For over a decade, members of Congress have exploited their positions for personal financial gain through stock trading, eroding public trust and compromising the integrity of our democratic system. This poses a serious conflict of interest, as the decisions made by U.S. lawmakers should be for the needs of the citizens they represent, not their pockets.

The Scope of the Problem

• In 2023, Congress made 11,000 trades worth $1 billion (Rau, '24).
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, 240 officials held $9-28 million in stocks of companies that later received federal relief contracts (Ballhaus, '22).
• As Russia invaded Ukraine, defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon were among the most traded stocks on Capitol Hill (Sullivan, '23).
• 54% of stock-owning lawmakers are Republican, and 46% are Democrats, showing this is a bipartisan issue (CLC, '21).

Solution

Our request is clear: We must pass legislation that prohibits members of Congress from trading individual stocks while in office. Instead, they should place their assets in qualified blind trusts managed by independent parties to eliminate conflicts of interest. Key bills include:

• The TRUST in Congress Act
• Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act
• STOCK Act 2.0
• Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act

When elected officials prioritize personal profit over public service, it erodes the foundation of our democracy. 86% of Americans support banning congressional stock trading, reflecting a strong demand for accountability and transparency (Kull, '23).

Call to Action

Sign this petition to demand that Congress members focus on serving the public, not enriching themselves. Let’s restore integrity to our political system and ensure our representatives uphold the highest ethical standards.

Sign now to protect our democracy!