New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D.) on Friday accused U.S. Republican Reps. Chris Collins and Tom Reed, both from New York, of "modern-day treason" for supporting the 2018 fiscal year budget in the House.
Cuomo also called the lawmakers "the Benedict Arnolds of today" in a conference call with reporters for their votes to help pass the $4.1 trillion budget plan, the Auburn Public Citizen reports.
"If the states that are affected, if their congressional delegations actually acted in the interest of their state and their district, this would fail," Cuomo said of the budget, which Republicans powered through the House on Thursday in a narrow 216-212 vote.
The Building a Better America 2018 budget achieves $6.5 trillion in deficit reduction, resulting in a $9 billion surplus in 2027, the Budget Committee said in July. The plan also balances in a decade and is projected to increase GDP growth by 2.6 percent.
The budget passage will allow Congress to begin to work on tax reform legislation.
Cuomo, who had urged GOP members of the state's congressional delegation to oppose the budget before the vote, questioned the loyalty of the two congressmen.
"So for those congresspeople the question is, are you more loyal to your district or are you more loyal to your political party boss?" he asked.
Chris Martin, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, shot back at Cuomo.
"Andrew Cuomo refuses to take responsibility for a fiscal crisis he created," Martin said. "As New Yorkers of all income levels flee the state due to excessive state income and property taxes, Cuomo continues to blame others for his policy failures in Albany."