Crapo appointed to new deficit panel

BOISE (AP) - Sen. Mike Crapo is among lawmakers appointed to President Barack Obama's new deficit commission, an 18-member panel charged with coming up with a plan to rein in the government's red ink.

Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform has a Dec. 1 deadline to come up with a plan to reduce the government's annual deficits to 3 percent of the national economy by 2015.

The total federal debt next year is expected to exceed $14 trillion - about $47,000 for every U.S. resident.

Crapo is one of six U.S. senators who will serve on the panel, according to press release Friday from his office.

In a statement, the Republican said the commission has a historic opportunity to deal with some of the nation's most pressing problems, using commonsense solutions.