Toomey still optimistic supercommittee will succeed

{mosads}In a speech before the Berks County Republicans. Toomey also suggested the special expediting procedure that ensures the powerful panel’s report will receive clean votes in both chambers will prevent hardliners from either party from spoiling a deal.

“They can’t block it,” he said. “They can’t obstruct it. They can’t filibuster. It’s subject to a simple up or down vote in the Senate.”

The powerful panel, tasked with slashing a minimum of $1.2 trillion in spending over the next decade, has been meeting for about two months. Recently, some lawmakers who do not serve on the committee have expressed fear that that it might not be able to forge a deal by the Thanksgiving deadline.

Toomey, a fiscal conservative, also assured the crowd that whatever report emerges will make cuts to spending, without raising taxes.