In an interview published Thursday in Roll Call, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) lamented that his $174,000 annual salary was not enough to live "decently" in Washington, D.C.
"I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid," Moran said. "I understand that it’s widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world."
The remarks came as the house begins markup on a bill to fund all legislators' salaries. Moran is planning to introduce an amendment that would offer lawmakers a per diem, USA Today reports.
Moran noted that some members actually sleep in their offices while in session. But since his district is just across the river in northern Virginia, he doesn't have to maintain two homes (or a small apartment) like other members, as the Washington Post notes.
“Our pay has been frozen for three years and we’re planning on freezing it a fourth year," Moran told Roll Call. "… A lot of members can’t even afford to live decently in Washington."
Of course, Moran isn't the only one upset about his income — which happens to be 97% more than the median household income of the D.C. metro area— as a number of others have voiced similar complaints in recent years.
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