Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of President Trump's closest allies on Capitol Hill, on Wednesday introduced a bill to remove Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

The Florida Republican introduced the Preventing Extreme Negligence with Classified Information Licenses Act, or PENCIL Act, a nod to Trump's insults calling the California lawmaker "little pencil neck Adam Schiff."

Schiff has been one of the president's most vociferous detractors and has spearheaded House Democrats' efforts to investigate any possible ties the president may have with Russia.

The proposal claims that Schiff "can no longer be trusted by his colleagues in Congress or the American people" and that he "has repeatedly slandered President Donald J. Trump by falsely claiming he colluded with Russia to win the presidency." It also calls for Schiff to have his security clearance withdrawn.

Due to his perch on the Intelligence Committee, Schiff is also part of the Gang of Eight, a group of senior lawmakers with access to top-secret intelligence information.

Republicans have hit Schiff with an avalanche of criticism since Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference in 2016.

Barr said Mueller's core findings did not find sufficient evidence to charge anyone associated with Trump's campaign with conspiring with Russia.

A number of Intelligence Committee members called for Schiff to step down or resign from Congress following the summary report.

"It is the sense of the House of Representatives that Congressman Adam Schiff should be removed from the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House and that his security clearance should be revoked immediately," the resolution said.

Schiff has so far dismissed the GOP attacks, saying that Trump's conduct in office and during the campaign was unacceptable even if it was not criminal.

"I think it's immoral. I think it's unethical. I think it's unpatriotic. And yes, I think it's corrupt," Schiff said at a committee hearing last month.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) backed Schiff.

"I'm so proud of the work of Chairman Adam Schiff, in stark contrast to the irresponsible, almost criminal behavior of the previous chair of the committee," Pelosi said in Schiff's defense during a press conference last month, referring to the past chairmanship of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), another staunch Trump ally.