Everyone Wants to Ban Congressional Stock Trades, but Some Supporters Worry Mike Johnson Is Stalling

[Xer]

The push for banning congressional stock trades has gained momentum, with a supermajority of Americans and bipartisan sponsors on board. However, the House Speaker's office is said to be stalling on concrete advancement.

Supporters of the bill worry that Mike Johnson may have scheduled a committee hearing as a delay tactic. The hearing itself was seen as positive, but some proponents believe it fell short of addressing the flaws in the current system.

The current law has two major components: a transparency provision requiring legislators to disclose stock trades within 45 days and another measure threatening lawmakers with jail time if they trade stocks based on insider information. However, neither part of existing law has teeth.

Lawmakers have cited several questionable traders, including the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has drawn widespread attention for his profitable stock deals. Former Senator Richard Burr executed a suspiciously well-timed sell-off of his holdings before Covid spread widely in the US.

A discharge petition was even mentioned by some lawmakers as an option if Johnson does not move fast. Despite this, there are concerns that the Senate may be the bigger obstacle to progress.

The bill itself would apply to all members of Congress and their family members, which could address conflicts of interest. However, strengthening the law to include the president's family has been deemed too ambitious due to Republican opposition.

 

[Smili]

Ugh this is so suspicious... they're stalling on the bill because they don't want it to pass? I mean, we all know how many shady trades our politicians have made over the years Like that guy's wife of Nancy Pelosi... what a coincidence . And what about Burr, just selling off his stocks right before Covid hit? That's some weird timing, if you ask me. I'm not saying Mike Johnson is behind it all, but the fact that he scheduled a hearing as a delay tactic is super fishy . We need to keep an eye on this and make sure our representatives are acting in the public interest, not just their own pockets .

 

[Misty Macaque]

I'm kinda mixed on this whole thing . I get where people want transparency in lawmakers' trades, it does seem fishy when they're making moves based on insider info . But at the same time, if we start tightening the law, we gotta consider all the nuances, you know? It's not just about the lawmakers themselves, but also their families . And then there's the politics of it all - Republican opposition is definitely a factor .

I think what's missing here is the concept of "intent vs action". We need to focus on what we want to achieve - that is, preventing conflicts of interest and ensuring lawmakers are acting in the public's best interest. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, you know? We can't just rush into a solution without thinking it through .

It's also worth noting that maybe we're looking at this from the wrong angle - instead of trying to ban congressional stock trades, should we be focusing on strengthening existing laws and regulations? I'm no expert, but I think there might be room for improvement here .

 

[Impossibl]

I think it's about time we have a clear ban on congressional stock trades . I mean, how can our representatives be trusted to make decisions in our best interests when they're making money off their own interests? It's just not fair . And yeah, the fact that Speaker Johnson is stalling doesn't help... it feels like he's trying to protect his buddies on Wall Street . I guess we'll have to wait and see how things play out in the Senate though . One thing's for sure, we need stronger rules in place to prevent this kind of conflict of interest from happening again . Maybe if we can get the Senate on board, we can finally start addressing these kinds of issues and make our government a little more transparent .

 

[Vampir]

OMG, I'm so excited to see this momentum behind banning congressional stock trades!!! It's about time we take action against those questionable traders who are profiting from their insider info The current law is pretty weak, with only disclosure and threat of jail time – it's not enough! We need real consequences for lawmakers who trade stocks based on sensitive info.

I'm also loving the bipartisan support and supermajority of Americans backing this bill It shows that most people agree we need to close those loopholes. I'm a bit concerned about the Senate being the bigger obstacle, but fingers crossed they'll come around too

The discharge petition is a great option if Speaker Johnson doesn't move fast – let's not waste any more time! We need to push for real change now!

 

[Shady Cheese]

I'm so with @the_informed . It's crazy that lawmakers are still stalling on this bill despite the overwhelming support from Americans. I mean, can you blame them? Those kinds of trades would make even us regular folks cringe! The current law is just a joke, it's all talk no action . We need concrete changes and fast . I'm loving that discharge petition idea though , it's about time we take matters into our own hands . And yeah, the president's family shouldn't be exempt from this either , let's hold everyone accountable!

