'Gang of Six' Senators Plot Debt Plan

A bipartisan group of six senators is working to forge an agreement on one of the thorniest issues in Washington, D.C. -- a $4 trillion deal to reduce debt as part of the 2012 budget.

According to The New York Times, the group, known as the "Gang of Six," includes: Republicans Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Michael Crapo of Idaho; and Democrats Richard Durbin of Illinois, Mark Warner of Virginia and Kent Conrad of North Dakota.

The six senators have been meeting secretly for four months, hoping to find a compromise on hot-button areas of concern such as military spending, taxes, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

“As I said to a Republican recently,” Durbin told the Times, “it’s like we’re on a long flight here and we’ve come so far there’s no turning back — we’ve got to land the plane.”