Here's a summary of what members of Congress had in their campaign accounts through September 2009. The remaining members of the state's delegation will be added to the list.

G.K. Butterfield: $231,000. 

Howard Coble: $525,000.

Bob Etheridge: $1 million.

Virginia Foxx: $1.1 million.

Larry Kissell: $244,000. Businessman Lou Huddleston has raised $57,641 from individuals and loaned himself $45,125. Tim D'Annunzio, who owns a skydiving business, has loaned himself $303,000 and raised $8,400. Hamlet resident Darrell Day has raised $30 and loaned himself $3,000. Republican Thomas Sweeney has not reported raising any money.

Patrick McHenry: $158,000. Iredell County Commissioner Scott Keadle has loaned himself $250,000 to challenge McHenry for the Republican nomination.

Brad Miller: $148,000. Challenger William Randall II has not reported raising any money.

David Price: $218,000. Republican challenger Frank Roche has raised $10,879, mostly through individual contributions. Republican George Hutchins has loaned himself $5,000.

Heath Shuler: $1.1 million.

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt let Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke have it today.

Bernanke was testifying about the role of the reserve in protecting consumers from abusive practices by financial institutions, the AP reports. The Fed chairman said protecting consumers was important. Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, wanted to hear more.

Bernanke touched only briefly on an Obama administration proposal to create an independent Consumer Finance Protection Agency. Some say the proposal, now being debated in the House, would reduce the Fed’s power.

That drew a rebuke from Rep. Melvin Watt, D-N.C. "Five sentences on consumer protection when everything else gets substantially more space," Watt said. "It is just not a good message to send." 

Ed Turlington, a Raleigh lawyer long plugged into state and national Democratic politics, has been elected to the Democratic National Committee.

He was one of 75 at-large delegates nominated by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the party chairman, and elected by the DNC at its meeting last weekend in Austin, Rob Christensen reports.

Also elected from North Carolina was Joyce Brayboy, the former chief of staff to Congressman Mel Watt of Charlotte.

Turlington was in some pretty good company having been chosen along with such major party figures as Elaine Kamarck, Maria Echaveste, Alexis Herman, Dennis Archer, Harold Ickes, Gerald McEntee, Anna Burger, John Sweeney, and Don Fowler.

Turlington was general chairman of John Edwards 2004 presidential campaign and was a top aide to Sen. Bill Bradley's 2000 campaign, as well being closely associated with such Tar Heel figures as former Gov. Jim Hunt and Sen. Terry Sanford.

He was apppointed to the DNC's Resolutions Committee. Appointed co-chair of the DNC's Credentials Committee was Everett Ward of Raleigh, a former executive director of the Democratic Party.

North Carolina Democratic U.S. Reps. G.K. Butterfield of Wilson and David Price of Chapel Hill voted this afternoon to protect ACORN'S right to receive federal funding.

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, voted present, Barb Barrett reports.

The rest of the delegation supported the measure, put forward by Republicans who are attacking the national community development organization.

This week, YouTube videos showed frontline employees at a handful of ACORN offices offering advice to two young undercover activists posing as a prostitute and her pimp.

According to Republican estimates, ACORN has received $53 million in federal funding in the past 15 years. The vote in the House passed 345-75.

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted to prohibit ACORN from receiving federal funding in the spending bill that covers the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, voted yes in the 83-7 vote. U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican, did not vote.

Reaction by U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, to President Barack Obama's health care speech:

"I think this whole month of August had a cathartic effect. I never get down when the public’s expressing itself, because that’s how you get the best policy. But once all the discussion’s over, someone has to come forward with a level head and present the case. That’s what the president did. And he was both firm and conciliatory.”

President Barack Obama scolded both the right and left tonight on the way forward on health reform, saying each side is using too much rhetoric in place of substantive discussion.

"To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end – and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal."

That was aimed at the House Progressive Caucus, of which U.S. Rep. Mel Watt of Charlotte is a member, reports Barb Barrett. Watt and others signed a letter this summer warning Obama that reform without a particular type of public option would be “unacceptable.”

Obama continued: "And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have."

That’s a message to several conservative GOP members, including U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a popular spokesman for House conservatives, who are repeatedly using that talking point.

Just last week, McHenry described the House reform bill as “this enormous government takeover of health care.”

A few sentences later, McHenry repeated his point: “When the government gets into the business through the public option, I’d consider that a government takeover.”

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, went to Africa last week for a congressional trip with the House Committee on Financial Services.

Watt traveled to Tunisia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. He and other members of Congress met with dignitaries in those countries to discuss monetary policy, reports Barb Barrett.

The trip was led by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, who is chairman of the financial subcommittee on international monetary policy and trade.

North Carolina Public Television is planning a call-in show on health care that will be brought to you by the letters "D" and "R."

UNC-TV intends to air the live show 9 p.m. Tuesday. All members of the state's congressional delegation have been invited. So far, Democratic Reps. David Price, Bob Etheridge, Brad Miller and Mel Watt have accepted, according to a UNC-TV spokesman. Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican confirmed his participation Thursday afternoon.

Sen. Kay Hagan (D), and Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D), Howard Coble (R), Virginia Foxx (R), Walter Jones (R), Sue Myrick (R), Mike McIntyre (D) and Heath Shuler (D) have declined the recently issued invitations.

Reps. Larry Kissell (D) and Patrick McHenry (R) have not yet responded.

Perhaps UNC-TV should sweeten the pot with a few tote bags and mugs.

Update: Post includes updated list of who has decided to participate. 

The Club for Growth’s new report card on congressional earmarks gives perfect scores to just one North Carolina Republican.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk voted 68 times to eliminate specific projects around the country that had been inserted into spending bills by her congressional colleagues. Earmarks, which are projects funded by directed spending by individual members of Congress, have been targeted by several government watchdog groups, including Club for Growth, a think tank in Washington that supports economic prosperity, Barb Barrett reports.

The group rated members on how often they supported amendments that would have eliminated specific projects around the country for programs such as research initiatives, hospital rehabilitations, cultural grants and small business assistance. Among North Carolina’s other members, Republican Reps. Patrick McHenry scored 99 percent, Sue Myrick scored 97, and Howard Coble scored 84. At the other end of the spectrum, Democrats Mel Watt, David Price, Mike McIntyre, Larry Kissell and Bob Etheridge each scored a zero.