The Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act, rebranded as the Honest Act in July 2025, is a bold step to ban stock trading by members of Congress, their spouses, and top executive officials, tackling rampant concerns about insider trading.
Championed by Senator Josh Hawley, the bill gained traction after a Senate committee vote on July 30, 2025, but faces resistance and intrigue, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi under scrutiny and President Donald Trump demanding an investigation. The American people are demanding an end to this practice in 2025.
On July 30, 2025, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced the Honest Act, prohibiting lawmakers, presidents, and vice presidents (post-Trump administration) from trading individual stocks, limiting them to diversified mutual funds, ETFs, or U.S. Treasury bonds. Named after Pelosi due to her husband Paul’s 54% stock portfolio gain in 2024—doubling the S&P 500’s 24% average—Hawley’s bill hit a snag when he blocked an amendment by Senator Rick Scott to investigate Pelosi’s trades. Hawley defended the bill, stating, “We should be here to focus on the public’s business, not private gain.”
Pelosi, initially resistant, endorsed the bill, saying, “We must have strong transparency, robust accountability and tough enforcement for financial conduct in office because the American people deserve confidence that their elected leaders are serving the public interest—not their personal portfolios.” Yet, her support followed a tense CNN moment on July 31, when Jake Tapper pressed her on Trump’s accusations, prompting her to snap, “Why do you have to read that? We’re here to talk about the 60th anniversary of Medicaid.”
Trump amplified the issue, declaring on July 30, “Nancy Pelosi should be investigated, because what she has the highest return of anybody practically in the history of Wall Street, save a few,” and, “Nancy Pelosi became rich by having inside information. She made a fortune with her husband. And I think that’s disgraceful.”
Representative Anna Paulina Luna highlighted bipartisan resistance, noting, “Too many lawmakers profit from their positions,” and plans a House floor vote in September. Lawmakers like Scott and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, with significant stock portfolios, face financial constraints under the bill. The Honest Act allows safer investments, ensuring compliance within 180 days, with fines up to 10% of violative transactions.
If Senator Josh Hawley hopes to see the Honest Act pass, he is focusing on establishing clear policies and stringent penalties for future stock trading by lawmakers, while steering clear of investigations into the past. His mysterious block of an amendment targeting Nancy Pelosi’s trades shows he understands that digging into historical dealings risks alienating bipartisan support, potentially killing the bill. By prioritizing forward-looking reforms—banning individual stock trading and enforcing fines up to 10% of violative transactions—Hawley can unite reformers and protect the bill’s momentum, ensuring it crosses the finish line to restore public trust.
The American people, with 70% supporting a stock trading ban, expect insider trading to end in 2025. Resistance from lawmakers must yield to public demand. Help us push the Honest Act past the finish line!
