The study averaged the net worth of each member. When members file their financial disclosure statements, they list assets and liabilities as part of minimum and maximum bet worth and CRP averaged those. For example, Sen. Amy Klobuchar reported a minimum net worth of $345,029 and a maximum of $1,104,000 for an average net worth of $724,512.

In Minnesota politics, the Republican members are much wealthier than the DFLers.

The wealthiest member of Minnesota’s delegation was Sen. Al Franken with an average net worth of $8,747,525 followed by Rep. Michele Bachmann at $1,783,508 and Rep. Chip Cravaack in 217th place with an average net worth of $1,391,551.

Those three plus were in the top half of Congress’ 535 members.

After Klobuchar’s $724,512 comes Rep. Erik Paulsen with an average net worth of $487,017, Rep. John Kline had $471,006, Rep. Collin Peterson had $263,005, Rep. Tim Walz with $247,502, and Rep. Betty McCollum with an average net worth of $88,005.

Rep. Keith Ellison had the lowest net worth, with negative $14,497.

The generally accepted cutoff for the top 1 percent of Americans in terms of net worth is about $9 million on 2010, a threshold that none of the Minnesota delegation report.

Eleven percent of Congress is in the top 1 percent in terms of net worth.

Source: A still of Sen. Amy Klobuchar from the ad.

On its website, Demand Progress, a progressive group, says they have one goal for the ad: “We need to embarrass a key lawmaker to set an example for others, and make it clear that it’s not okay to shill for the entertainment industry.”

The ad targets the Commercial Felony Streaming Act, which would “makes unauthorized web streaming of copyrighted content a felony with a possible penalty of up to 5 years in prison,” according to Open Congress.

The ad is named “Bieber is Right” in reference to teen pop star Justin Bieber’s comments criticizing Klobuchar for the bill. It asks: “Why is Sen. Klobuchar’s top legislative priority an internet censorship bill that would risk putting ordinary internet users and even Justin Bieber behind bars?”

It’s also paid for by Fight for the Future, a technology rights group, and contains much footage from Occupy Wall Street rallies in Minnesota. Many other groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology, have opposed the legislation.

The act is supported by a host of entertainment and media companies, many of which gave generously to Democratic candidates, according to Open Congress.

All the the committee’s Democrats approved the Respect for Marriage Act which would repeal DOMA and allow legally married couples to access federal benefits such as Social Security. Republicans countered that the repeal would undermine “traditional marriage.”

The bill was offered by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, and every Republican on the committee spoke out against it.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said, “The Fourteenth Amendment would probably never have been ratified if the public understood it to provide for same-sex marriage.

“This goes against the morality of many millions of Americans. I’ve always supported the definition of marriage between a man and a woman. It’s not about discriminating against anyone.”

It’s about “stable families, good environments for raising children and religious beliefs,” Grassley said.

“The Iowa Supreme Court made up a right to same-sex marriage. The people rose up and voted out all of the judges who were up for retention. In Iowa, the judges ignored the constitution,” Grassley added.

Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, a Democrat, said, “I support this bill because it takes the federal government out of the business of defining marriage.”

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said it would cost the government too much money if same-sex couples had access to Social Security like their heterosexual counterparts.

He also charged Democrats were out of touch by raising the issue.

“What’s changed since 1996? This is just another sign of how out of touch some of our friends across the aisle have been. I think it’s a transparent appeal to an interest group the other side needs in 2012.”

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said even though he voted for DOMA in 1996, he realized his vote was wrong.

“I believe I was wrong and I readily acknowledge that my views on this issue changed. It’s not because of votes,” he responded to Coburn. “It’s the right thing to do. I don’t care if it costs me votes.”

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said the repeal would “force states to recognize same-sex marriage.”

“Repealing Section 2 [of DOMA] means these sates may be forced to recognize valid marriage that their laws prohibit,” he said.

Cornyn said states have mostly chosen to affirm traditional marriage, adding he wished Democrats would support state’s rights in other instances. “I wish my liberal friends would pay attention to the prerogatives of the individual states in other situations.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said “repealing DOMA respects states right to make their own determination about marriage.”

On state-based bans on same-sex marriage, he said, “It’s not a question of if they are repealed, it’s a question of when.”

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said, “I was struck at the hearing on the bill last summer by the people who testified. They were discriminated against and unfairly harmed. They were denied protections like the ability to take off work to care for a dying partner and denied survivor benefits when a partner died.”

She also said the issue wasn’t about religion.

“Whatever we vote on today and whatever happens today, the bill doesn’t require any church or mosque or synagogue to perform same-sex marriage. As the debate on this continues, we cannot lose sight of that.”

“I have tremendous respect for Sen. Grassley,” Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota, said. “I just believe you misstated the history of marriage. Marriage has not existed as a union between one man and one woman for thousands of years in every culture. In many cultures, men have been able to marry many women and young girls. For centuries, women have been treated as cattle in marriage. Further, if the religious purpose for marriage is procreation, why would we sanction marriage between an 89-year-old widower and an 80-year-old widow? I just think we need to be accurate when we talk about the history of marriage, the history of man and woman, the history of our institutions.”

