The supercommittee might not have a staff director, rules in place, or a room to meet in, but leaders of the powerful budget-slashing panel insisted Wednesday that progress is being made.

Co-chairs Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said in a joint-statement that they’re engaged in “serious discussions” on the details.

In the release, the leaders said that most supercommittee members are studying over the break — reading up on the work of past deficit-reduction groups.