On the recordFebruary 9, 2012
I thank my colleague, Chairman Smith, for yielding. Madam Speaker, too often the American people feel that Members of Congress live by and benefit personally from a different set of rules than those by which ordinary Americans live. To me, this lack of confidence is unacceptable. It is imperative that we rebuild the trust of the American people in their elected Representatives. The STOCK Act will help do just that. It explicitly bans Members of Congress and congressional staff from using information obtained on the job and using it to profit from securities trading and gives the Securities and Exchange Commission the ability to investigate and prosecute them just like any other American. The American people expect that those who serve in government do so with integrity. The STOCK Act will help ensure that those in government meet this expectation.
