Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am pleased to join today the chairman of our committee, Senator Lieberman, and the sponsor of this bill, Senator Scott Brown, in urging our colleagues to begin consideration of what is known as the STOCK Act. This legislation is based on a bill that was first introduced in the Senate by Senator Scott Brown and a similar one introduced by Senator Gillibrand. Put simply, the STOCK Act is intended to ensure that Members of Congress do not profit from trading on insider information. As a cosponsor of Senator Brown's bill, I wish to commend him for his leadership in this area. I also wish to recognize Chairman Lieberman for moving this important bill forward in such an expeditious manner. Press reports on ``60 Minutes'' and elsewhere have raised questions about whether lawmakers have been exempt, either legally or practically, from the reach of our laws prohibiting insider trading. At a time when polls show record low public confidence in Congress, there is a strong desire on our part to address the concerns that underpin the public's skepticism and assure the American people that we are putting their interests ahead of our own. The STOCK Act is intended to affirm that Members of Congress are not exempt from our laws prohibiting insider trading. While several of the witnesses who appeared before our committee's hearing on this bill testified that there is no legal exemption for Members of Congress, confusion and uncertainty nevertheless persists.…”