#CongressTradingBan The debate over banning stock trading by members of the U.S. Congress has intensified following recent allegations of potential insider trading and market manipulation.
### Recent Developments
In early April 2025, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, stating, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT,” just hours before announcing a 90-day pause on most international tariffs. This unexpected policy reversal led to significant market gains, with the S&P 500 rising over 9% and the Nasdaq increasing by 12% citeturn0news30. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns about potential market manipulation and insider trading, prompting calls for investigations citeturn0news33.
Adding to the controversy, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene disclosed purchases of stocks in companies like Apple, Amazon, and Nike just days before Trump's tariff announcement. These investments, made between April 8 and 9, ranged from $21,000 to $315,000 and coincided with a significant market surge citeturn0news28. Greene stated that her investments are managed by a financial advisor under a fiduciary agreement and are transparently reported.
### Legislative Efforts
In response to these events, lawmakers have renewed efforts to ban stock trading by members of Congress:
- **End Congressional Stock Trading Act (H.R. 1908)**: Introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett in March 2025, this bill aims to prohibit members of Congress and their families from trading stocks entirely. It has been referred to several House committees for consideration citeturn0search6.
- **Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act (S. 3494)**: Introduced in 2022, this bill would require members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children to divest certain investments or place them into a qualified blind trust within 120 days of the bill's enactment. The requirement would also apply to new members within 120 days of assuming office citeturn0search0.
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Public support for banning congressional stock trading remains high. A 2023 Morning Consult/Politico poll found that 68% of Americans support a stock trading ban for members of Congress citeturn0search8. Lawmakers across the political spectrum have echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
As the debate continues, these legislative efforts aim to address concerns about potential conflicts of interest and restore public trust in government institutions.