(CNN) - President Barack Obama will put 5% of his paycheck back into the federal government's coffers in a show of unity with furloughed federal workers, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday.
Obama, whose $400,000 annual salary is set in law and can't officially be changed, will write a check made out to the U.S. treasury every month beginning in April. Since the mandatory across-the-board spending cuts went into effect March 1, his payment for last month will be paid retroactively.
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"The President has decided that to share in the sacrifice being made by public servants across the federal government that are affected by the sequester, he will contribute a portion of his salary back to the Treasury," Carney said in a statement. "He instructed his staff he wanted to do this when the sequester took effect."
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced he was giving up the portion of his salary that would have been cut if he had been subject to the same work furlough as thousands of department personnel under the mandatory federal budget cuts. Hagel, who earns $199,700 annually, will write a check to the Treasury for up to 14 days of salary, according to Pentagon press secretary George Little.
As a Cabinet official confirmed by the Senate, Hagel is not subject to the furlough. But Little said Hagel decided to give the equivalent of his furloughed pay to show his support for his workforce. Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter had already announced he was doing the same thing in the weeks before Hagel was confirmed.
On Monday, Carney announced that nearly 500 furlough notices have gone out to administration employees in reaction to the forced government spending cuts known as sequestration.
"The White House is one of eleven components of the Executive Office of the President which is indeed, as we have said, subject to the sequester," Carney said. "Within the Executive Office of the President, several offices have sent furlough notices to their staff, including to 480 employees of the Office of Management and Budget."
According to estimates released when the budget cuts went into effect on March 1, OMB must cut $7 million from the $89 million remaining in its annual budget. Other departments within the EOP have thus far been successful in reducing spending in ways that have avoided the need for furloughs, Carney said, but "additional furloughs as well as pay cuts remain possibilities for additional White House employees."
From CNN Politics
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You can say "oh thats nothing to him" but I don't see Repubs matching him
Lead from the front Mr. President! Keep it up!
Obama should give up 50% of his paycheck. 20% is not enough.
Cutting the vacations will save a lot more then his measly $20,000.
here we go....lets hear people complain about the President giving up "pennies". It's not about the amount, its the principle behind it. Even if he gave up half his salary, it would not be enough. The point is that the thieves we have running this country should all do the same, even if it's just pennies. Follow this example, even though I won't hold my breath given that the 1% could not even handle a raise in taxes to save the country from going over the cliff.
If he really wants to help America and it's citizens, Obama should give up the Presidency and take Biden with him!
pennies ... I had a 50% pay cut last year and am still trying to get back on track
Nice gesture. I just wish all of congress would do the same...but make it 20% of each paycheck like they're doing to me instead.
If he avoids all deductions and pays his "fair share" from the millions and millions he'll earn after leaving office, I'll change my tune.
5% oh how generous. All the others are losing 20%. let's see him and his friends match that, then I'll be impressed
oops - Obama should give up 50%, not 5% which is not enough.
What a crock. According to Barry we are too broke to give tours of the white house yet there is somehow money for him to put on another concert next week with Justin Timberlake and others and we have money for him to go golf with Tiger. This guy is such a joke.
If i had 11.8 Million sitting in the bank I would not mine having $400K a year coming in, and would give 5% away As they said, It is all for show.
Well, we are saved now!
I guess he can afford it. No daycare,car payment,mortgage,insurance,cell phone bills,etc. vacations covered,best medical insurance,free concerts,golf,mother-in-law lives free of expenses.
He shouldn't be paid at all!
When he gives up 80-90% of it and makes the average salary of the American worker, then I'll consider it something other than a sideshow. You're not living in solidarity with the people by tossing pennies on the dollar in some grandstanding political move.
Just more political posturing. He has done nothing else to help the situation.
Outstanding, Obama, set an example of what empathy is all about. Maybe it will rub off on the retards in the republican party.
Well blow me down and call me shorty Obama is giving up 5% of his paycheck. look out people the boom will be lowered soon on the general public .Five percent is like a hair follicle .Politicians please God save us from them.
opps i mean 5% is not enought instead of 20%
he is a real leader of men
LOL... as he works to legalize 11m illegals aliens that will take yet more jobs and lower yet more wages in middle class America. Obongo is a JOKE!!!!
About time he started using some of his money to fund all of his outrageous handouts, and not expect to keep his money, while he squanders the tax payers money.
all you blind mice ...just follow your leader.... give your money up..but i will keeep mind thank you very much....