FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2024
Contact: Sam D’Arcangelo, RepresentUs, sdarcangelo@represent.us
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the newly-amended, bipartisan version of the ETHICS Act was approved by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. Introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the bill would ban members of Congress and their immediate family from trading stocks while in office. This is the first time that a bill of this nature has made it out of committee.
RepresentUs CEO Joshua Graham Lynn issued the following statement in response:
Today’s news is a victory for the movement to rein in corruption and restore faith in Congress. Thanks to widespread outrage from across the political spectrum, leaders from both parties have joined forces to push a congressional stock ban further than it has ever gone before. The stage is now set for the ETHICS Act to get a full vote on the Senate floor. We welcome that vote and encourage every member of Congress to support it.
Momentum for a ban on congressional stock trading has been growing rapidly over the past few months. Polling shows 88% of Democrats and 87% of Republican voters support such a ban, and with good reason. Faith in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the fact that many of our leaders continue to openly profit off their positions of power is one reason why. We don’t let referees bet on the games they call, and we shouldn’t let members of Congress bet on the companies they regulate either. It’s about time we took the integrity of our highest legislative body as seriously as we take the integrity of our sporting events.
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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 12 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