Sens. Crapo, Kyl, Barrasso named to payroll tax conference committee

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell named Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) to the payroll tax extension conference committee on Friday, citing his experience in debt and deficit reduction efforts and his conservative philosophy.

In addition to Crapo, McConnell tapped Sens. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), the Senate Republican Whip and John Barrasso (R-WY) to serve on the 20-member panel to craft a deal on the year-long payroll tax extension holiday.

“These deliberations will be neither easy nor quick but we need to get these matters under control, get people back on the job and grow our economy,” Crapo said.

Congress extended the tax reduction measures until February 29.  Other expiring matters the conference committee will need to address include the Keystone XL Pipeline project, unemployment insurance benefits and health care issues.

Crapo, a member of the bipartisan “Gang of Six," serves on the Senate Finance Committee.

The Washington Post added:

“These three Senators will help lead our efforts to focus on the areas of agreement between the House and Senate approaches to these expiring provisions,” McConnell said in a statement. “Both the Senate and House produced bills that require the President to quickly make a decision on whether to support thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs through the Keystone XL pipeline, and were fully paid for without raising taxes on job creators. Both extended current law on additional unemployment insurance payments, the temporary payroll tax holiday, seniors’ access to medical care and TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families]. And both were passed with bipartisan support.”

According to the Post, other congressional leaders have already named their choices for the panel. 

The Post reports:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) chose four members: Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Ben Cardin (Md.) and Bob Casey (Pa.).

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has appointed eight House Republicans: Reps. Kevin Brady (Texas), Nan Hayworth (N.Y.), Tom Reed (N.Y.), Dave Camp (Mich.), Renee Ellmers (N.C.), Tom Price (Ga.), Fred Upton (Mich.) and Greg Walden (Ore.).

And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has named five conferees: Reps. Allyson Schwartz (Pa.), Sandy Levin (Mich.), Xavier Becerra (Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Henry Waxman (Calif.).