Boebert proposes four amendments to reduce salaries of Lloyd Austin and DOD officials.
Rep. Lauren Boebert Files Salary-Slashing Amendments to Hold DOD Officials Accountable
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has taken a bold step by filing four salary-slashing Holman rule amendments to the Department of Defense appropriations bill. These amendments aim to cut the salaries of officials who Boebert believes have failed in their leadership roles.
The Holman rule provides members with the opportunity to file amendments to appropriations bills in order to reduce the salaries of federal employees. While this rule is rarely utilized, members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Boebert, have been considering it as an alternative to impeachment in this new Congress.
Targeted Officials and Slashed Salaries
Boebert’s amendments specifically target Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness Shawn Skelly, Director of the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Cyrus Salazar, Director of DOD Diversity and Inclusion Novel Dillard, and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gil Cisneros. If these amendments pass, their salaries will be reduced to a mere $1.
Accountability for Failed Leadership
In a statement, Boebert expressed her determination to hold DOD officials accountable for their alleged failed leadership, which she believes has compromised the United States military’s ability to defend the nation. She cited examples such as the botched Afghanistan withdrawal and the implementation of a “woke” agenda that she claims has weakened the military and hindered recruitment.
Similar Amendments and Conservative Dissatisfaction
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has also filed a similar amendment targeting outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley. However, since Milley is set to retire in October, the impact of this amendment, if passed, will be minimal.
Conservatives have been threatening to use the Holman rule since the beginning of this Congress due to their dissatisfaction with the performance of administration officials.
Challenges and Potential Sideline
Passing appropriations bills has proven to be challenging this year, and it is likely that these amendments will face similar obstacles. Despite their intentions, they may ultimately get sidelined.
It is worth noting that these amendments are not the first attempts to target DOD officials. Earlier this month, Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) filed an impeachment resolution against Austin, accusing him of dereliction of duty in relation to the botched Afghanistan withdrawal that resulted in the loss of 13 American service members to a suicide bomber.
Rep. Mills emphasized the importance of leadership accountability, stating, “When there’s a fault, you got to stare in the mirror because, ultimately, you’re the one that holds the buck, and you’re the one responsible.”
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