
A bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday unveiled a plan to block members of Congress and the president from trading stock while in office.
The legislation would make it a penalty for representatives, senators, the president, and the vice president, as well as their spouses, children, and dependents, from engaging in such investments. The proposed bill comes amid bipartisan calls for the practice to be stopped, given accusations that elected officials might be using privileged knowledge to make profitable trades.
The investments that the people covered in the bill would be banned from trading include securities, commodities, futures, options, trusts, and other comparable holdings. Sens. Gary Peters (D‑MI), Jeff Merkley (D‑OR), Josh Hawley (R‑MO), and Jon Ossoff (D‑GA) are behind the plan.
“Americans deserve to have confidence that their federal elected officials a …