Veterans Affairs kept under microscope by senator from Washington.

The super-committee on deficit reduction has yet to hold its first meeting, but its co-chairs said they are hard at work constructing the new panel that has less than three months to recommend sweeping budget reductions – a task that skeptics give little chance at success.

Congress has created a special super committee to devise a way to cut at least $1.2 trillion from US spending in coming years. Its real name is the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, and its deadline is Nov. 23. Here are the 12 lawmakers serving on the super committee.