ICYMI: Davids Urges Action on Congressional Stock Trading Ban Following Hearing

Statement

Following a hearing examining policies to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, Representative Sharice Davids joined a bipartisan group of 19 House colleagues to call for continued action to prevent insider trading and improve transparency. The House Administration Committee heard strong testimony in support of a stock trading ban for members of Congress and their immediate families last week.

KSHB reported on Davids' continued work with members from both parties to call for further action to introduce those new guardrails:

KSHB: "Rep. Sharice Davids among legislators urging for stronger laws against conflicted stock trading"

"U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who represents Kansas' third congressional district, has joined other lawmakers in signing a letter asking for stronger rules for members of Congress engaging in trading stocks.

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The letter advocates that new legislation to limit stock market endeavors from lawmakers address three main points:

Banning ownership and trading of stocks by representatives' spouses and dependents
Allows for no exception for stocks already acquired before entering Congress
Enforcement of the rules and heavy fines for violations

"Americans across the political spectrum support banning members of Congress from trading stocks," the letter says. "If we seek to write off their concerns with a toothless gimmick, they will see through it and continue to mistrust their elected officials.'"

Davids was an early backer of the idea, even when members of her party leadership were against it. She has signed onto the bipartisan TRUST in Congress Act, which would establish a new firewall between Members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate--as well as their spouses and dependent children--and their investments, ensuring that they cannot use their positions to unethically inform investment decisions or influence the value of their existing investments. Davids has not made any individual stock trades during her tenure in Congress.

The Kansas Reflector reported on Davids support for the bipartisan TRUST in Congress Act:

The Kansas Reflector: "U.S. Rep. Davids backs legislation to avoid insider trading by members of Congress"

"Davids, the 3rd District Democrat seeking re-election in 2022, said members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate were in positions of public trust and should be held to high standards due to their extraordinary access to information not available to some outside government. She said the TRUST in Congress Act would provide necessary barriers to potentially corrupt application of insider information.

"Particularly during COVID, we've seen elected officials appear to misuse that privilege for personal gain on the stock market, which is absolutely unacceptable," she said. "I'm in Congress to make government work for Kansans, and part of that is rebuilding trust. To that end, I support introducing new guardrails that further reduce the likelihood of misconduct by our elected officials.'"

Joining Davids to push for action this week were Representatives Jared Golden (ME-02), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Matt Gaetz (FL-01), Marie Newman (IL-03), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Susan Wild (PA-07), Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Angie Craig (MN-02), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Jason Crow (CO-06), Charlie Crist (FL-13), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Darren Soto (FL-09).

Read the full letter here.

Source