Brian Baird

If you don't provide some mechanism for that to happen in times of crisis... you are essentially potentially abdicating the Article I branch responsibilities.

If we don't find some mechanism to disincentivize non-electoral interventions... we create an incentive for mayhem.

The reality is had 20 Members of the Republican conference been killed that day... the balance of power in the House of Representatives would have changed.

It is not fair to say, or accurate to say that the Framers only accepted elections, direct elections as valid means of representation.

I feel compelled to be a part of the solution of an imminent threat to our democracy and really the future of our country and every American citizen.

It's clearly the intent of this legislation is to make sure the public knows if members of Congress are trading on nonpublic information and if spouses are excluded from that, you could just pass information on to your spouse or kids.

I think it was willful, intentional and part of a longer pattern that's quite troubling.

There is indeed. If you look at what happened just last week, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives refused to pass the Disclose Act, a simple piece of legislation that would have said the large donors to these super PACs…

I think it was willful, intentional, and part of a longer pattern that is quite troubling.

It defies common sense to believe that he somehow segregates the knowledge he gets in one committee hearing or a meeting with the secretary of the treasury.

If people in the congressional -- in Congress say that in some ways they are morally superior and they would never abuse something or that the laws should not apply to them, well, we've got a serious problem on our hand.

The most troubling response was people who either, A, did not understand the concept of why insider trading by members of Congress would be a problem.

I suggest, Mr. Chairman, that we have hearings on this, in part to recognize that as important as the United States Congress is in a time of national crisis, it is important that we have one President, preferably under the age of 98 years…

I think we would agree with Ranking Member Sensenbrenner that the House should be the people's House.

It is time for Congress to act on them before they are needed, not after.

The lack of a valid solution will create confusion and constitutional crisis at precisely the worst possible moment.

We still lack a solution that is either constitutionally valid or functional in practice.

I want to thank you for holding this hearing on what I consider to be one of the most important matters that may come before Congress during our careers and perhaps during our lifetimes.