Maryland Rep. To Donate Portion Of Pay To Charity

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards says her staff has taken a 2 percent pay cut to avoid anyone being furloughed as a result of government-wide spending cuts, and she'll donate an equivalent part of her salary to charity.

The Washington Post reports the Democrat made the announcement Thursday. She says her donations will go to domestic violence charities that serve Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties.

Edwards made her announcement a day after President Barack Obama said he would return 5 percent of his salary in a show of solidarity with federal workers affected by the cuts, which are called a sequester.

Hundreds of thousands of workers could be forced to take unpaid leave -- called furloughs -- if Congress does not reach an agreement soon to undo the cuts.

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