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Sign Now:
“Members of Congress should not be allowed to own or trade individual stock. Congress must pass legislation before the end of the year to make sure that happens!”
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John,
Congress is less popular than … Liz Cheney at a Republican dinner party. Why?
According to a New York Times report, between 2019 and 2021, 183 current U.S. senators and representatives (and their family members) traded stock or another financial asset, and more than half of them sat on congressional committees that provided direct insight into those very same companies and stocks.[1]
Another report by our friends at More Perfect Union shows that 4 out of 5 House Democratic leaders and 4 out of 6 Senate Republican leaders own stock, plus 50 percent of committee chairs and ranking members. In fact, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has seen his wealth grow from $3 million to $34 million between 2004 and 2018―an increase of 1,000 percent.[2]
Congressional ownership of individual stocks tempts legal corruption.
Now, we have a chance to ban individual corporate stock trading, but Congress needs to act during the lame-duck session before the end of the year if we have any chance of it becoming law. Nearly all Republicans oppose the measure. Click here to tell Congress that they should not be allowed to own or trade individual stock.
From pharmaceutical corporations to military contractors to fossil fuel corporations, members of Congress own stock in those industries and more! No wonder three out of four voters support banning lawmakers from trading individual stocks.[3]
Lawmakers are sent to Congress to serve the American people, not to use their power for personal gain.
Sign to tell Congress: Ban congressional stock trading now!
Thank you for fighting for a democracy and an economy that puts working people, not millionaires and billionaires, first.
Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
[1] “Stock Trades Reported by Nearly a Fifth of Congress Show Possible Conflicts,” New York Times, Sept. 13, 2022
[2] “Stock Trades Are CORRUPTING Congress’s Decisions. We Have Proof.,” More Perfect Union, Feb. 10, 2022
[3] “Three in four voters support banning lawmakers from trading stocks: poll,” The Hill, Jan. 6, 2022
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