IL Rep on congressmen trading: 'We're not going to take a pile of money
to hell'
[November 21, 2025]
By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – An Illinois congresswoman says the public is right
to be alarmed about elected officials enriching themselves through
insider trading.
The U.S. House Administration Committee held a hearing in Washington
Wednesday to discuss legislation aimed at restricting stock trading by
federal lawmakers and their families.
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Illinois, said members of Congress lack the
fear of God.
“It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment, and we are
not going to take a pile of money to hell with us. People that are
wantonly treacherous, that are disloyal to their constituents, to their
country, to future generations, they should be put to shame,” Miller
said.
Miller said constituents must be able to trust that elected
representatives are serving the people and not themselves.
“When the stock portfolios of members of Congress regularly beat the S&P
500 and members leave the office with vastly higher net worths than when
they arrived, the public is right to be alarmed,” Miller said.
Earlier this year, U.S. Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Seth Magaziner,
D-Rhode Island, introduced the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which
would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, dependent children
and their trustees from owning, buying or selling individual stocks,
securities, commodities or futures. The bill also outlines the process
by which lawmakers would be required to divest from covered assets.
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Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Hindsboro, is pictured. Photo:
Greg Bishop / The Center Square
Democratic Illinois U.S. Reps Nikki Budzinski, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia,
Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez and
Eric Sorensen have signed on as cosponsors of the legislation.
During the committee hearing Wednesday, Miller asked Jim Copland,
senior fellow and director of Legal Policy for the Manhattan
Institute, how enforcement of the act would be evenly applied.
“That’s sort of the rub there. Part of the problem is the
enforcement mechanism. The Stock Act reserves it to your own bodies,
your own ethics offices or independent committees set up under your
own body,” Copland said.
Copland said he would be happy to work with lawmakers on improving
the enforcement process.
Miller asked Dan Savickas, vice president of Policy and Government
Affairs for the Taxpayer Protection Alliance, if he would support
enforcement being independent of the legislative or executive
branches.
“In principle, yes, reserving the right to look at any specific
proposal,” Savickas answered.
Miller said former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made over $100
million from her time in public service.
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