HATTIESBURG (AP) — Two well known retired senators who sat on different sides of the aisle in Congress are banding together in retirement to form a lobbying firm.

Former Sens. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and John Breaux, D-La., said Friday that they will open a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., that will cross partisan lines.

Lott confirmed to The Associated Press last month that he was considering joining Breaux in a business venture and the deal was announced Friday through the Web site www.politico.com, an article at www.hattiesburgamerican.com said.

Lott and Breaux will be joined by their sons, Chet Lott and John Breaux Jr., and by Lott’s former chief of staff, Bret Boyles.

Breaux and Lott have been friends for 40 years and are known for their ability to make deals. Lott retired last month and Breaux retired in 2004.

Lott said in an interview with the AP last month that he and Breaux have been joking that they would open a bipartisan lobbying firm for 25 years.