Boehner: We were closer to a budget deal last night
Va.'s George Allen gets tripped up over sports banter

Sen. Manchin urges Congress to skip pay in shutdown

By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY

Updated at 5:45 p.m. ET

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., says she'll donate her paycheck to a non-profit organization that helps military families if there is a government shutdown.

By law, members of Congress and President Obama will continue to get paid if the government has to shut its doors this weekend because of a budget stalemate.

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, said she'll donate her pay to a local charity.

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Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., says Congress shouldn't get paid if the federal government has to shut down this weekend.

Manchin, who is up for re-election next year, will return his salary to the U.S. Treasury if funding for the federal government runs out because President Obama and Congress did not reach a budget deal for the rest of fiscal year 2011. He's circulating a letter, asking his colleagues to do the same.

By law, President Obama and Congress will continue to get paid even during a government shutdown. Congressional aides could receive retroactive pay when a funding dispute is settled, but it is not guaranteed.

"Some in Washington will deride this as an empty gesture," Manchin wrote. "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."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee blasted Manchin's effort as a stunt. "This is nothing short of pure political posturing by multi-millionaire Joe Manchin to cover up for the fact that he and his fellow Washington Democrats have failed to do their jobs," NRSC Communications Director Brian Walsh said.

Most members of Congress, except the top leaders, make $174,000 a year. The president's salary is $400,000.

The Senate last month passed a bill by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to cut off the pay of Congress and the president in the event of a shutdown. The House passed a similar bill by Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., but it would at the same time enact the provisions of a spending bill opposed by Obama and congressional Democrats.

House Speaker John Boehner told ABC News this morning that he believes Congress should not be paid during a shutdown. Boxer said if the speaker "were really serious about preventing members of Congress from being paid during a government shutdown, he would immediately pass our 'no budget, no pay' bill."

During the 1995-96 government shutdown, several members of Congress returned their pay to the U.S. Treasury or donated an equivalent amount to charity

Boehner: We were closer to a budget deal last night
Va.'s George Allen gets tripped up over sports banter