GOP members of supercommittee hold first strategy session

The Republican members of the debt supercommittee are meeting for the first time Tuesday to plot strategy.

The meeting was convened by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Texas), a co-chairman of the committee, and began just after 10 a.m.

Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and Pat Toomey (Pa.) were set to attend the meeting in Washington, along with Reps. Dave Camp (Mich.) and Fred Upton (Mich.).

Sources said members have been reviewing the work of the president’s fiscal commission, the debt talks led by Vice President Biden and the work of the Senate's Gang of Six for ideas on cutting the deficit.

The supercommittee is charged with coming up with $1.5 trillion in deficit cuts by Nov. 23. If the group fails to find at least $1.2 trillion in cuts, automatic cuts will be triggered to domestic and defense spending in 2013.

President Obama and many fiscal hawks in Congress want the group to go beyond its mandate and find a grand bargain totaling at least $3 trillion in deficit cuts.

Most Democrats are hoping the group can also include economic stimulus in its package, which would receive an up-or-down vote in Congress by the end of the year. Some in the GOP want the group's plan to roll back regulations. 

Supercommittee Democrats have not met since being appointed in early August, but have reportedly talked over the phone. Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) is co-chairwoman of the group. Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.) and John Kerry (Mass.) sit on the panel, along with Reps. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), James Clyburn (S.C.) and Xavier Becerra (Calif.).

—Updated at 2:10 p.m.

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