The House of Representatives passed H.R.7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, on July 22 by a bipartisan vote of 232-198. Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil said the legislation marks a significant move toward ethics reform in Congress and called for swift Senate action.
“The Stop Insider Trading Act is a major step forward for ethics reform on Capitol Hill. It ensures no lawmaker can profit off of insider information,” said Chairman Bryan Steil. “I urge my Senate colleagues to quickly take it up and send it to President Trump’s desk.”
The final version of the bill includes provisions from Steil’s Voter ID Act, which would require voters to present valid photo identification when casting ballots. The combined legislation aims both to prevent lawmakers and their immediate families from purchasing securities issued by publicly traded companies and to introduce new voter identification requirements.
Under the bill, members of Congress must file public notice at least seven days but no more than fourteen days before any intended sale of covered investments with either the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate. Violations will result in penalties issued by respective ethics committees: either $2,000 or ten percent of the value involved—whichever is greater—and forfeiture of any realized profits from such sales.
President Trump previously urged Congress to pass this legislation during his 2026 State of the Union Address.
The House Administration Committee, which oversees federal elections, congressional contests nationwide, operations within the House, and Capitol security measures—including responses following September 11 and January 6 events—played a key role in advancing this measure, according to its official website.