulating Wednesday on Capitol Hill, and some lawmakers have been quietly promoting themselves or their friends for spots on the 12-member panel, which will consist of equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats from the House and the Senate.

Lobbyists scrambled Wednesday to figure out how to influence the new panel to protect the programs and tax breaks from which they benefit. Military contractors and health care lobbyists were particularly active, as they have the most to fear.

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