House Democrat defends voting for bill to cut Defense Secretary’s salary to $1, saying they are not concerned about him.

House Democrat defends voting for bill to cut Defense Secretary's salary to $1, saying they are not concerned about him.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Salary Reduced to $1: A Humorous Twist in Politics

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

In a surprising turn of events, the House of Representatives passed a defense spending bill on Thursday that includes an amendment to reduce Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s salary to a mere $1. The amendment was proposed by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. While this may seem like an audacious move, one Democratic Congressman, Jared Golden of Maine, saw little issue with it.

Golden, a centrist Democrat known for breaking with his party, voted in favor of the bill. Despite the salary reduction, he stands firmly by his decision. In an interview with Insider on Friday, Golden humorously stated, “I doubt Lloyd Austin’s spending much time thinking about that. If he is, then he shouldn’t be in that position.”

It’s worth noting that Austin’s current salary exceeds $235,000. Additionally, Golden previously voted against granting Austin a waiver to serve as Secretary of Defense due to his former active-duty military status. “I’m not particularly concerned about him,” Golden remarked. “It’s public service. I don’t think he does it based upon the size of the paycheck that he receives.”

The amendment to reduce Austin’s salary is just one part of the Republican-led defense spending bill. This bill, if enacted, would fund the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 2024. However, its chances of becoming law in its current form are slim, as the Senate has drafted its own bipartisan bill to fund the Pentagon.

“I’m a veteran. I served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I’m a member of the Armed Services Committee,” Golden explained, shedding light on his decision to vote for the underlying defense bill.

The reduction in salary for Austin was added to the bill through Greene’s amendment. Greene cited reasons such as the withdrawal from Afghanistan and COVID vaccine mandates in the military to justify her desire to “fire” the nation’s top military official. The fact that the amendment was added via a simple voice vote indicates that even Republicans recognize the bill’s limited chances of becoming law.

When asked about the provision, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh responded, emphasizing Austin’s dedication to leading the Department of Defense and ensuring the resources and support necessary for the U.S. military’s mission of defending the nation.

Despite the unlikelihood of the bill’s passage, all but two Republicans voted in favor of it. Two Democrats, Golden and Representative Marie Gluesekamp Perez, also supported the bill. However, Perez’s office did not respond to Insider’s request for comment on her vote.

Interestingly, Golden and Perez also voted in favor of the House Republicans’ version of the National Defense Authorization Act. This separate bill deals with military matters, including provisions related to the teaching of race and healthcare for transgender service members.

While the amendment reducing Austin’s salary may have stolen the spotlight, it is just one piece of a complex political landscape. As the defense spending bill moves through the legislative process, it will undoubtedly undergo further revisions and negotiations. The fate of Austin’s salary reduction may remain uncertain, but this quirky twist in politics highlights the lively and often humorous nature of the world of policy-making.