President Obama’s decision to give back 5 percent of his annual salary apparently is having an effect on other senior government officials and, oh yes, on members of Congress.

Obama earns 400 grand a year. The White House announced the president plans to write a check to the Treasury for $20,000, which covers the amount of money he will return to honor federal employees who are being forced to take furloughs because of the mandated “sequestration” budget cuts that took effect at the beginning of the year.

I noted in an earlier blog post that the 5 percent cut is reasonable and it would bring heat on others to follow suit. The word now is that pressure is building on many fronts.

Senior executive branch officials are being pressured to take the cut. So are members of Congress, many of whom have talked for years about the “frills” and “excesses” of government spending. And just as the president doesn’t need his salary on which to support himself and his family, many members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are comfortable enough to avoid dependence on their government salary.

I don’t know the details of his wealth, but it’s been said for years that U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon, doesn’t lack for financial wherewithal outside of his congressional salary. I’m wondering if Thornberry will follow suit – Obama critic and fiscal conservative that he is.