Although this year's House freshmen are sharply divided by ideology, they are united by one striking measure: Many of them are filthy rich. The Center for Responsive Politics found that 60 percent of Senate freshmen and 40 percent of House freshmen were worth $1 million or more. The statistics prove that Congress is populated "overwhelmingly with millionaires and near-millionaires who often own multiple homes," says Dan Eggen at The Washington Post. Here, a look at the numbers behind the congressional millionaires' club:
96
Number of new House members in the 112th Congress
40 percent
Approximate share of House freshmen who are millionaires
16
Number of new senators in the 112th Congress
60 percent
Share of Senate freshmen who are millionaires
1 percent
Approximate share of ordinary Americans who are millionaires
$3.96