This post has been updated.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced Monday his intention to donate his congressional salary to charity for each day government remains closed, pinning blame for any potential shutdown in operations past Sept. 30 on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
“Harry Reid should not force a government shutdown,” the conservative firebrand said in a statement. “I hope that Reid stops refusing to negotiate and works with the House to avoid a government shutdown, and, at the same time, prevent the enormous harms that Obamacare is inflicting on the American people.
“If, however, Harry Reid forces a government shutdown, I intend to donate my salary to charity for each day the government is shut down,” he added.
Cruz, who spoke on the Senate floor for 21 hours last week against President Obama’s signature health law, is arguing that Reid would be responsible for any potential shutdown if Democrats didn’t accept a continuing resolution to fund government that also included language defunding Obamacare.
Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI) beat Cruz to the punch, however, when he announced last week in a slightly more apartisan statement that he would donate his salary to charity for “every day that Washington gridlock shuts down the government.”
