August 12, 2011
US Debt Supercommittee Gets Last Members
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The leader of the Democratic minority in the House of Representatives has appointed three lawmakers to Congress' new debt-reduction supercommittee, completing the 12-member panel's roster.
Nancy Pelosi appointed Reps. James E. Clyburn and Xavier Becerra, who are both members of the party's House leadership teams. She also named Chris Van Hollen, top Democrat on the Budget Committee.
Pelosi's appointments Thursday bring racial diversity to the supercommittee because Clyburn is black and Becerra is Hispanic.
The panel is divided evenly among Democrats and Republicans. It has until Nov. 23 to propose $1.5 trillion in 10-year budget savings. If it does not propose a package or if Congress does not approve it, $1.2 trillion in automatic budget cuts will be triggered.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
