BGOV OnPoint: GOP Stock Buying Ban Competes With Bipartisan Deal

A House panel voted to advance restrictions on lawmaker stock trading over the objections of Democrats, who say the bill omits key provisions and is designed to muddy bipartisan consensus on the issue.

The bill (H.R. 7008), backed by Republican leadership and approved by the House Administration Committee on Dec. 14, would prohibit lawmakers from purchasing publicly traded stocks without requiring them to divest their current holdings. It also wouldn’t place any limits on shares in private companies or commodities.

The measure competes with a bipartisan bill (H.R. 5106) from Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Seth ...