Four things to watch in the new Congress

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, has said she won’t support a rules package promoted by Nancy Pelosi. The divide between progressives like Ocasio-Cortez and establishment Democrats like Pelosi is just one of four interesting storylines to watch as Democrats take over the House. 

Democrats are set to vote Thursday on a rules package. While it’s supported by incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, it’s already causing waves of opposition among other House Democrats.

The rules package would allow people to keep their religious headwear on in the House chamber as well as prohibit discrimination in regards to gender identity and sexual orientation.

It also contains a “pay-as-you-go” provision. Pay-go  “requires that any new legislation that increases deficits (whether through an increase in mandatory spending or decrease in revenues) must be fully offset by other increases in revenues or decreases in mandatory spending so that the new legislation does not add to the budget deficit,” according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

Both Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have said they would vote against the rules package because of the pay-go element.