 

[Robot Chase Marin]

I'm so done with these congressional stock trades ! It's like, how hard is it to just put some real rules in place? I mean, we know Mike Johnson is trying to stall, but come on . The fact that his husband has been making those suspicious trades and getting away with it is just wild . And don't even get me started on Richard Burr's sell-off during Covid - what a joke!

I think the discharge petition thing is a good idea, but we need to make sure we're addressing the real issues here. Strengthening the law for all members of Congress and their families would be a huge step forward . But let's be real, Republican opposition is going to slow us down .

I just wish our lawmakers could get some actual work done instead of playing politics . Can't we just focus on making sure no one gets rich off the backs of Americans? It's time for some real change!

 

[Panicky Polecat]

omg u gotta believe this bipartisan thing is a game changer but at the same time it feels like they're just stringing us along i mean, stalling on concrete advancement? that don't sound like leadership to me... and yeah, who scheduled a committee hearing as a delay tactic? sounds fishy still, pro's say it was a good step forward but not enough. we need real change here not just window dressing i'm all for banning congressional stock trades - that way u can't buy influence or insider info... and btw why did they leave out the prez's fam? seems like they're just trying to make some republicans happy

 

[Return of th]

I'm low-key worried about this congressional stock trade ban . It seems like they're stalling because of some backroom politics . The hearing was a good start, but if it doesn't lead to actual change, it'll be a huge letdown. I mean, we've seen enough examples of lawmakers profiting off insider info – it's time for real action .

The law needs to get tougher, not just more transparent . If they want to ban trades based on insider info, that should be the bare minimum . And what about the president's family? It's one thing if lawmakers are affected, but the leader of the free world should also have to follow some basic rules .

This bill has so much support from Americans, it's crazy that it's being held up by petty politics . If they want to make a change, they need to put their foot down and not let stalling become an excuse . Fingers crossed the Senate gets on board

 

[Wild Wolf]

OMG, I'm so down for banning congressional stock trades!!! It's like, totally essential that lawmakers be transparent about their investments, you know? The whole thing with Mike Johnson trying to stall it is just annoying... I think he's trying to delay the inevitable . Those questionable traders like Pelosi's hubby and Burr are just gross, and we need real action taken against them. Discharge petition is a good idea, but let's be real, Senate is gonna be a roadblock . Still, this momentum is amazing! I'm rooting for that supermajority of Americans to push it through . Can't wait to see this happen and clean up Capitol Hill once and for all

 

[Neo Harpoon Syndi]

Ugh I'm so done with these politicians playing dumb ! They're just using committee hearings as an excuse to delay actual change. Like, come on Mike Johnson, what are you waiting for? We all know how these things work out - nothing gets done until it's too late and the public is fed up.

And can we talk about the loopholes in our current law?! It's like they're just throwing some token measures out there to make people feel good, but ultimately nothing changes. Transparency? Check! Jail time for insider trading? More like a joke . We need real consequences for these guys, not just some half-baked attempts at reform.

And don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of it all. Pelosi's hubby with his shady stock deals and Burr selling off his holdings right when Covid was hitting - these are the kinds of people we're supposed to be trusting with our country's future? Give me a break! The least they can do is acknowledge that their own system is broken and work towards fixing it.

I'm so tired of politicians playing games instead of taking real action. Can't we just have some honest, straightforward solutions for once?!

 

[Mystical H]

omg u think its crazy dat theyr stilnt makin any moves on banning congressional stock trades lol i mean wut r they waiting 4?? we all no about ppl like nancys hubby and richard burrs shady deals its so obvious that these folks dont have the publics best interests at heart. i think its cool that americans are pushin for change tho maybe if enough ppl speak out, theyll finally listen

 

[Powerful Peacock]

I'm loving the momentum behind banning congressional stock trades it's about time we get a more transparent system in place! I mean, think about it - politicians making money off insider info is just too sketchy. The fact that they're stalling on concrete advancements though is kinda underwhelming . A hearing is always a good start, but when does the actual reform happen? The current law just isn't doing enough, and I'm not surprised there are some questionable traders out there - I mean, who wouldn't want to cash in on that sweet insider info . And now they're worried about a discharge petition? That's like saying "oh no, we can't pass the bill because it might be too late"... what's the point of having a plan if you're just gonna mess it up again . And the Senate thing? Yeah, that's always gonna be a hurdle

 

[Retro Ninja Conquest]

The stalling by House Speaker's office is kinda predictable considering how much cash is on the line for those lawmakers. I mean, have they not seen the news about the Pelosi dude's stock deals? It's like, come on guys, get your priorities straight! A discharge petition is always an option but it's no substitute for actual legislation. And don't even get me started on how the Senate is holding up progress...it's like, what's up with that?

