Washington ( CNN ) -- Pain from forced spending cuts is a week away and lawmakers are preparing their aides for the fallout that could hit them like other government workers . `` We 've actually budgeted with a 10 % cut in mind , '' Rep. Cheri Bustos , D-Illinois , said last week . Rep. Dennis Ross , R-Florida , reorganized his office in December . `` We had to let people go then because we were anticipating at least a 16 % cut , '' he said . Pentagon : Furloughs for civilian workers if forced cuts go into effect . But members of Congress , the very people who voted to put the automatic spending cuts in place , wo n't see any change to their annual salary of $ 174,000 . Why ? Because Congress can change its pay only by passing a law to do so . Before Congress left town for a week 's recess , CNN took an informal survey and asked lawmakers whether they were willing to take a pay cut if the so-called sequester was set in motion on March 1 . Most lawmakers in both parties said yes . `` Well , certainly . I mean , we 're all in this together . We 're all suffering together , '' said Mark Meadows , R-North Carolina . `` Absolutely . Let 's make sure that we 're doing our part as well , '' said Rep. Ben Lujan , D-New Mexico . `` Oh , sure . Yeah , I mean , that 's called leadership , '' responded Rep. Steve Southerland , R-Florida . But cutting lawmaker pay is n't so easy . The 27th Amendment prohibits members of Congress from changing their compensation until after the next election . Still , they can get creative by writing checks to charity or the U.S. Treasury . Ironically , some tea party-backed lawmakers who campaigned on slashing federal spending are reluctant to give up their pay . Poll : Deficit is essential issue for Congress to tackle . Rep. Billy Long , R-Missouri , was elected in 2010 to cut Washington spending . `` Do you think members of Congress should take a pay cut ? '' CNN asked . `` I do n't think so , '' he responded . `` I mean , I do n't think we should raise our pay . '' But what about the fact that congressional aides may be furloughed ? `` It 's such a miniscule part , '' Long said . Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann answered the question about whether she personally would take a pay cut -- asked several times -- by talking only about her staff . `` We 'd like to keep everybody on the payroll if we can , but they 'll have to work fewer hours . So , we 're looking at reductions in our staff , and that 's what we need to do , '' said the Minnesota Republican . CNNMoney : Biggest problems with forced budget cuts . Two members of Congress returned part of their office budgets to the Treasury this week . Standing in front of an oversized check for $ 600,000 -- or 20 % of his budget -- Sen. Rand Paul , R-Kentucky , said his office treated funds `` like it 's our money , or your money , and we look at every expenditure . '' Rand Paul returns more money to Treasury . Rep. Mick Mulvaney , R-South Carolina , said he would return $ 160,000 to the federal government , or 12 % of his office budget . One of the biggest opponents of Congress cutting its pay is one of the wealthiest , Nancy Pelosi . The House Democratic leader says she knows other members of Congress are not as financially fortunate . `` Most of my colleagues are the breadwinners in their families , said Pelosi . `` A pay cut , to me , does n't mean as much . '' CNNMoney : Federal worker furloughs could start in April .
Members of Congress also preparing for potential sharp cuts in federal spending . But lawmakers will not see any change to their annual salary of $ 174,000 . Comment: