- The GOP-controlled House moved to approve a bill to cut Pete Buttigieg's salary.
- Under the bill, the transportation secretary would be paid just $1 annually.
- Buttigieg has faced criticism from Republicans over alleged failings.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives moved to pass a bill that would cut Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg's salary to just $1.
Introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, the bill was passed by voice vote as an amendment to the funding bill for the General Services Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission and other related agencies.
It will now be voted on by the full House, but if it passes will almost certainly be struck down by the Democratic-controlled Senate and would stand no chance of being approved by President Joe Biden.
"I'm proud to announce my amendment to FIRE Pete Buttigieg just PASSED the House," tweeted Greene after the vote, falsely claiming her bill sought Buttigieg's firing not a salary reduction.
"American taxpayers should not be on the hook for paying for his lavish trips or his salary," Greene added.
Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was once seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. He ran as a presidential candidate in 2020 before being appointed to the transportation secretary role by President Joe Biden in 2021.
But he's faced a difficult time at the Department of Transportation, battling problems including waves of commercial flight cancellations, and an incident in East Palestine, Ohio, in February when a train carrying toxic waste derailed.
In February, the Department of Transportation's (DOT) internal watchdog opened an investigation into Buttigieg's use of private jets. It followed a Fox News report that claimed Buttigieg had taken at least 18 flights using private jets since taking office in early 2021.
Politico reported that Greene's bill is not the first time Republicans have explored using an obscure rule allowing Congress to slash the salaries of federal employees to score points against Democrats.