Stock Trading Banned For Lawmakers
Washington, D.C. — As public trust in Congress continues to hit historic lows, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are facing growing pressure to end what many see as legalized insider trading. A new wave of legislation—backed by both Democrats and Republicans—is aiming to ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading individual stocks while in office.
Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) reintroduced the Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act this week, targeting financial conflicts of interest among lawmakers. The bill would force members of Congress to either divest their portfolios or place them in fully blind trusts, preventing them from profiting off non-public information.
“With inflation squeezing American families and seniors, the last thing taxpayers need is a Congress cashing in on privileged information,” said Kelly. “It’s time for this corruption to end.”
The bill is co-sponsored by several prominent Democrats, including Sens. Brian Schatz (HI), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Raphael Warnock (GA), and Michael Bennet (CO).
But it’s not just Democrats making noise.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) recently introduced a competing bill—bluntly named the PELOSI Act—after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), whose husband has faced intense scrutiny for suspiciously timed trades worth millions. Hawley’s bill would ban lawmakers and their spouses from buying, selling, or holding individual stocks for the entirety of their public service.
“Politicians are not above the law,” Hawley said. “Washington has been enriching itself for decades while everyday Americans pay the price.”
Polling shows Americans are fed up. A 2023 survey found 86% of voters support banning lawmakers from trading stocks—a rare issue that unites Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
Despite that, only a small handful of senators have taken voluntary action. Kelly and Ossoff say they’ve already placed their assets in blind trusts—something most lawmakers have refused to do.
President Donald J. Trump weighed in, stating last month that he would “absolutely” sign the stock trading ban if elected again.
“Americans deserve leaders who fight for them—not their stock portfolios,” Trump said. “I’ll sign it. No question.”
For years, Washington elites have grown rich while retirees, working families, and veterans carry the burden of bad policy. But now, with bipartisan momentum and a potential Trump signature on the table, the long-overdue crackdown on Congressional profiteering may finally be within reach.
