House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave his GOP colleagues another method to go after their Democratic opponents when he won the gavel, now Republicans are signaling their willingness to put it into action.
Some in the House GOP are considering using the Holman rule, which McCarthy reinstated as part of the agreement he made with conservative hardliners to secure the speakership, to target top officials in the Biden administration by cutting their salaries, Politico reported on Monday.
Under the Holman rule, lawmakers can use spending bills to defund specific programs or cut the pay—and even fire—federal officials. The rule had been dormant under the Democratic majority and at the time that McCarthy's rule package was released in January, top Democrats, like Rep. Jamie Raskin, warned that reinstating the Holman rule would "enable right-wing extremists in the House to target federal employees."
The talks to turn to the Holman rule come as Republicans remain divided over whether or not to impeach President Joe Biden's cabinet members, and even the president himself.
House Republicans have already suggested that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Special Counsel Jack Smith are among those who could be impeached.
Last month, Rep. Lauren Boebert and her allies forced a vote on her impeachment resolution against Biden. However, the measure to charge the president now lies in the hands of House committees, which have no obligation to act on the resolution.
Since taking control of the House, Republicans have sought to target Biden and his cabinet officials, creating committees to investigate the "weaponization of the federal government" and laying the groundwork to begin impeachment proceedings.
Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.
The idea of using the Holman rule has gained traction among some House Republicans, such as Rep. Ken Buck, who remains hesitant on impeaching officials, like Garland, citing a lack of evidence that the attorney general committed a crime.
"If we've got a problem, a policy difference—not high crimes and misdemeanors—with Secretary Mayorkas, the proper procedure is to cut his salary in the appropriations process," Buck told Politico.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also voiced her support for the rule, tweeting on Wednesday that, "Any Republican who has said or even written 'Drain the Swamp' must be ready and willing to cut funding, use impeachment, and use the Holman rule."
Greene and Rep. Matt Gaetz have previously eyed the Holman rule to defund Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Steven Dettelbach for the closure of gun stores, which the Republicans claim were done so by the ATF over "innocent" clerical errors.
Buck has urged his colleagues to act with discretion when it comes to defunding federal agencies and employees, like those working for Smith's investigations into former President Donald Trump, which he said would not be "appropriate."
"The answer to a bad prosecution is a trial in front of 12 jurors and a judge overseeing that trial," Buck said. "It's not defunding people who you disagree with."
He also told colleagues in a closed-door meeting last week that he's "not in favor of cutting DOJ."
Proposed salary cuts would have to go through the Senate, which are unlikely to be passed given the Democrats' slim majority in the chamber. Biden would also have to sign off on any appropriations bill.
