Durbin: Gang of Six plan warmly received by many senators

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said a presentation of the Gang of Six's plan to cut the deficit by $3.7 trillion Tuesday morning left many senators with a positive feeling.  

"Something happened this morning which was perhaps historic," said Durbin from the Senate floor. "We took our plan, which was short of completion, and we invited every member of the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to come and listen to a description of the plan."

"There were no fist-fights," said Durbin in describing the meeting. "There was no swearing. Instead Democrats and Republicans sat in the room … and listened to the outline of this Group of Six proposal and came out with a positive feeling."

Durbin explained that he did not mean that all 49 senators who attended the meeting approved of the plan, but that "many" felt positive about the gang's direction. 

"I cannot suggest they all signed up," said Durbin. "I would never expect that to happen, but it is significant that at this moment in our history so many felt positive towards what we are doing."

The plan that emerged from the Senate Gang of Six on Tuesday morning would reduce the deficit by $3.7 trillion over the next 10 years and increase tax revenues by $1 trillion by closing a variety of special tax breaks and havens.

The plan was negotiated by Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Durbin. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who abandoned the talks in May, also endorsed the plan on Tuesday morning.