President Obama to take a 5% salary cut during the sequester in tribute to furloughed federal workers who are going days without pay

PUBLISHED: 15:57 EST, 3 April 2013 | UPDATED: 16:57 EST, 3 April 2013

President Obama is going to give a portion of his salary back to the government to show solidarity with the federal workers who took pay cuts during the sequester.

An anonymous White House source told the Associated Press that Obama will surrender 5 per cent of his compensation in an effort to do his part during the period of fiscal cutbacks.

His move comes as hundreds of thousands of public service workers will be sent home without pay for a number of days over the next six months in an effort to cut spending.

The President's annual salary is $400,000, meaning that a 5 per cent pay cut would amount to $20,000 for the year.

Making a gesture: President Obama will be giving 5 per cent of his salary back to the federal government during the sequester as hundreds of thousands of workers face unpaid leaves of absence

His people: The President is reportedly making the move in tribute to the federal workers who will be forced to go without some of their normal pay during the financially difficult time

That said, it is unclear whether Mr Obama will extend this measure so that it lasts a year, and he will only likely continue it as the sequester is in effect.

As a result, the cut will be retroactive, starting at the beginning of this month as that is when the sequester went into effect.

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The cut will amount to about $1,666 per month.

The President isn't the only politician making an effort to show solidarity with his lesser-paid colleagues, as a bevy of other Democrats have done the same.

According to USA Today, his newly appointed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Mr Hagel's deputy director Ashton Carter have announced that they will not accept a portion of their salaries during the period of the sequester.

Taking a hit: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also said that he would voluntarily be taking a pay cut

They did not specify how much of their salary they will be giving up.

Senators Claire McCaskill and Mark Begich- both Democrats- have publicly stated that they will be making similar gestures. Cynics could take issue with Mr Begich's involvement, as he announced plans to work with Republican Senator Tom Coburn to figure out areas to cut the projected $85billion in spending that is needed to help fix the country's financial crisis.

Adding to his possible motives, it also comes the year before he is up for re-election in Alaska.

There have not been any reports of Republicans making similar gestures.

Obama to return 5% of salary because of sequester

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@ - - Kevin, Seaford, 4/4/13, 1:18 PM Brilliant use of your impressive vocabulary to express your position on the issue....

- RPR151 , Austin - US, 04/4/2013 14:51

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So let me get this straight--he's taking a 5% cut while we're taking a 20% cut? Big whoop.

- DBinVA , Virginia, USA, 04/4/2013 14:50

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That pompus ass is worth 11.8 million dollars! What a joke!

- samuelsav , Savannah, United States, 04/4/2013 14:32

Click to rate Rating 14

Is this from the man who also promised to broadcast the health care debate on CSPAN? Or promised to close Gitmo? Or promised no lobbyists in the WH? Or promised not to raise taxes? Is this the same guy who promised that his stimulus spending would reduce unemployment to 5.2% ?

- Bill from Austin , Austin, 04/4/2013 14:27

Click to rate Rating 11

Anyone think about exactly how this is going to work? The President doesn't determine his own salary, both houses of Congress have to vote salary changes into law, which then is signed by the Pres. So how exactly is he going to 'give up' that whopping 5%? Same for every other political figure that is saying the same thing. I haven't seen or heard of any new bills being introduced to enact a 'pay cut' for certain politicans. All just smoke and mirrors, meant to confuse the people who aren't willing to actually do their own research.

- jasongrade , mcfarland, United States, 04/4/2013 14:26

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Whether it is a symbolic or a publicity stunt move, it IS a drop in the bucket and congress, both current & retired, should follow suit with more drops in the bucket by taking cuts in their salaries and pensions. Federal workers should add, without balking, to that bucket. American citizens should contribute to the bucket by allowing reasonable cuts in programs. Programs can be cut fairly across the board that would contribute to the bucket with mere drops from each if we would all be sincere and unselfish toward building back our country. Presidential symbolism can be effective by persuading or pushing others to follow suit. Kudos to the president on this one. I say MORE MORE MORE!

- music , Dallas, 04/4/2013 14:24

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Maybe he could give up his Hawian vacations or give up spring break trips for his children.

- twiggy02919 , Providence, United States, 04/4/2013 14:23

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That's it????

- Magnolia Mrs , The Great US of A!!!, 04/4/2013 14:19

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POS

- Kevin , Seaford, 04/4/2013 14:18

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Umm---- VerBose... Time to take the blinders off... The country was built on the backs of hard working conservatives... You know the kind of men & women who get up at the butt-crack of dawn and go to work each day to put food in their family's mouth and to educate our children. Who feeds us? Buys our clothes? Educates our children? Pays our insurance? Practices responsible birth control? Contributes to the tax base? Oh, yeah.... That's right... CONSERVATIVES do.

- indy mama , Kansas USA, 04/4/2013 13:57

Click to rate Rating 21

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