For the first time, the House has voted to restrict members of Congress from buying individual stocks.
On July 22, 2026, the House passed the Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R. 7008) by a vote of 232-198. All 218 voting Republicans and 13 Democrats voted yes; 198 Democrats voted no.
What the Bill Does
- Bars members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from buying individual publicly traded stocks
- Requires public notice at least 7 and no more than 14 days before they sell stocks they already own
- Sets penalties of $2,000 or 10% of the investment’s value, whichever is greater, plus forfeiture of any profit
Why the Vote Split
Supporters, led by sponsor Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), argued it would keep members from profiting on information they gain in office. Opponents raised three main objections:
- It is not a full ban, because members can keep stocks they already own
- House Republicans attached a voter identification provision, which Democratic leaders said had nothing to do with stock trading
- It does not cover the President, Vice President or Cabinet, a point raised by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Some supporters of a stronger ban voted no for the first reason. Others voted yes on the view that a partial step is better than none.
What Comes Next
The bill now goes to the Senate, where it will need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. A broader bipartisan bill, the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which would ban stock ownership outright, is also pending.
Citizens can check how their representative voted on the official House roll call, and review their trades in public disclosure filings.
Keep Digging With Truth Agent
This article is a starting point. Truth Agent puts the public record at your fingertips, including the Constitution, federal law, regulations, court opinions and oversight reports, so you can follow the bill to the Senate, read the vote record and check your representative’s trade disclosures without relying on anyone’s summary, including ours.
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