Ricketts Calls for Unanimous Passage of Stop Insider Trading Act

WASHINGTON, D.C – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) took to the Senate floor to ask for unanimous consent to pass his Stop Insider Trading Act. Senate Democrats objected.

The Stop Insider Trading Act would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and their children from buying stocks. It would also mandate a seven-day public notice before selling stocks.

The House of Representatives passed this bill on July 22 by a bipartisan vote of 232-198. It also included voter ID requirements. Both measures would help restore Americans’ trust in our institutions.

“Clearly Americans are not trusting this institution on this issue,” said Ricketts. “We have an opportunity to course correct. To help restore the integrity and therefore the confidence that Americans have in the U.S. Congress. And that’s by passing H.R. 7008, that includes the Stop Insider Trading Act.”

“Even the perception of using insider information to benefit yourself financially is undermining the confidence. The same can be said for voter ID… In my state of Nebraska, as Governor, we put it on the ballot, and it passed overwhelmingly. Nebraskans wanted to have voter ID as part of the process of elections to make sure they could trust in the integrity and have confidence.” Ricketts continued.