Turns out not even the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee can avoid weighing in on whether members are “underpaid. ”  

At an appropriations markup Wednesday, Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., laid into Rep. James P. Moran, D-Va., after Moran’s amendment to raise each member’s pay by $2,800 was rejected by voice vote.  

“I might with tongue and cheek say that this issue got a raise out of Mr. Moran,” the Kentucky Republican said.  

The issue of member pay has created a rift on Capitol Hill of whether members are “underpaid” or out of touch .