Why This Matters Members of Congress and senior staff can buy and sell individual stocks — even in companies directly impacted by their committees’ work. Investigations show 60+ cases of lawmakers trading stocks tied to legislation they were shaping (defense, tech, COVID response, etc.). Public trust is collapsing: polls show 80–86% of Americans support a ban on congressional stock trading, across party lines. Judges, federal employees, and executive branch staff already face stricter bans. Congress has carved out an exception for itself.

The Problem The 2012 STOCK Act required disclosure, but: Penalties are trivial ($200 for late filings). No one has ever been prosecuted. Members routinely miss deadlines or ignore rules. Result: systemic “market distortions.” Lawmakers are trading with insider knowledge, while regular Americans play by different rules.

The Solution: This Act The Legislative Integrity and Accountability Act closes the loopholes with five key reforms:

1. Ban individual stock trades for members of Congress, their spouses, and senior staff.2. Ultra-Blind Trusts — investments managed with no input or knowledge, preventing circumvention.3. Rapid, public disclosure (7 days, machine-readable, searchable online).4. Enforcement with teeth: Forfeit gains. Civil penalties up to triple profits. DOJ/SEC investigations. Loss of leadership positions for repeat offenders.
2. State-level pilots — $500k Treasury grants for states to adopt their own bans, building momentum nationwide.

What This Achieves Restores trust in democratic institutions. Eliminates conflicts between public duty and private profit. Levels the playing field — no special inside track for lawmakers. Scales out reforms to states, ensuring integrity from top to bottom.

Bottom Line This Act isn’t about left vs. right. It’s about fairness, accountability, and trust. Congress should serve the public, not profit from insider access.