I’m asking, so don’t just all over me anyone, but how does this committee differ from, say, the military base closure committees in the past that gave a recommendation list which couldn’t be modified, only voted up or down?
One or possibly two major differences. First, the failure to approve the supercommittee recommendations will trigger a broad based sequester of defense and non-defense funds, and second, some writers/analysts like the author at the top of this thread think the committee could originate and send to the House and Senate legislation that is unrelated to the original financial savings mission. That legislation would be subject to the same protections against amendment and the normal committee process and require an up or down vote by both bodies.