Tampa, Fla. (WFLA) – US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a representative of parts of Pinellas County, is pushing for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and their families.
“If you want to be an equity trader, you’re going into another career field, but don’t do that in Congress,” Luna said in an interview with Jesse Watters of Fox News.
Similar efforts have been made by several members of Congress over the years, but the law on the issue has not been passed since 2012.
The Stock Act required members of Congress to submit financial disclosures regarding stock transactions and implemented new penalties for members who participated in insider trading. According to Campaign Legal Centre, a nonpartisan watchdog group, in the decade since its passage, no members of Congress have been charged under the Stock Act.
US Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) proposed the law earlier this year, the Congressional Stock Transaction Act (HR 1908), which tightens restrictions on Congressional members. The law would prohibit lawmakers, spouses and dependent children from investing or trading in stocks. Barchette introduced the law in March, but never put it out of the committee’s floor.
Now, Luna said she is ready to use the discharge petition to vote for the law. To do this, she needs a simple majority, 218 votes from fellow representatives.
“I am currently about to petition the hospital as Congress is constantly sending a message about this but actually refuses to bring the bill to the floor,” Luna said in an interview with Fox News.
As Congress is on a break in August, no votes for the petition or bill will take place until return in September.
In an interview with Watters, Luna showed that she had pushed back the law and petition well but was not ready to retreat.
“I’ll be honest with you, I have a lot of heat not only from my party, but we’re going to see it from the other side, and I’m ready to make a name a name,” she said.
When asked about House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Luna refused to name him specifically, but said she was receiving pushback from “house leadership.” She also said other lawmakers told her that she was “putting the Republic at risk” by moving forward on the issue.
“What I’m trying to do is actually save the Republic. So if you think that’s the biggest problem we have in this country, then maybe you shouldn’t be in leadership,” Luna responded.
