The Hill News

Newly appointed deficit-reduction committee member Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) asked Thursday that everybody give the new committee members “a chance” to reach a deal.

“Based on my preliminary discussions ... there's a real desire to get something done,” Toomey said, noting that he has already had an encouraging conversation with committee member Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.).

Toomey, who was appointed to the panel on Wednesday, acknowledged the doubt surrounding the ability of the committee to reach an agreement following lengthy negotiations marked by partisan standoffs over the deficit and debt ceiling. Members of his party have been somewhat pessimistic in their public comments, with Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) downplaying hopes for a “grand bargain” that would please both sides.

“There’s a lot of pressure on us,” Toomey said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” If the committee cannot reach a deal, it would “lower confidence [in Congress] even more … if that’s possible,” he added.

Toomey said he hoped the desire to avoid that scenario, combined with the desire to avoid the indiscriminate cuts to defense and non-defense programs that would be triggered by committee deadlock or congressional inaction, would heighten the pressure on the committee to reach a “credible” agreement.

"Guiding principles for me are going to be meaningful deficit reduction in ways that are pro-growth,” he said. But Toomey has also been outspoken on the need to consider ideas from the Democrats at the table. "This isn’t going to work unless there are appealing elements for both sides.”

Toomey has said that he will consider almost every idea on the table when it comes to reaching a bipartisan deal, with the exception of big tax increases.

Many conservatives have criticized the structure of the committee for relegating the legislative process to just 12 members who will compose a package of at least $1.5 trillion in cuts that will be presented to Congress for an up-or-down vote, un-amended and in its entirety.

However, Toomey, a freshman senator with Tea Party support, talked up the amount of independent power assigned to the committee as proof the group would be more likely to reach a deal.