U.S. Lawmakers: Some Refuse Pay, Some to Donate

Lawmakers Refuse Pay, some to Donate:
For what it's worth...

http://www.libertynews.com/ writes:

During today’s media briefing, White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked whether President Obama would donate his salary during the shutdown to charity, as more than 70 members of Congress are doing.
Carney implied that Obama won’t: “Our position is that the government should be open.”
Carney added that the administration hopes Congress would authorize back pay for furloughed workers.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Carney said.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/ writes:

Barack Hussein Obama’s net worth is estimated at $12.2 million. He has an annual salary of $400,000, or about $33,000 a month.

As of early afternoon Wednesday, at least 100 lawmakers — 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats — have said that they plan to donate or refuse compensation earned over the course of the impasse. (The count includes a few members who already donate their salary to charity). Here's our tally, but check back for updates, as we will continue updating the list continuously:
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.): A senior aide said that "Any days that federal workers do not get paid, Sen. Ayotte will donate her salary to a New Hampshire charity."
Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.): He said Tuesday on Facebook that "Those who make the laws should have to live by those laws. So as a result of partisan bickering and gridlock, I will be donating my salary for the duration of the government shutdown to local charities until the Senate and President agree to negotiate with the House and we are able to work together to find a solution and reopen the government."
Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif): He will decline his pay because "Congress should lead by example and put people before politics,” he said in a statement. “If Congress can't do its job and put the American people first, then they certainly shouldn't get paid during a crisis that they are causing. We must stop the finger-pointing, start acting like adults, and make Washington work for the people again.”
Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.): The lawmaker announced on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that he wants his pay withheld "until we are able to resolve the govt #shutdown."
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio): His office said in a statement that the senator "will not accept his federal salary accrued during the government shutdown and will instead donate it to charity. In 2011, Brown pledged to forego his salary in the event of a government shutdown. Following the 1995 shutdown, Brown donated his salary to various charities in his then-House District." He will donate his salary this time to the Ohio-based Honor Flight Network.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.): He posted a photo on his Facebook page late Tuesday of him signing a letter asking that his pay be withheld "for as long as the federal government is shut down."
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.): "No small business would pay someone who refuses to do their job,” Buchanan said in a statement Tuesday.  “So why should Senators or House members be paid for failing to fulfill one of their most basic responsibilities?  They shouldn’t.”
House Majority Leader Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.): He plans to place his pay in escrow for the duration of the shutdown, according to a spokeswoman.
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.): She has asked that her pay be withheld until the shutdown is over. "After the shutdown, she will donate that period of pay to charity," a spokesman said.
Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.): The senator plans to donate pay earned during the shutdown to a Delaware charity, a spokeswoman said.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.): On his reelection campaign Facebook page, Castro said he would give up his pay in the event of a shutdown. "I hope you will ask Senator Ted Cruz why he refuses to give up his pay during a shutdown he pushed for," he added. (Cruz is among those lawmakers who have said they will refuse their pay.)
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah): He plans to decline his salary during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.): The senator said Tuesday evening on CNN that he will continue accepting his salary and plans to "spend it and tithe it" as he always has.
Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.): “The American people sent us to Washington to do a job,” he said in a statement. “If we cannot live up to that obligation, we should not be taking a paycheck, a paycheck that is funded by the taxes paid by our fellow hardworking Americans.  If the federal government is shut down Members of Congress should not get paid, and we should not be held to a different standard when it comes to Obamacare, either.”
Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.): A spokesman said Tuesday that the senator is "going to send the Treasury a check for the salary he is paid during the shutdown."
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.): A spokeswoman says the senator "will not be paid during the federal shutdown. He donates to charity and does not believe a government shutdown should necessitate charitable contributions, compassion for fellow man should."
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho): He will donate any pay earned during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
Rep. Steve Daines (R-Mont.): He will donate his salary during the shutdown to the Big Sky Honor Flight, his office said Tuesday.
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.): This lawmaker from the Land of Lincoln said Tuesday via Twitter that "As long as the government remains shutdown, I will not accept a paycheck - I urge all Members of Congress to join me."
Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.): The freshman lawmaker said via Facebook on Wednesday that he plans to "donate the portions of his Congressional salary received during the government shutdown to charity."
