Article snippet: House Democrats have unveiled a package of new rules for the upcoming Congress that aim to promote diversity and attack the deficit. The rules package would explicitly ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and would allow people to wear religious headgear in the House chamber. It would also create a House Financial Services subcommittee on diversity in the financial services industry. The House is expected to vote on the package on Thursday, after the new Democratic majority is sworn in and the House elects a new Speaker. Some of the budgetary rules provoked quick criticism from the left, which argued a "pay-as-you-go" provision requiring a point of order against any bill that raised the deficit or reduced a surplus could make it harder to pass legislation on health care and other issues. The rule can be waived, and bills designated as emergencies are exempt. Rep. MORE (D-N.Y.) both said they would vote against the rules package because of the pay-go provision. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill responded by stating that a vote against the House Democrats’ rules “is a vote to let MORE make across the board cuts, unilaterally reversing Democratic initiatives and funding increases.” Mulvaney is MORE's acting chief of staff and the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Hammill said a pay-go mechanism under federal law already requires the Office of Management and Budget to offset deficit-increasing bills with across-t... Link to the full article to read more