Today, Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement in support of banning Members of Congress from trading stocks.
“Members of Congress should not be buying and selling stocks while we are making decisions that can directly impact the market,” said Congressman Van Drew. “There is simply too much potential for abuse. I fully support banning stock trading by Members of Congress. Our focus should be on making decisions in the best interests of the people we represent, and a clear ban would help assure the public that personal investments have absolutely no role in the work we do. The Stop Insider Trading Act, which recently passed the House, would prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing individual stocks and require public notice before they sell any stocks they already own. That is a good step forward, but there is more work to be done. We should continue moving toward a strong and straightforward ban that closes any remaining loophole and gives the American people confidence that their representatives are working for them.”