Franken spoke about couples in Minnesota who have been harmed by DOMA including a young couple who met in divinity school and married in Connecticut who have to lie on their federal tax forms and say they are single.

He talked about another Minnesota couple that married in Iowa, John and Jeff Westerfied. John was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“Jeff won’t have the federal right to take a medical leave. If John passes, Jeff won’t see a dime from Social Security,” said Franken. “DOMA hurts people who love each other. DOMA hurts people who want to adopt kids and raise them and take care of them. DOMA hurts families.

“We need to pass this bill. Straight people aren’t suddenly going to become gay, Straight people aren’t going to stop getting married. We are going to be just fine. Really.”

About 1,300 union workers have been locked out of their jobs by American Crystal Sugar since Aug. 1. Since the lockout started, the union and company have only met twice, both times at the urging of a federal mediator. Following the rejection of Monday’s offer, there are no plans to meet again.

Sen. Al Franken said “it’s imperative that both sides continue to work to come to an agreement that will end this lockout and get workers back on the job,” pointing out that all sides play a role in the sugar industry’s success.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Collin Peterson released a joint statement highlighting the impact of the lockout on communities across the Red River Valley: “We continue to urge both Crystal Sugar management and workers to come together at the negotiating table to work out an agreement that allows workers to return to their jobs as soon as possible. American Crystal and these jobs are very important to the region.”

Locked out workers in Minnesota are receiving unemployment benefits, but those who live in North Dakota are denied them under state law. Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota said in a statement that the “lock-out is taking a serious toll on families in North Dakota and Minnesota and the economic and social impact can be felt up and down the Red River Valley.”

In an interview with the Grand Forks Herald, Conrad admitted that the dispute could harm the chances of a farm bill. Franken has warned in the past that American Crystal Sugar’s tactics of locking out workers could alienate pro-worker members of Congress who have previously supported protections for the sugar industry.

Conrad told the Grand Forks Herald that the “company needs to think long and hard about the consequences, about the implications of their strategy.”

Hernandez joins former legislator Dan Severson and St. Bonafacius City Council member Joe Arwood. Hernandez said his platform includes bringing “moral principles” to government and praised Herman Cain’s 999 tax plan.

“I do not feel comfortable, given the course that we are on, handing to furute generations the current country that we have now,” he said at a press conference Tuesday. “We must restore a political system of moral principle back in America.”

He said “individual life and family” are the the most crucial units of society.

He called for term limits, an amendment to the U.S. Constitution mandating Congress pass a budget, a repeal of health care reform, an end to “unconstitutional wars” and tax reform.

“I like the idea of Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan,” he said. “Is it perfect? No, but it’s a start.”

Hernandez last ran for office in one of St. Paul’s Senate districts in 2010, losing to DFL Sen. Dick Cohen.

He’s also the Minnesota chairman of Somos Republicans, a Latino Republican group.

On state issues, Hernandez supports a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

“In 2012, Minnesota voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman,” he wrote on his campaign website. “I believe that government should have a very limited role in marriage. As a result, I support the referendum in that I believe it is best for the people of Minnesota, rather than politicians or activist judges, to decide this important cultural issue.”

He’s also an opponent of abortion rights.

“The right to life is a core principle described both within the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution,” he says. “As your U.S. Senator, I will work to protect the natural right to life from conception until natural death.”

“In a decade of war, they have borne an extraordinary burden, with more than two million of our service members deploying to the war zones,” Obama said. “Hundreds of thousands have deployed again and again, year after year—never before has our nation asked so much of our all-volunteer force.”

A policy of shorter deployments and draw-down of troops in Afghanistan has removed some soldiers from harm’s way, Obama said, although there’s a “moral obligation” to provide support for those who’ve already served, including extending the reach of health care, especially for rural veterans and women.

He referenced the tough job market for returning soldiers. Minnesota has one of the nation’s worst unemployment rates for veterans who’ve served since Sept. 11, according to a recent congressional report. Obama vowed to create 100,000 jobs for veterans, through the creation of the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior Tax Credits for companies that hire veterans.

“For the sake of our veterans, for the sake of our economy, we need these veterans working and contributing and creating the new jobs and industries that will keep America competitive in the 21st century,” Obama said.

Obama said mental health care was also a priority for his administration — long waits for mental health treatments have drawn criticism.

“The days when depression, PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] were stigmatized must end. That’s why I made the decision to start sending condolence letters to the families of service members who take their lives while deployed in a combat zone,” Obama said. “These American patriots did not die because they were weak — they were warriors, they deserve our respect — every man and woman in uniform, every veteran, needs to know that your nation will be there to help you stay strong.”

U.S. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison also spoke Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann is scheduled to speak to the convention Thursday.

Arwood, a conservative, is seeking the Republican nomination and says he’ll hold a press conference in St. Bonifacius on Monday night. Arwood has little political experience, and he’s the second announced candidate in the race. Former state Rep. Dan Severson announced his campaign in May.

