Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.)  said he is “concerned” about a budgetary rule known as pay-as-you-go that was included in House Democrats’ newly released rules package, saying it could complicate action on climate change. 

“At a time when climate change threatens our planet, when our infrastructure is crumbling, when 30 million people have no health insurance, I'm concerned that the concept of PAYGO will make it harder for Congress to address the many crises facing our working families,” he tweeted Wednesday. 

At a time when climate change threatens our planet, when our infrastructure is crumbling, when 30 million people have no health insurance, I'm concerned that the concept of PAYGO will make it harder for Congress to address the many crises facing our working families. —  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 2, 2019

The comment comes as House Democrats unveiled Wednesday a package of new rules for the upcoming Congress that includes a pay-go budgetary rule.  The rule requires that legislation be deficit neutral, meaning any costs would need to be offset with new revenue or cuts elsewhere.  But the rule can also be waived, and it does not apply to emergency legislation. 

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Progressives Rep. Ro Khanna Rohit (Ro) KhannaCongress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery DeJoy defends Postal Service changes at combative House hearing Biden unites Democrats — for now MORE (D-Calif.) and Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Florida Democrat introduces bill to recognize Puerto Rico statehood referendum The Memo: 2020 is all about winning Florida MORE (D-N.Y.) both announced they would vote against the bylaws, citing the budgetary rule. 

"It is terrible economics.  The austerians were wrong about the Great Recession and Great Depression.  At some point, politicians need to learn from mistakes and read economic history," Khanna tweeted on Wednesday. 

“PAYGO isn’t only bad economics, as @RoKhanna explains; it’s also a dark political maneuver designed to hamstring progress on healthcare+other leg.  We shouldn’t hinder ourselves from the start,” Ocasio-Cortez echoed. 

Tomorrow I will also vote No on the rules package, which is trying to slip in #PAYGO. 



PAYGO isn’t only bad economics, as @RoKhanna explains; it’s also a dark political maneuver designed to hamstring progress on healthcare+other leg. 



We shouldn’t hinder ourselves from the start.  https://t.co/WW3UaBs7vh — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 2, 2019

However, Reps.  Mark Pocan Mark William PocanClark rolls out endorsements in assistant Speaker race Hillicon Valley: Pentagon reaffirms decision to award JEDI contract to Microsoft | Schiff asks officials for briefing on election security threats Democrats explore new ways to resurrect election security briefings MORE (D-Wis.) and Pramila Jayapal Pramila JayapalProgressive Caucus co-chair: Whistleblower complaint raises questions about 'entire detention system' Buttigieg, former officials added to Biden's transition team A Biden-Harris presidency would largely end oil and gas production MORE (D-Wash.), the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the next Congress, said they will vote for the rules package. 

They said they've gotten assurances from House Democratic leaders and incoming Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) that the pay-go rule can be waived. 

This is not the first time Sanders has expressed concerns about pay-go, ripping it in 2017 as “a law that never should have been passed.” 

“It makes it much easier for Congress to force cuts to vital programs like Medicare by passing unrelated bills that then need to be offset.  But that said, just like the similarly misguided debt limit that Republicans regularly use for hostage taking, it is currently the law of the land,” he said when commenting on the GOP tax plan. 

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (Calif.), defended the House rules and urged Democrats to support them. 

“A vote AGAINST the Democratic Rules package is a vote to let Mick Mulvaney Mick MulvaneyMick Mulvaney to start hedge fund Fauci says positive White House task force reports don't always match what he hears on the ground Bottom line MORE make across the board cuts, unilaterally reversing Democratic initiatives and funding increases,” he tweeted, referencing the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget and acting White House chief of staff. 

We must replace CUTGO to allow Democrats to designate appropriate offsets (including revenue increases).  A vote AGAINST the Democratic Rules package is a vote to let Mick Mulvaney make across the board cuts, unilaterally reversing Democratic initiatives and funding increases.  https://t.co/eP5eNxrQ7b — Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) January 2, 2019

Eighteen Democrats would need to vote against the rules package Thursday to kill the plan if all Republicans vote “no.”