The Deputy Secretary Of Defense Is Doing An Incredibly Classy Thing To Stand By His Employees During The Sequester

Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced to the Senate that if his employees in the Department of Defense suffered a pay cut because of Sequestration, he'd voluntarily give the Treasury the same portion of his own salary as a demonstration of solidarity.

At his testimony in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on February 14, Carter detailed what necessary employee furloughs would entail:

All the Services and Agencies are likely to have to furlough most DoD civilian employees for an average of one day per week for up to 22 weeks.[...] During this period, furloughs will result in a 20 percent cut in pay for civilians who support our national defense – which will affect their morale.

Carter — as a Senate-confirmed employee — cannot be furloughed under the law. But the Deputy Secretary of Defense announced this immensely classy move to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

"If our employees are furloughed, I intend to give back to the Treasury the same portion of my salary, and I encourage all of us – Executive Branch and Legislative Branch – to do the same."