PRINCETON, N.J., April 8 (UPI) -- Most Americans say they think members of the U.S. House and Senate should return a part of their salaries as a result of the sequester, a Gallup poll indicated.
Results of the poll released Monday indicated respondents were pretty evenly split when asked about two suggested giveback amounts: 78 percent said they favor Congress members return 5 percent of their pay, and 79 percent said they favor Congress return 25 percent.
President Obama recently volunteered to return 5 percent of his salary to the U.S. Treasury as a result of the across-the-board cuts in federal spending that went into effect March 1. Members of his Cabinet also pledged to return a portion of their salaries to the U.S. Treasury or donate it to charity.
Americans' overwhelming approval for some type of salary return likely stems at least in part from their low approval of the job Congress is doing, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.
Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,025 adults conducted Saturday and Sunday. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.
