Wealthiest Members of Congress

Facing election-year pressure to keep a lid on their salaries, lawmakers in Congress quietly agreed last week not to increase their pay next year. As a result, most members of Congress will earn $174,000 in 2011, the same amount they're getting this year.

But for some members of Congress -- including John Kerry, Dianne Feinstein, Jared Polis and Frank Lautenberg --that $174,000 might seem like chump change. Fourty-four percent of members are millionaires, compared to a much smaller percentage of other Americans. Senators had a median reportable net worth of $1.79 million in 2008, the last year such data were available. House members' median net worth was $645,503.

So, just who are the wealthiest members of Congress? The website rollcall.com, the Capitol Hill newspaper, releases an annual report on this very topic, the most recent released in 2009. Based on 2008 disclosures, here are the 10 wealthiest.

1.  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) - $167 Million

2.  Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif)  - $164 Million

3.  Rep. Jane Harmen (D-Calif) - $112 Million

4.  Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D-W. Va.) - $80 Million

5.  Sen. Mark Warner (D- Va.) - $72 Million

6. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Col) - $71 Million

7. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla) - $49 Million

8.  Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N. J.) - $48 Million

9.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) $42 Million

10. Rep. Harry Teague (D-N. M) - $40 Million

To take a look at the 50 wealthiest members of Congress, their assets, liabilities, gains and losses 2007 to 2008, and other financial data, visit Roll Call and CQ Politics at the link below.

http://www.rollcall.com/features/Guide-to-Congress_2009/guide/38181-1.html?gclid=CJ62jK2HzaECFQtSgwodfXSecQ&page=1

Source: MSN; Roll Call; CQ Politics