Newly inaugurated Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley announced on Twitter Friday night that she would be cosponsoring legislation to get rid of a fiscal measure known as ‘‘pay as you go,’’ or PAYGO.
According to the New York Times, PAYGO requires all new spending to be offset by equal cuts or tax increases. The rule, echoing a provision in federal law and in the Senate’s rules, would require the House to offset any spending so as not to increase the budget deficit.
Pressley said on Twitter she was “proud” to “cosponsor legislation to finally address a real problem that has stalled the progressive agenda.”
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“I was sent to Congress to be bold, unbought and unbossed,” Pressley said in the tweet. “More robust than a rule, this bill will get to the heart of disparities promulgated by the #PAYGO statute.”
I was sent to Congress to be bold, unbought and unbossed. Today, I’m proud to cosponsor legislation to finally address a real problem that has stalled the progressive agenda. More robust than a rule, this bill will get to the heart of disparities promulgated by the #PAYGO statute https://t.co/bi7xkSseXU
— Rep Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) January 5, 2019
The Massachusetts Democrat retweeted an announcement from Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who said she wanted to “get rid of this nonsensical rule that is bad for our economy and for working people.”
Let’s get rid of #PAYGO completely. Today, I introduced legislation to get rid of this nonsensical rule that is bad for our economy and for working people. pic.twitter.com/liWbNjw159
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 5, 2019
Congressoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, has been outspoken against PAYGO. In a tweet, Ocasio-Cortez referred to it as not only “bad economics,” but also “a dark political maneuver designed to hamstring progress on heathcare.”
Tomorrow I will also vote No on the rules package, which is trying to slip in #PAYGO.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 2, 2019
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
Material from the New York Times was used in this report. Abbi Matheson can be reached at abbi.matheson@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AbbiMatheson