Article snippet: The House on Thursday approved a Democratic rules package with just a few defections from progressives despite concerns on the left about the resolution’s “pay-as-you-go” provision. The rules were approved by a largely party-line vote of 234-197. The House will take up two additional portions of the package in coming days. Three Republicans, Reps. MORE (N.Y.) voted against it. The architects of the package — which was unveiled by new Speaker MORE (D-Calif.) and Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) earlier this week — said it will promote diversity and help fight the deficit. Under the new rules, lawmakers and House employees are barred from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Members and staff are also be permitted to wear religious headgear in the House chamber. And the rules allow for the creation of a House Financial Services subcommittee to address diversity in the financial industry. The rules package also would reinstate the “Gephardt rule,” named after former Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), which would result in the House automatically passing a resolution suspending the debt limit when the chamber adopts a budget resolution. And it includes some legislative-process reforms, including one that requires bills to be publicly available for 72 hours before the House votes on them. One budgetary rule faced sharp backlash from progressive members of the caucus, including Khanna and Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Critics argued the ... Link to the full article to read more