US House advances measure to slash SecDef Austin's salary down to a $1
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The amendment, brought forth by none other than US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, is agreed to through a voice vote by House lawmakers.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III gestures as he speaks during a media conference after a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 (AP)
As part of the amendment to the lower chamber’s Defense Department appropriations bill, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin took a hit by the US House of Representatives on Wednesday, which advanced a measure to cut his salary to no more than $1.
Yes, one US dollar.
The amendment, brought forth by none other than US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, was agreed to through a voice vote by House lawmakers.
I’m proud to let you know my amendment to FIRE Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin just passed on the House floor.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) September 27, 2023
Under his failed leadership, our military is being destroyed and he doesn’t deserve to serve any longer.
This is the first time in the 118th Congress the Holman… pic.twitter.com/oIk92idaFY
During comments in support of the amendment, Greene expressed, "Secretary Austin has not fulfilled his job duties. As a matter of fact, he’s destroying our military," noting that the decline in military recruitment, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Pentagon’s way of handling the Ukraine conflict were reasons behind Austin’s proposed salary cut.
This comes as lawmakers are putting in the effort to pass government funding legislation before the end of the month to avert a government shutdown, especially after the White House warned that national security and military servicemembers would be negatively impacted by it.
The Senate and House of Representatives are contemplating short-term funding bills to allow Congress more time to pass standard appropriations bills, even though discrepancies remain between the two chambers’ proposals.
Read more: Government shutdown looming amid escalating political row in Congress
Government funding is set to expire at the stroke of midnight on Saturday, September 30, marking the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1. If Congress fails to enact legislation to renew funding by this deadline, the federal government will cease non-essential operations and services at midnight.
The US defense and army may endure quite the consequences especially as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has decided to step down, with this week being his last in the position.
Former US president Donald Trump lashed out at him on Truth Social last week stating that Milley "led the most embarrassing moment in American history" and referenced his decision to implement the withdrawal from Afghanistan as "costing many lives."
