Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) has brought up a $587 billion cut figure, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he is only willing to go up to only $400 billion over the next decade, according to the report from Kate Brannen and Austin Wright.
Graham also serves on the committee as well as Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), who told Politico she does not have a number in mind but said she is taking part in the conversation.
In June, Levin predicted the automatic budget cuts would not happen because 80-to-90 percent of lawmakers do not want the sequester to kick in.
Under the Budget Control Act, defense spending is required to go down $487 billion, separate from sequestration.