An amendment approved by House Republicans on Wednesday reducing U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's salary to no more than $1 is expected to garner no widespread support as a government shutdown is just four days away. Experts told Newsweek the amendment shows the polarization in D.C.

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the amendment, approved by voice vote as part of a Department of Defense (DoD) spending bill. Greene later said she was "proud" to invoke the Holman Rule that originated in 1876 and allows House members to propose amendments to appropriations bills that target specific programs or individuals, either by slashing pay or terminating them altogether.

The amendment was cheered on by Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, one of the hardline conservatives who has gone toe to toe against Speaker Kevin McCarthy on behalf of a small but seemingly formidable group of Republicans who have repeatedly rejected the notion of approving a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running as usual.

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After touting the passing of her amendment on social media, Greene reportedly told the Washington Examiner that she would still vote against the bill due to Ukraine aid—an issue of which she has been among the most vocal of all Republicans in Congress.

And a shutdown would stop many other federal programs and services. The Biden administration said Monday that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, will stop operating one or two days into a shutdown, although Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said some states might be able to keep their programs running a bit longer than that.

WIC is a program intended to help low-income pregnant and postpartum women, as well as children under age 5, access healthier food. According to the Agriculture Department, more than 6 million people received WIC benefits each month in 2022, including about 39% of all U.S. infants.