Representative (and Senate candidate) Phil Gingrey raised the ire of some of his fellow lawmakers in a closed door meeting in Washington on Wednesday morning.

Gingrey and Louisiana Republican David Vitter have drafted a bill that would end an insurance subsidy to force members of Congress and their aides off of the federal government’s employee health plan and onto the newly created health insurance exchanges. This would mean a pay cut for Congressman, in some cases up to 7 percent.

Some of the less wealthy members of Congress have spoken out against this Gingrey-sponsored bill, including Reps. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and and Joe Barton (R-TX).

“Before you support this, go home and talk to your wife,” Lucas warned colleagues the change would amount to a 7 percent cut to their paychecks. As for Barton, the change, he estimated, would cost him $12,000. “That’s a burden. And it’s a burden on our staff, too.”

Despite pleas from his fellow Republicans, Gingrey bemoaned the fact that aides on the Hill “may be 33 years old now and not making a lot of money. But in a few years they can just go to K Street,” (DC-speak for becoming a lobbyist) “and make 500,000 a year. Meanwhile I’m stuck here making $172,000 a year.”

Put in perspective, Gingrey’s $172K/year salary is more than three times the national average income…while his net worth is estimated at around $3 million.

Read more from the National Review here.