South Carolina Republican congressman Trey Gowdy blasted Virginia Democrat Jim Moran for saying lawmakers on Capitol Hill are underpaid, saying the congressman should be “embarrassed,” and that the House of Representatives is “grossly overcompensated.”
Gowdy spoke with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren about Moran’s comments, which called members of Congress “underpaid” and that many cannot “afford to live decently.”
“I know a lot of people in the world that are underpaid — in fact I live with one, who’s a schoolteacher,” Gowdy began. “But members of Congress are incredibly blessed and well-fortunate to have the jobs that we have. Nobody makes us run! Every two years we offer for public office, and if you don’t want to do it then don’t run.”
“But the notion that you can make $174,000 in this country and be underpaid is laughable,” he continued. “We are better off than 99.9 percent of the people we claim to work for. And I would be embarrassed to say that — given our job performance and our salary — that we are anything other than grossly overcompensated.”
Gowdy later added that he’s talked to many members in Congress on both sides of the aisle today, and that Moran is “a majority of one, if he believes that.”
“Public service means you give something up!” he declared. “You get compensation in other way. You get the benefit of working in the Capitol, of being part of history, of being able to vote for your fellow citizens — all of which is priceless!”
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