FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2024
Contact: Sam D’Arcangelo, RepresentUs, sdarcangelo@represent.us
FLORENCE, MA – Today, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) announced a new push to ban congressional stock trading. The bipartisan group of senators plan to introduce a revised version of the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act, a bill that would prohibit members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
RepresentUs CEO Joshua Graham Lynn issued the following statement in response:
We welcome today’s announcement of a new, bipartisan effort to end the outrageous practice of Congressional stock trading. With trust in government at an all-time low, it is more important than ever for members of Congress to show they are working for the American people, not their own pocketbooks. This news is a long overdue step in the right direction and a much-needed sign that Democrats and Republicans are still capable of setting their differences aside to get things done.
We are encouraged by the growing momentum behind a ban on congressional stock trading, but we hope the new bill from Sen. Merkley, Sen. Hawley, Sen. Ossoff, and Sen. Peters will be as rigorous as the original version of the ETHICS Act. Americans everywhere need to get loud about this issue to hold lawmakers accountable and begin the process of repairing our broken political system. In these deeply divided times, implementing a policy that is supported by 86% of Americans is the least our leaders can do. Let’s turn up the pressure so they actually do it.
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RepresentUs is America’s leading nonpartisan organization fighting to protect and strengthen democracy. We unite unlikely allies from across the political spectrum who put country over party to pass pro-democracy laws, fight corruption, and defeat authoritarian threats. We have won more than 170 victories in cities and states across America since our founding 11 years ago. Each win brings us one step closer to our vision of making America the world’s strongest democracy.
For more information, contact: Sam D’Arcangelo, RepresentUs, sdarcangelo@represent.us