Global Courant 2023-05-31 05:24:28
House Republicans who oppose the debt ceiling agreement between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy point out that language aimed at reining in costly federal regulation is undermined by a section that allows the executive to completely waive that requirement.
Republicans on Tuesday complained about language in the bill that would require the executive branch to offset the imposition of federal rules that cost more than $1 billion over 10 years or $100 million in any given year. Agencies should submit a plan to offset the price tag of these costly rules when they are proposed.
But the provision also allows the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), whose director is a political appointee, to waive this “pay as you go” or “PAYGO” requirement if it is “necessary for effective program delivery”. or for “the provision of essential services.”
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hopes to pass the debt ceiling deal he reached with President Biden on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
That waiver was one of many reasons some Republicans said they would vote “no” to the bill when it is voted on Wednesday.
“The Biden Admin openly admits they will take full advantage of the PAYGO waiver power in the debt ceiling agreement,” wrote Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., on Twitter. “They didn’t just roll us into the negotiations. They laugh at the concessions that were made. NO Republican should vote for this nonsense.”
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Republicans like Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., say the deal isn’t as good as some GOP leaders say. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
He was referring to comments made earlier at the daily White House press briefing by OMB Director Shalanda Young, who was a key negotiator for Biden during the debt limit talks.
When asked by a reporter about the PAYGO waiver, Young said, “If that waiver is deemed necessary to ensure that President Biden’s agenda is carried out, we’re going to use that authority.”
Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., said the detail made the entire PAYGO provision irrelevant.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., speaks to reporters after a debt limit plan meeting with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., at the Capitol on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Pay-as-you-go has some fine print under section 265 that everyone should read. The OMB director has sole authority to waive expenses if it is ‘necessary for the delivery of the program’. So those one line wipes out PAYGO. These words on paper make no sense at all if you read the fine print,” Mace said.
Rep. Dan Bishop, RN.C., said, “This program is toothless and will forever be dispensed with.”
He also pointed to an additional provision that said the decision to waive the OMB would not be “subject to judicial review”.
McCarthy’s office did not immediately provide an official response.
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for Fox News Digital.
