Supercommittee to meet privately for Thursday breakfast

The deficit-reduction supercommittee will gather for breakfast on Thursday, the panel’s first private meeting after a pair of public hearings in the last week, an aide said.

Members of the committee have been trying to find a time to meet privately, in an effort to strengthen relationships and build trust as they seek a bipartisan agreement to reduce the deficit. The 12-member committee has until Nov. 23 to identify $1.5 trillion in budget savings.

Lawmakers and outside groups have pushed for the closely watched committee to meet in public and promote transparency in its deliberations, but the breakfast is a signal that the panel will gather privately as well. The next public hearing has yet to be scheduled.