The baseline congressional salary is $174,000 per year, or three and a half times the national median household income in 2010. Some members of the legislative branch earn even more: the Speaker of the House rakes in $223,500 for example. If the many benefits and perks our lawmakers enjoy are accounted for, the numbers rise again.

But don't think that all of our lawmakers are just squeezing by on a measly $14,500 per month; far from it. The extreme wealth of some members make their official salaries look like a pittance.

A recent New York Times study even shows that as the American public suffered an 8 percent decrease in their combined net worth from 2004 to 2010, our lawmakers' wealth rose by 15 percent in the same period.

It's not a bad time to be in Congress, especially for these ten wealthiest legislators.

Vern Buchanan
Vern Buchanan The Republican Conference
Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced an assault weapons ban bill in Congress that will not be a part of the Democrat's base plan for gun control. It will instead become an amendment. Reuters
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal Reuters
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg Reuters
Jared Polis
Jared Polis Creative Commons
Mark Warner
Mark Warner Reuters
Jay Rockefeller
Jay Rockefeller Reuters
John Kerry
John Kerry Reuters
Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa Reuters
Michael McCaul
Michael McCaul Creative Commons
New York Congress New York