U.S. senators currently serving have a median reportable worth of $1.79 million for 2008, down from $2.27 million in 2007, CRP's analysis indicates. Meanwhile, currently serving House members' median income was $622,254 in 2008, down from $724,258 in 2007.
Many members of Congress reported holding assets in companies that have come before them for financial bailout money, such as Bank of America and Goldman Sachs.
Democrats occupy the top five spots in terms of average wealth among senators: Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), Warner, Kerry, Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). Kohl, in placing first, boasts an average wealth figure of more than $214.5 million. In contrast, Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) recorded average wealth below $0.
In the House, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) placed first, with an average wealth of $251 million – top among all members of Congress. Following Issa are Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.). Twenty-three House members recorded average wealth in negative territory, with Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) and Harry Teague (D-N.M.) scraping the bottom.
Sens. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who each experienced sharp spikes in their reported wealth.
Real estate holdings are the most popular investments among congressional members. This is followed by recreational and live entertainment entities – powered almost entirely by Kohl's ownership of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team -- securities and farming.
But because members of Congress are only required to report their wealth and liabilities in broad ranges, it's impossible to precisely determine how much value their assets are worth, or have gained or lost. CRP determines the minimum and maximum possible asset values for each member of Congress to calculate a member's average estimated wealth.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/11/congressmen-lose-big-bucks-in.html
