“They Want a Federal Shutdown”: Republicans Approve Amendment Slashing Transportation Secretary’s Salary to Just $1

Michelle HollandNov 12, 2023

Minute Read

The GOP-controlled House of Representatives has approved an amendment to cut Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s annual salary to just $1. The amendment was introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and passed via voice vote without opposition from her fellow Republicans.

The Transportation Spending Bill

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The amendment is attached to a broader spending bill dealing with Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which has not yet been passed. Even if it passes the House, it is likely to fail at the Senate level due to the Democrats’ majority in the upper chamber.

Censuring Rashida Tlaib

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The House had planned to vote on the bill, but this was canceled at the last minute due to New York Republicans having hesitations over its cuts to Amtrak. Instead, the House voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only Palestinian-American in Congress, over her criticisms of Israel.

The Rival Democratic Bill

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Democrats in the Senate are working on rival transportation funding legislation and are unlikely to approve the GOP’s bill. Knowing this, Greene’s amendment was presumably symbolic but remains indicative of the GOP’s hostility towards Buttigieg.

Greene’s Social Media Post

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Greene took to X to share the news, falsely claiming that her “amendment to FIRE Pete Buttigieg just passed the House.” The amendment would reduce Buttigieg’s salary, but would not remove him from his position as Transportation Secretary.

Buttigieg’s Rise to Prominence

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Buttigieg has become a high-profile member of the Democratic Party in recent years. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he ran as a presidential candidate in the 2020 election and was later appointed to his current role as Transportation Secretary in 2021.

Internal Investigation

The Department of Transportation’s internal watchdog launched an investigation in February over Buttigieg’s use of private jets after Fox News claimed he’d taken 18 private flights since assuming office in 2021. This has formed part of the justification behind the GOP’s criticism of him.

An Earlier Greene Amendment

Greene previously proposed to chop Defense Secretary Lloyd Astin’s salary to $1 in a defense spending bill. The amendment was successful, but the bill is unlikely to be made law.

The Wrong Priorities

The move by Republicans sparked much uproar online and left many people baffled as to how it was even possible. Several people noted that with a government shutdown looming, Republicans have the wrong priorities. “So how’s that federal budget coming? It’s due in 10 days,” one commenter wrote. “Imagine being this stupid and/or petty. Death throes of a dying party,” someone else proclaimed.

The Government Shutdown

The government is only funded through November 17, so if two-thirds of the House can’t agree on a budget by then, there will be a federal shutdown. “This is what they’re doing instead,” one person criticized. “They want a federal shutdown,” another explained.

No Poor People In Government

Others observed that if amendments like Greene’s were passed, it would create a landscape in which only wealthy people could fulfill such positions. “By getting rid of the salary, no working person will ever hold the job going forward,” one person stated. “They do not want normal people in positions of power,” another replied.

Homophobic Undertones

Several forum users called out Greene’s homophobia when naming her grievances with Buttigieg. “MTG specifically cites Buttigieg being gay as part of the reason she is going after him. This is really odious,” one person declared.

“An Insane Trump Disciple”

Many people expressed a lack of surprise at the fact that it was Greene who introduced the amendment. Greene, who is known for her far-right and Christian nationalist views, was even dubbed “an insane Trump disciple” by one forum member.

Immaturity in the GOP

“Jesus Christ the GOP is full of adult children,” one person complained. “Their behavior is an insult to children. Toddlers are what they are,” someone else countered. Many people expressed frustration and anger at Republicans for wasting time on such trivial things.

Salaries of the House

One poster suggested that the salaries of House Republicans be reduced instead, expressing a “Need to revoke the House’s collective salaries entirely” until they “learn to govern.” The commenter slammed the GOP for “getting paid to do a job they refuse to do.”

Questioning the Legality

Some users were confused as to how anyone had the power to stop a cabinet member’s payment. “How would that even be legal?” one person asked. “When you get to make the laws, anything is legal,” someone else replied.

Redefining GOP

One member mockingly coined new phrases that could be represented by the acronym GOP in order to more accurately reflect the character of the party. “Greedy Old Partisans. Gaslight Obstruct Project. Grifting Old People,” they proposed.

Hatred as a Brand

The backlash was reserved for Greene most of all, with one commenter dubbing her a “vile creature” who “has done nothing but spew hate during her time in office and accomplished absolutely nothing.”

Anyone Could Do a Better Job

“You cannot convince me that if we removed every sitting House member today and replaced them with random people pulled from the street that we would be any worse off than we are now,” one user speculated. In the responses, commenters jokingly delighted in the idea of the House reconceptualized to be more like jury duty, with people being summoned away for years at a time to serve terms.