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash): “For as long as this unnecessary shutdown occurs, hundreds of thousands of public servants will be working without pay," she said in a statement Tuesday. "When sequestration began earlier this year, I returned 8.2% of my salary back to the Treasury, and for the duration of this shutdown, I will return the remainder of my personal salary as well."
Rep. William Enyart (D-Ill.): He said late Tuesday that he is "donating my pay for the duration of this senseless shut-down to a food bank in Southern Illinois and call upon my colleagues in Congress to do the same."
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.): The senator first told a Wyoming reporter on Monday that he will return his earnings to the U.S. Treasury.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.): A spokesman says the senator "will donate her salary during the shutdown to the Consortium of Catholic Academies."
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.): He sent a letter Wednesday asking that his pay be withheld for the duration of the shutdown.
Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.): He said in a statement Tuesday that “Until Congress ends this irresponsible shutdown, I will donate my pay to charity.”
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii): She said last Friday that "If a common-sense agreement is not reached, our hard-working troops, law enforcement and other essential personnel will continue to report for duty while receiving no pay, leaving their families at home with nothing but uncertainty. I sincerely hope a government shutdown does not occur, but if no deal is struck by next Tuesday, then Members of Congress should not be exempt from its very real, tough consequences."
Rep. Pete Gallego (D-Tex.): The freshman lawmaker said Monday, "I will be donating my salary to an organization that helps military men and women who are injured while serving their country. They have sacrificed — Congress should heed their example." On Saturday he also introduced the "Shutdown Member of Congress Pay Act," which would — you guessed it — withhold lawmaker pay in the event of a shutdown.
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.): He is declining compensation during the shutdown "and will contribute those wages to the U.S. Treasury for debt reduction," a spokeswoman said.
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.): In a 40-second YouTube video statement, he said "I shouldn't get a congressional salary while other federal employees are denied the ability to go to work. I'm going to take my salary during the government shutdown and donate it to the Wounded Warrior Project."
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.): She plans to donate her salary to charities that help "military veterans avoid homelessness," a spokesman said.
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.): A spokeswoman said Tuesday that she plans to donate the pay she makes over the course of the impasse.
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah): The senator is "going to donate his paycheck to the LDS church," a spokesman said.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.): “During the shutdown of the federal government, I will donate my salary to a charity in North Dakota," she said in a statement. "Right now, federal workers across North Dakota and the country who chose to work in public service have been forced to go without pay – including my Senate staff.  It’s only fair that I not receive a salary during that time as well."
Rep. John Hoeven (R-N.D.): The senator plans to donate his shutdown-era pay to charity, a spokesman said.
Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.): He said he'll revoke his salary "until Congress passes and the President signs an acceptable solution to fund the federal government."
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.): The wealthiest member of Congress, his staff said he already donates his entire congressional salary to charity.
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.): She posted a picture on her Facebook page of the letter she sent to House officials requesting that her pay be withheld.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.): An aide says that the senator "will have his salary withheld until the federal government re-opens."
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.): The freshman lawmaker formally requested Tuesday that his pay be withheld during the shutdown.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.): On his Facebook page, he said he would give up his pay "for the duration of a government shutdown. I am dead set against a shutdown because it will have serious effects on our economy and because many people rely on services provided by federal agencies. The fact that some in Congress would risk a shutdown in order to score political points demonstrates why Congress is currently held in lower regard than head lice."
Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.): He wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday that "As long as furloughed federal workers go without pay, I will not take my own salary."
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine): The freshman senator has decided to place his earnings in an escrow account "and will only accept it if federal employees who work during the shutdown are also ultimately compensated for their work," a spokesman said. "In the event they are not, Senator King intends to donate his pay to charities in Maine."
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.): He announced Tuesday that "he has elected to have his pay withheld until the federal government reopens," a spokesman said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.): The senator "is giving her pay during the government shutdown to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, since lifesaving NIH medical research is being slashed during the shutdown," a spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho): He will have his pay withheld during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.): He formally requested Tuesday that his pay be suspended until a new spending bill has been passed.

