United States President Barack Obama will take a five percent salary cut, according to USA Today. The president is likely following the example of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel who made a similar decision on Tuesday.
Obama’s pay cut will be retroactive to March 1, the date the sequester effects began to take place. The sequester—$85 billion in budget cuts—has begun to affect United State citizens from top to bottom.
Defense Secretary Hagel and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, announced self-imposed pay cuts in honor of the 700,000 civilian workers who will experience mandatory furlough during the summer.
Five percent of the president’s base salary, which is $400,000, is $20,000. The President’s actual paycheck cannot be reduced because Congress determines the president salary by law. The president will give the money deducted from his salary to the United States Treasury.
Other politicians have made similar moves in an effort to have a connection with their constituents.
"We need to be making responsible cuts wherever we can and there is no reason that members of Congress shouldn't feel the pinch like everyone else," Sen. Mark Begich,D-Alaska said.
Begich plans to give some of his $174,000 per year salary to the Treasury. Many in of his staff will do the same.
Begich went on to say that he, along with Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, will work to decrease federal spending by “billions.” Congress has been spring recess that will end this week.
"I hope my colleagues come back from the holidays ready to get to work," Begich said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham recently wrote an amendment that would allow members of congress to put parts of their salaries in a relief fund. It passed in the Senate. However, since the vote was not binding to the budget resolution, the new amendment doesn’t carry the force of law.
