Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), along with a diverse and bipartisan coalition of lawmakers including, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Chip Roy (R-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Tim Burchett (R-TN), introduced the Restore Trust in Congress Act—legislation crafted together in a bipartisan manner to ban stock trading by Members of Congress and establish robust enforcement mechanisms and penalties.
The Restore Trust in Congress Act is the product of months of negotiations among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have been at the forefront of efforts to ban congressional stock trading. For the first time, Members who previously championed competing proposals have united behind a single, comprehensive bill—marking an unprecedented step forward in the fight for congressional accountability.
The lawmakers formally introduced the legislation during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol, calling for swift passage and an immediate floor vote.
The bill would prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses, dependent children, and trustees from owning, purchasing, or selling individual stocks, securities, commodities, and similar financial assets. It also includes strong enforcement provisions and meaningful penalties for violations. This unified legislation draws from several earlier proposals, including the Restoring Faith in Congress Act, authored by Fitzpatrick and Ocasio-Cortez earlier this year—and reflects a shared commitment to rebuilding trust in America’s democratic institutions.
“Ending congressional stock trading has been one of my top priorities every Congress, because it speaks to something bigger than politics: trust. A bipartisan coalition of this magnitude sends a clear message to the American people: we hear you, and we’re taking action to ensure no Member of Congress uses public office for personal gain once and for all. If you’re in Congress, you serve the public interest—not your portfolio. We owe the American people nothing less, and we won’t stop fighting until this bill becomes law,” said Fitzpatrick.
“The information we have access to as members of Congress should only be used to serve our constituents, not ourselves. Because of the support of the American people on this issue, we have generated the momentum necessary to be able to introduce the bipartisan Restore Trust in Congress Act. And we look forward to bringing this to the floor and banning the trading of individual stock by members of Congress,” said Ocasio-Cortez.
"It’s far past time to ban Members of Congress from day trading stocks, and for the first time, a bipartisan coalition is standing together behind a united proposal to do just that. The Restore Trust in Congress Act ensures that members of Congress will no longer be able to put the stock market first in their official decisions. This bill strikes a balance between being easy to comply with, but without tons of loopholes for Members to continue trading while on the job. We must vote on this bill and put this conflict of interest to bed for once and for all. I look forward to seeing the Restore Trust in Congress Act move through the legislative process," said Roy.
“We must take a strong stand against corruption and end stock trading by members of Congress once and for all,” said Magaziner. “I have made banning Congressional stock trading a priority through my time in the House, and this bipartisan bill is our best chance at finally getting it done.”
“We are governing in a moment when public trust is at historical lows. Only two in ten Americans trust the government to do what is right for them and they are constantly seeing their elected officials selling them out to the highest bidder. They see the people elected to represent them instead making decisions to increase their own personal wealth. Finally, we are putting the American people first with this bipartisan legislation, which will ban stock trading for Members of Congress and set a new standard of integrity,” said Jayapal.
“The American taxpayer always gets the short end of the stick, while Congress profits at their expense. I hope Congress has the guts to stand up and pass legislation to ban member stock trading," said Rep. Burchett.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
The Restore Trust in Congress Act was introduced with 16 original cosponsors, eight from each party: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA-10), Rep. Dave Min (D-CA-47), Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX-27), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), and Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY-19).
Background:
In 2023, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick first partnered with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Raja Krishnamoorthi to introduce a bipartisan bill to ban congressional stock trading—an early step that laid the groundwork for the Restore Trust in Congress Act.
Since entering Congress, Fitzpatrick has made it his mission to rebuild public trust, clean up corruption, and strengthen the foundations of American democracy. Drawing on his experience as an FBI Special Agent and former head of the Bureau’s Political Corruption Unit, he has led efforts to reform Congress from the inside out.
On the first day of the 119th Congress, Fitzpatrick introduced a sweeping legislative reform package that reflects both his law enforcement background and his deep commitment to bipartisan governance. Recognized as the #1 most bipartisan Member of Congress for five consecutive years, he has authored four constitutional amendments and seven targeted bills focused on congressional accountability, fiscal responsibility, and election integrity.
The Restore Trust in Congress Act builds on that legacy—bringing together a broad, bipartisan coalition to deliver one of the most consequential ethics reforms in decades.
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