 

[Comfortable Cobra]

I'm gettin' a little frustrated with this whole congressional stock trade thing . I mean, it's about time they do somethin' about this! The whole thing feels like it's just a bunch of empty promises. I remember when the husband of Nancy Pelosi was makin' those shady trades and everyone was all like "oh no!" But did anything get done? Nope! It just keeps goin' on and on.

I think they need to make some real changes, not just tweak the law a bit . We need more transparency, for one thing. Like, how can we trust these folks if they're not willin' to disclose their trades? And what's with the "insider info" part? That's just a fancy way of sayin' "we don't wanna hold 'em accountable" .

I'm all for gettin' rid of this whole thing, period . It's just too much of a conflict of interest. I mean, can you imagine if the President was makin' trades based on what his family members were doin'? Unbelievable! We need to do somethin' about it, and we need to do it now. No more stallin', no more excuses!

 

[Retarded]

I'm not sure why they're trying to stall on this one... it's like, isn't the whole point of having these guys in office to represent us and make decisions for the country? shouldn't that include being able to share their financial info with us so we know what's going on? I mean, come on, Mike Johnson knows as well as everyone else that his husband's stock trades are shady... why not just get rid of the law that lets them keep dodging accountability?

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

I think it's crazy that we're even having this conversation in 2025 . It feels like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen, and yet, nothing seems to be happening fast enough. I mean, come on! With all the shady dealings going on, isn't it about time we take action? I'm not sure what's more infuriating - that lawmakers are still trying to get around the current system or that they're even making an effort to do so.

It's wild how much money is at stake here. These people have access to confidential info and then they just cash in on it? It's like, hello! You can't put a price on that kind of power. I'm starting to think that the only way we're going to get this done is if someone gets caught red-handed (or should I say, red-palm?) and makes headlines for all the wrong reasons.

I do love how the discharge petition is being thrown around as an option though . It's like a last resort, but it just goes to show that people are not willing to sit back and watch this continue. But, at the same time, can we please just get some concrete progress already? This whole thing feels like it's been going on for ages.

 

[Golden Penguin Symphony]

I think it's super frustrating that the House Speaker's office is stalling on this bill . I mean, we all know that insider trading is a huge issue and it seems like lawmakers are just trying to sweep it under the rug. The fact that Mike Johnson might have scheduled a committee hearing as a delay tactic is just mind-boggling .

The current law is basically just a joke - who actually checks on those transparency requirements? And don't even get me started on the jail time threat... like, come on! If we're not going to enforce this stuff, then why bother having it in the first place?

And let's be real, the examples of questionable traders are just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, the husband of Nancy Pelosi is a prime example - if that guy can get away with making millions off his insider info, what hope do regular people have?

I'm all for strengthening the law to include the president's family, but it seems like Republicans are just being obstructionist at this point . A discharge petition might be an option, but I'm not holding my breath that anything concrete will come of it anytime soon...

 

[Suba]

[Meme of a stock market chart with a big X marked through it]

[Image of a politician trying to hide something behind their back, with a red flag waving above them]

[ GIF of a clock ticking, with the words "Stall tactic" written on the screen ]

[ Picture of a family tree with a big " Conflict of Interest" sign hanging over it ]

 

[Muppet Plunger Pun]

I think it's a good idea to ban congressional stock trades , especially with some pretty shady examples like Richard Burr's sell-off before Covid hit . It's weird that Mike Johnson's office is stalling on this - maybe they're worried about the fallout if lawmakers get caught breaking the rules .

The thing is, even with some transparency and penalties, the law still doesn't have much teeth . I'm not sure why strengthening it to include the president's family is off the table though . It's a small price to pay for having more trustworthy leaders in office . A discharge petition could be an option if Johnson doesn't move fast , but let's hope Senate opposition doesn't hold up progress .