Members of Maine’s congressional delegation said Friday they would go without pay during a government shutdown, if that occurs.

While the military goes without paychecks, all members of Congress will get paid, as mandated by a law passed by Congress. Therefore, any member of Congress saying they’ll go without pay will have to write a check to the U.S. Treasury to give the money back to taxpayers.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree and Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe said they would write checks to the Treasury for as long as the shutdown lasts.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud will donate their wages to charity, their spokespersons said.

The annual pay for members of the House and Senate is $174,000 a year, which is about $476 a day.

Maine’s two senators voted for legislation that would have withheld congressional pay during a shutdown. Maine’s two House members pushed for that legislation to come up for a vote in the House, but it never did.

That bill, S. 388, passed unanimously in the Senate on March 1. In addition to prohibiting members of Congress and the president from receiving basic pay during a shutdown, it would have barred retroactive pay.

Collins and Snowe signed a “No Budget, No Pay” pledge circulating in Washington.

One of the sticking points between Republicans and Democrats is cuts to Planned Parenthood. All four members of Maine’s delegation opposed those cuts that would defund the organization.

The outright elimination of funding for Planned Parenthood “is a step too far” that would negatively affect access to preventive services and screening that have helped millions of women nationally, Snowe said last month.

Pingree spokesman Willy Ritch said Pingree considers it “outrageous to use this budget debate to attack the women’s health services provided by Planned Parenthood.”

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has set up a Web page with information for Mainers about the shutdown at www.pingree.house.gov.

A summary on that page describes how services could be affected.

IRS — Tax forms still need to be postmarked by Monday, April 18. Patriot’s Day is not a federal holiday and Mainers no longer send forms to Massachusetts for processing.

Social Security — Benefits do not go through the appropriations process, so they should continue being deposited in accounts or mailed to homes. However, staff cuts may delay other services, such as enrolling new participants or holding hearings.

Medicare — Benefits are also exempt from the shutdown, so current participants should not notice any disruption. New applications could be delayed.

Veterans — Veterans Affairs hospitals such as the one in Togus and community-based outpatient clinics will stay open, and Veterans Benefits Administration disability compensation will be paid.

Visas and passports — Prior shutdowns have kept new visa and passport applications from being processed. Embassies will remain open for services for American citizens, but will not conduct visa interviews.

National parks — National Park Service sites, museums, and monuments are likely to close and disrupt the vacation plans of many Americans.

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