On Twitter, Arwood describes himself as a “Small government Constitutional conservative first time Senate Canidate [sic]. Running so that our freedom and prosperity can be resotred [sic].”

Arwood's Twitter bio

Arwood doesn’t yet have a campaign website, but he shares some of his views on Twitter. Here’s one example: “Why does the left never call for evil actors to pay their fair share? They only think CEO’s are evil. Liberal Hollywood pay up sucka!”

And another: “Pres Obama cleared his schedule for today. Hold on to your wallet”

In a press release from his campaign, Arwood described why he is running:

our Country is in trouble, and we need people with common sense solutions to be leaders. We the people need to take our Country back from the political class that has established obscene pay and perks for themselves, while at the same time kicking the economic and Social Security can down the road. We need to get the economy going again, people are hurting out there, and Government seems to be standing in the way, or at least on a collective break. Here we are in the middle of a huge unemployment crisis, while the President is on vacation, and Congress is on break. Why are we not in session discussing the possibilities of a simpler tax code that would close the loop holes, lower taxes for companies that want to invest here at home, rather than abroad? Why are we not looking at our regulations that are preventing us from being energy independent? Why are we not allowing struggling families to tap into their 401K, by removing the 10% penalty, to save their homes and the housing market as a whole?? This ‘uncommon Joe’ is ready to run towards the financial fire, put it out, roll up his sleeves to help get us going again.

Arwood has his work cut out for him if he hopes to beat the popular Klobuchar. In June, Public Policy Polling released survey results showing that Klobuchar would beat Severson by 28 points. In hypothetical matchups, Klobuchar also handily beat out Tim Pawlenty (by 12 points) and Michele Bachmann (by 20 points); neither are running. “Amy Klobuchar looks like a shoo-in at this point,” said PPP president Dean Debnam at the time.

“I don’t know what I will be doing next,” Pawlenty said “However, I will not be running against Amy in 2012.”

The GOP has been searching for a star candidate to take on Klobuchar, whose favorability is among the highest of senators up for reelection in 2012.

Unsuccessful candidate for Secretary of State Dan Severson is challenging Klobuchar as is perennial candidate Dick Franson.

The American Legion, a 93-year old organization of wartime veterans, is hosting its National Convention in Minneapolis at the end of August. The first American Legion was held in Minneapolis as well in 1919.

President Obama announced in late July that he would be speaking at the convention of more than 10,000 veterans. And, as Minnesota Public Radio reported, Bachmann will also be attending. The two won’t share the stage, however. Obama will address the convention on Tuesday while Obama arrives on Thursday.

Minnesota’s DFLers slated to speak at the convention include Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, Gov. Mark Dayton, Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will also be on hand, as will Miss America Teresa Scanlan. Last week, Scanlan criticized a Newsweek cover of Michele Bachmann as sexist.

Environment Minnesota, in an email to supporters, blasted Klobuchar for her votes last week. “With these votes, Sen. Klobuchar had a choice: stand up for the health of our children, elderly citizens and other vulnerable populations, or do the bidding of America’s biggest polluters. And Senator Klobuchar chose to side with polluters.”

ThinkProgress called Klobuchar one of the 17 “dirty Democrats.”

Klobuchar voted for the Baucus amendment which would have exempted agriculture and small emitters. It failed with the GOP opposing it for not being strong enough and only a handful of Democrats voting “aye.” Klobuchar also voted for the Stabenow amendment which would have put restrictions on the EPA enforcement of greenhouse gases for two years.

Phil Kerpen of the Koch brothers–backed Americans for Prosperity trashed those measures calling them “phony amendments that only pretended to stop the EPA’s job-crushing regulations.”

The White House praised the Senate for rejecting the efforts that Klobuchar backed.

“The administration is encouraged by the Senate’s actions today to defend the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect public health under the Clean Air Act,” President Obama said in a statement. “By rejecting efforts to rollback EPA’s common-sense steps to safeguard Americans from harmful pollution, the Senate also rejected an approach that would have increased the nation’s dependence on oil, contradicted the scientific consensus on global warming, and jeopardized America’s ability to lead the world in the clean energy economy.”

The Senate cast its votes to curtail the EPA’s authority on greenhouse gases last Wednesday, and the House — with the help of a few Democrats — attempted to add them to the budget resolution that almost shut down the government.

Rep. Peterson was at the heart of those efforts.

He was a cosponsor of the attempt to curtail the EPA. According to the New York Times, he offered legislation because of “all this stuff the EPA is doing to ethanol and every other damn thing they are doing.”

In a statement, Peterson cited agricultural concerns.

“This bill hits the pause button on EPA’s current efforts to regulate greenhouse gases,” he said. “America’s farmers and ranchers are committed to preserving our natural resources for the next generation, but what we’re seeing from EPA could potentially interfere with conservation efforts already underway. EPA’s regulations would not only make it harder for agriculture producers to meet increased demand but raise costs on all consumers. If Congress fails to act the economic effects could be devastating.”

The measure was cosponsored by Peterson as well as Republican Reps. John Kline and Michele Bachmann, and was eventually pulled in the final budget agreement late Friday night.