Political notebook: US Sen. Ossoff pushing bill to ban stock trading by members of Congress

U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., speaks to reporters Aug. 8 before a Georgia Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Athens, Ga. Ossoff is pushing a bill that would require members of Congress to put their stocks in a blind trust. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., speaks to reporters Aug. 8 before a Georgia Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Athens, Ga. Ossoff is pushing a bill that would require members of Congress to put their stocks in a blind trust. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

By Andy Sher September 17, 2023 4 min read

NASHVILLE — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, is renewing his push to ban stock trading by members of Congress.

The “Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act,” which is also sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, would require senators and congressional members, their spouses and dependent children to place stocking holdings in a blind trust.

“Members of Congress should not be playing the stock market while we make federal policy and have extraordinary access to confidential information,” Ossoff said in a news release. “Stock trading by members of Congress massively erodes public confidence in Congress with serious appearance of impropriety, which is why we should ban stock trading by members of Congress altogether.”

Bill co-sponsors include U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia. Ossoff introduced similar legislation in the most recent Congress that did not pass.