Issue One urges members of Congress to support bipartisan stock trading ban discharge petition

In response to the introduction of legislation by House Democrats that would ban members of Congress and executive branch officials from trading stocks while bipartisan legislation to ban members from engaging in insider trading remains pending, Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN), co-chair of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus, issued the following statement:

“Lawmakers are routinely privy to extraordinarily sensitive, nonpublic information affecting a wide range of industries, from tech companies and pharmaceuticals to defense contracting. While strengthening ethics rules across all branches of government deserves serious consideration, the focus of this Congress has rightly been on banning members of Congress from trading and owning individual stocks, and that should remain the priority.

“Stock trading bans introduced in recent years have stalled because of partisan disagreements. The Restore Trust in Congress Act is different because it was negotiated in good faith by members of both parties. This is how Congress was designed to work: Representatives from the right, left, and center coming together on behalf of the American people to find common ground and pragmatic solutions.

“It’s time for this bill to receive a vote, but unfortunately, Washington gridlock is threatening to hinder this consensus legislation. We urge members to use all the tools — including a recently filed discharge petition from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) — at their disposal to bring the Restore Trust in Congress Act to the floor for a vote.

“Banning congressional insider trading is overwhelmingly popular and one of the few issues that unites conservatives, moderates, and progressives. It is time for House leadership to put politics aside and allow a floor vote. Our democracy and public confidence in Congress matter more than partisan differences.”

Background

Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of members of Congress introduced the Restore Trust in Congress Act, consensus legislation that would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from trading or owning individual stocks while in office. Negotiations were led by Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).

After House leadership declined to commit to bringing the bill to the floor, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida introduced a discharge petition on December 2, 2025, to force consideration of the legislation. The petition currently has 72 signatures. To force a vote, the petition requires 218 signatures, amounting to a majority of the House of Representatives.

The ReFormers Caucus has long championed stronger ethical standards in Congress. Earlier this month, 90 of its members urged House leadership to move forward with the consensus bill before the end of the year. Prohibiting lawmakers and their families from trading stocks remains one of the most broadly supported reforms across the ideological spectrum.