Petition to link lawmaker pay to fiscal cliff deal is up for White House response

A petition to restrict pay and health benefits of the president and members of Congress until the fiscal cliff is resolved has crossed the signature threshold needed for an official response from the White House.

The petition calls for Congress and President Obama to pass a “solution, not a stop gap” to the fiscal cliff before they receive further wages and health benefits. If the government does jump over the fiscal cliff -- a mix of spending cuts and tax increases slated to take effect in January -- the petition demands that the president and members of Congress accept a permanent 15 percent pay cut, and be denied any promotions for two years.

The petition, created by Deborah P. of Arlington, Texas on Dec. 3, passed the 25,000-signature mark on Dec. 27.

The White House’s We the People petition site has seen numerous calls for immediate action on the fiscal cliff, including demands for a bipartisan solution, tax increases on the wealthy, and one asking members of Congress to override the anti-tax pledge made to advocate Grover Norquist.

One recent petition, created by Michael M. of Davenport of Florida on Dec. 25, asks the Obama administration to restrict the annual salary of the president and members of Congress to $75,000 per year for three years to help “repay the National deficit.”

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