House Approves Amendment to Make Defense Secretary's Salary $1

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved an amendment to the annual defense spending bill, introduced by Marjorie Taylor Greene, that would cut Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's salary to $1. That doesn't mean Greene is actually going to vote for the bill, however—she told the Washington Examiner she's not, because of the additional aid to Ukraine that is included in it. She says she used the Holman rule, explaining to the Examiner, "It's different than impeachment. You're taking their salary completely away and essentially firing them. [Austin's] a complete failure, an absolute failure, and passing this Holman Rule today, the amendment will allow us to fire him."

Her specific problems with Austin involve the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and low military recruitment levels, the Hill reports. She predicted, however, that the defense spending bill and another GOP-led spending bill are "dead on arrival" and will fail on the House floor due to the Ukraine aid. If the bills to fund the federal government are not passed—and CNN notes there does not seem to be any clear path forward that the House and Senate will agree on—the government will shut down just after midnight on Sunday. USA Today has an explainer on what will happen if that comes to pass. (More Marjorie Taylor Greene stories.)