July 28, 2026
FROM CONGRESSMAN NICK LANGWORTHY: One of the biggest complaints I hear from people across Western New York and the Southern Tier is that they don’t trust Washington to put their interests first. Frankly, I understand why.
For years, Americans have watched reports of Members of Congress buying and selling millions of dollars’ worth of individual stocks while having access to information unavailable to the public. Last year alone, Members disclosed more than 13,000 stock trades totaling over $635 million, with some making hundreds or even thousands of trades in a single year. Whether those trades violated the law or not, the appearance of a conflict of interest has done enormous damage to the public’s confidence in Congress.
It’s dead wrong. I’m not a millionaire and I don’t trade stocks. And from the day I was sworn into Congress I have made this issue a top priority because you should have 100% confidence that Congress is making decisions in the best interest of the country, not their personal stock portfolio.
In 2023, I kept my campaign promise by joining bipartisan legislation to ban Members of Congress and their spouses from trading individual stocks because public service should never be an opportunity for personal financial gain. I also introduced the bipartisan HONEST Act to prohibit senior Executive Branch officials from owning stocks in companies they regulate, helping eliminate conflicts of interest at the highest levels of government. You should not be able make a single dime using privileged information and government authority over industries you are entrusted to regulate, period.
This week, the House took an important step to stop this insidious practice by passing the Stop Insider Trading Act. I was proud to co-sponsor and help pass this bill that would prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from buying, selling, or owning individual stocks while in office. It also requires divestiture or a blind trust, institutes compliance timelines and strengthens enforcement. This bill has now gone to the Senate for consideration, and I hope they act quickly to get it to the President’s desk for his signature.
This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s about accountability and a responsibility to the people we serve. Elected officials should be held to the same standard as the people we represent. But most importantly, it’s about rebuilding trust and putting power back into the hands of the American people, not the government, as our Founding Fathers intended.
I’m going to keep fighting for reform because the success of our nation is dependent on it. When I get home, I want to be able to look you in the eye and tell you I’m doing everything I can to clean up Washington. The hardworking taxpayers of this country deserve nothing less.
Sincerely,
Rep. Nick Langworthy
