‘No budget, no pay’

That is why, if the government shuts down, I will take this pledge, and I urge you all – from the President and Vice President to all members of Congress – to take it with me:

I will forgo my federal salary until we reach an agreement. I will donate my salary to charity or return it to the Treasury until the government works again.

In the Senate, we tried to make this commonsense measure the law of our country, and we unanimously passed legislation from Senators Boxer and Casey to prevent lawmakers and the President from drawing a salary if the government shuts down. Unfortunately, that legislation is going nowhere in the House.

The bottom line is this: I can’t imagine that the President, Vice President or any Member of Congress – Republican or Democrat – thinks they should get paid when the government has shut down.

Finally, some in Washington will deride this as an empty gesture. To those naysayers, I say that the American people expect more of us. They expect us to lead by example and share their pain until a budget resolution is reached that reflects our values and priorities as a country.

Again, I urge you to send the American people the right message and join with me to sign the “No Budget, No Pay” Pledge.

Sincerely,
Senator Joe Manchin III