Rep. James Langevin (D-R.I.): The lawmaker will donate his pay to charity in the event that federal employees are not paid retroactively for days lost. If that happens, Langevin "will be splitting his earnings between the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Rhode Island Good Neighbor Energy Fund," a spokeswoman said.
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.): He took to Twitter on Monday to say that "As US Constitution prohibits immediate changes in Members' pay, I've requested my pay suspended if #shutdown occurs."
Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah): He plans to defer his pay during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.): He is planning to place his pay in escrow for the duration of the shutdown, according to a spokesman.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.): A spokesman said the senator "will not be keeping her salary. She will be writing a check to give it away."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.): In a statement, the Senate GOP leader said "the effects of this completely unnecessary shutdown will have a real impact on my constituents. And I will donate my paycheck to charity for as long as Senate Democrats deprive hardworking Americans of their paychecks during this completely unnecessary shutdown.” An aide said he plans to donate compensation earned during the shutdown to Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.): He announced he won't accept his pay in a statement sent to constituents Tuesday.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.): One of the wealthiest members of Congress, he plans to donate his shutdown-era earnings to the March of Dimes, a spokesman said Wednesday.
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.): He is donating his pay over the course of the shutdown, according to his office.
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.): The freshman lawmaker plans to "donate his paycheck to a local veterans service organization," according to his office.
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.): He also posted a photo on his Facebook page of his request to have his pay withheld.
Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Tex.): “As long as the shut-down continues, I will not accept my pay," he said in a statement Tuesday. " I will be donating my entire pay for the length of the government closure to veterans’ service organizations (VSOs) in El Paso." He added that "In order to continue to serve El Paso, my offices will remain open, but at a reduced capacity. I will continue to use my Facebook page to keep you posted.”
Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.): He announced last week via Twitter that he would donate his pay during the shutdown to charity.
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.): A spokesman says he plans to return compensation earned during the shutdown to the U.S. Treasury. A wealthy entrepreneur, he donated his entire salary to charity until this year, when he began returning his pay to the Treasury to pay down the debt.
Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.): He said Tuesday that he will donate pay during the duration of the shutdown to charity, because "“I do not believe that the leadership failure of the Republican majority can subject 800,000 workers to furloughs, and countless Americans to service delays and closures, while I collect a paycheck.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio): A spokeswoman said he plans to donate his pay during the shutdown to charity. "He is reviewing options now," she said.
Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.): On Twitter Tuesday he said, "Today I asked NOT to be paid until the government reopens. #governmentshutdown"
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.): The Senate leader plans to put his shutdown earnings into an escrow account, a spokesman said.
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.): He plans to donate salary for the duration of the shutdown to the Wounded Warrior Project, according to aides, who note that he already gives back 15 percent of his salary to the U.S. Treasury to help pay down the federal debt.
Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho): He will donate any pay earned during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-Pa.): The freshman lawmaker sent a letter to House officials on Monday requesting that his pay be withheld in the event of a shutdown.
Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.): He sent a letter on Tuesday asking that his pay be suspended "as long as the government remains shutdown."
Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.): He announced about a week ago that he plans to donate his pay earned during the shutdown to charity.
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.): In response to a Twitter callout by The Washington Post, Schneider said via Twitter that "I will be returning my paycheck until Congress finds a sensible solution to this harmful shutdown."
Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.): He told constituents in a statement that "I firmly believe that if Members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve to be paid. It is in that vein that I will be donating the congressional salary I collect during the shutdown to a local Oregon charity to be named later. It’s time for Congress to get its act together.”
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.): A spokesman said that she plans to "go without her paycheck during the government shutdown" and is working to determine where she will donate the earnings.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.): The senator said via Twitter Wednesday that she's "Donating my salary to NH Food Bank during shutdown. Congress needs to come together, get gov’t working again."
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho): He will have his pay withheld during the shutdown, according to local news reports.
Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.): During a House floor speech he said he would defer his pay because "members of Congress are no better than anyone else."
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.): The senator said Tuesday evening on CNN that she will donate earnings during the shutdown to charity.
Rep. Marlin A. Stutzman (R-Ind.): He posted his letter requesting his pay be withheld on Facebook Tuesday night.  "House Republicans have passed four plans to fully fund the federal government but the Senate has rejected each of them. It’s time for Harry Reid and President Obama to come to the table."
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.): The freshman announced Monday that he would refuse his pay "until federal employees who must work during the shutdown are paid."
Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-Pa.): The senator said in a statement Wednesday that “As long as furloughed federal employees are not getting paid during this shutdown, I will refuse my paycheck too.”
Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.): In a statement issued Tuesday morning, she said she "will not accept a paycheck for the duration of the government shutdown."
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.): On her Facebook page, she said "As a result of partisan bickering and gridlock, I have waived my salary for the duration of the government shutdown because Congress didn’t get the job done. Those who make the laws should have to live by those laws, and I will continue to fight for the people of Missouri’s 2nd District."
Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.): He plans to donate his pay "to local food banks" and said in a statement that "Hardworking families are suffering because of the uncompromising, reckless attitude of a few rigid ideologues in Washington. That isn’t right and it isn’t fair."
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.): An aide said the senator will "contribute his salary to the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund."
Rep. Randy Weber (R-Tex.): He announced Monday via Facebook that his pay would be withheld “for the duration.”
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio): The freshman lawmaker plans to donate his shutdown earnings to the Wounded Warrior Project and Cincinnati’s Freestore Foodbank. “I can't accept a salary while veterans and government employees are left empty-handed. It’s not appropriate and it’s not fair," he said in a statement.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.): In response to a callout on Twitter by The Washington Post, Wittman said via Twitter that he would "donate my salary to charity for every day the government is shut down."
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.): The Bluegrass State lawmaker has donated his entire annual salary to Louisville-area charities since he came to Congress in 2007, aides reminded us on Tuesday.
Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.): He said Tuesday morning via Twitter that he wants his pay withheld.
Others who have said they will refuse their pay:
Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.)
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii)
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)
Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.)
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.)
Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.)
Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.)
Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.)