A splinter group of Senate Republicans is stepping ahead of the GOP leadership by asking for direct negotiations with President Obama on a bipartisan job-creation package.

The White House and congressional leaders have delegated the job of finding a bipartisan approach to achieving budget savings and creating jobs to the new 12-member Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Members of the new committee have said they will try to recommend measures that encourage long-term job creation.

Arizona Republican John McCain criticized the White House for neglecting to open talks on the jobs package with Republicans. McCain and other Republicans said they are prepared to work with the White House on a compromise that would combine job-creation initiatives from both parties.

“All he has to do is say he wants to sit down and negotiate. He certainly hasn’t said that. It’s clear he’s in campaign mode,” McCain said.

“It would be good for him to sit down with Republicans and talk about creating the kind of environment on a long-term basis that encourages private investment,” said Republican Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. And Jim Risch, R-Idaho, added: “You always get a lot more done in a face-to-face meeting rather than going and standing before the cameras and trying to force the issue.”

Obama repeatedly has called on Congress to pass his proposal as he offered it, saying everything in his plan has attracted Republicans’ backing in the past. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has indicated he will push for a Senate floor vote on Obama’s proposal (S 1549) and allow votes on amendments the week of Oct. 3.

Leaders of the two parties have expressed no desire to engage in talks parallel to the work of the deficit committee. John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, cited deep differences with Obama and added: “I’m not sure this administration knows how to negotiate with Congress.”

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said it remains unclear whether the debate over job-creation proposals will be confined to the deficit reduction committee. “That’s being discussed right now,” he said.

Reports of Progress

Jeb Hensarling of Texas, the fourth-ranking House Republican and co-chairman of the deficit panel, said after a committee meeting Tuesday that measures to address unemployment will be on the table. “Members understand just how serious the situation is with respect both to our debt crisis and the unemployment crisis,” he said.

Both Hensarling and the panel’s other co-chairman, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the committee has made progress toward developing a deficit reduction package. They would not provide details.

Republican Sen. Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, another panel member, said he is proposing to reduce taxation of capital gains income as part of his push for “deficit reduction in a way that’s pro-growth.” Obama has proposed to increase the income tax rate that upper-income taxpayers pay on capital gains.