As members of the congressional supercommittee are announced, those in the benefits field are no doubt asking themselves, "What will this mean for me?"

The bipartisan committee must strike a deal to reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion or more, which will certainly mean cuts to many programs.

To help you sort out the differences (and similarities), we've compiled a slideshow highlighting members' platforms on the issues that matter to you. We focused on health reform, taxes, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, as well as other issues that could shape the industry.

Jeb Hensarling, House Republican Conference Chairman (R-Texas) — Committee Co-Chair

Where he stands: Hensarling made headlines during the April debate over Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to end Medicare and Medicaid, speaking out against both programs as well as Social Security. "Let's remember again the main drivers of this national debt are three large entitlement programs, programs that have been of great comfort and assistance to my parents and grandparents," he said, "but they're morphing into cruel ponzi schemes for my 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-olds." He has since made public statements supporting program reform, rather than elimination.

He has consistently voted against public health programs (including CHIP), and co-sponsored an act that would repeal the ACA.

Hensarling favors bringing the corporate tax rate down to 25 percent, hoping this will encourage companies to hold their money domestically and repatriate any money they have overseas. He has introduced legislation to repeal the alternative minimum tax and create a simple, two-tiered tax structure; provide family and small business tax incentives; and prevent automatic tax increases at the end of the year.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Dave Camp, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman (R-Mich.)

Where he stands: Camp is unsupportive of many aspects of the health reform bill. He introduced legislation to repeal the individual mandate, remove the FSA cap, repeal the provision that prevents health savings from being used for over-the-counter medications, and is one sponsor of a Republican alternative to the ACA.

Camp would not supply Rep. Paul Ryan with negotiators for his bill, effectively admitting defeat on the issue. He has stated that he's open to discussing any good idea that reforms Medicare, and even recently spoke out in favor of Sen. Joe Lieberman's proposal (though he was troubled by the tax increases).

Camp supports vountary personal Social Security accounts for young workers, and has previously voted in favor of reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits. He supports tax reform for both individuals and businesses. For businesses, he supports a tax rate reduction, believing that the American tax system "puts pressure" on companies to shift income.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Fred Upton House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman (R-Mich.)

Where he stands: Upton believes in keeping tax rates low and reforming the "overly complex" tax system. He wants to extend the Bush tax cuts permanently and eliminate estate taxes. To date, Upton has secured a little more than $600,000 to increase jobs in his home state, according to his website.

Like most Republicans, Upton voted against health reform, and was one of the most vocal Republicans to support the ACA repeal. However, he has supported tax credits for those without employee health insurance, and has voted to expand CHIP coverage. Upton believes the Medicare system needs to be revamped, but said the recent Democratic strategy of increasing the power of the Independent Payment Advisory Board "can severely limit the health care services available to Medicare beneficiaries, while operating outside the usual system of checks and balances."

Upton voted in favor of the 2001 Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act, which included provisions to make pensions more portable and increase the contribution limits on 401(k)s and IRAs. He supports individual savings accounts and work incentives over a strengthend public Social Security program.

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Jon Kyl, Senate Minority Whip (R-Ariz.)

Where he stands: Kyl voted against CHIP continuation and in favor of ACA repeal. In fact, he has co-sponsored two bills to repeal the law. He also co-sponsored a bill which repeals the individual mandate. Kyl supported Paul Ryan's budget plan, and has since said that significant cuts to Medicare — beyond cracking down on waste and fraud — are necessary in order to fix the budget. "People should not be under the impression that waste, fraud and abuse is going to be the amount of savings we need to get to," he said. "There's some money to be had there, but it's up there with foreign aid. It's less than one percent."

Kyl supported the 2007 move to create a reserve fund for Social Security, as well as a 1998 move to establish private accounts for workers and move some public funds into those private accounts. His voting records indicate that he is in favor of privatizing Social Security.

He voted in favor of the amendment to raise the value of the estates affected by the estate tax to $5 million (from $3 million) and to lower the maximum rate to 35 percent (from 45 percent); he has previously supported eliminating this tax.

(AP Photo, File)

Pat Toomey, Senator (R-Pa.) 

Where he stands: Toomey strongly opposed the ACA, and supports repealing the legislation. He believes that the plan would greatly add to the national debt. He is opposed to health care mandates. He supports tort reform, and the purchasing of insurance across state lines. Like many of his fellow Republican Super Committee members, he has advocated for allowing small businesses to group together to form associative health care plans.

Toomey voted in favor of the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001. He supports lowered capital gains taxes and dividends, citing increased revenue from the lowered rates. Toomey supports repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax, and eliminating the death tax. He has appeared on debates speaking in favor of the Bush tax cuts.

(AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

Rob Portman, Senator (R-Ohio)

Where he stands: Portman opposes health reform on the grounds that it does not address cost-control issues in health care, and he does not favor a public option. However, he did support a few components of the bill, such as the pre-exisiting condition component. He voted in favor of repealing the ACA, and has co-sponsored several bills calling for repeal of the entire ACA or portions of the ACA, including the individual mandate and requiring large employers to offer their employees minimum coverage.

Portman has co-sponsored legislation to permanently repeal the estate tax, and is outspoken against the AMT. He sponsored the Principle Residence Exclusion Act, which eliminated any capital gains tax on the sale of a home for more than 90 percent of homeowners. He has proposed a one-year income tax holiday on all income below $50,000. He is against big government spending, and has said that irresponsible government spending is turning America into a second-world country.

Though Portman has not officially expressed his opinion that citizens should be allowed to keep Social Security money in a private account, he did serve as the director of the Office of Management and Budget during the Bush administration, when the biggest push for private accounts was made.

Portman has stated that he would like to see a move away from reforming Medicare in a way that hurts doctors and other health care providers and more towards the structure of the program. Though Portman initially backed Paul Ryan's plan to cut and privatize Medicare, he later seemed to back off, saying, "There is a discussion of two or three different alternatives being offered, and I think that a number of us that are concerned about this impending fiscal crisis that we face are going to be supportive of conservative fiscal proposals."

(AP Photo/David Kohl)

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