Should insider trading by Congress be allowed? Standard Site ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Apr. 18, 2012.       The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act intended to prohibit members of Congress from buying or selling securities based on information gained on the job, but the bill died in House committee three times (2006, 2007, 2009) with only a few sponsors. On Nov. 13, 2011, 60 Minutes reported that several members of Congress allegedly used insider information for personal gain, and the STOCK Act received 84 additional House co-sponsors within five days. On Apr. 4, 2012, the STOCK Act was signed into law by President Obama. Proponents contend that regulating insider trading is inefficient, would be impossible to implement in Congress, and could harm the flow of information between Capitol Hill and the public. Opponents contend that congressional insider trading allows for unethical profiteering and conflicts of interest and that government officials should be held to the same standards as all other Americans. Read more… Overview Core Question Did You Know? Historical Timeline Comments

ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Apr. 18, 2012. On Apr. 18, 2012 we archived this site – meaning we will likely no longer make any updates to it. The site was archived because on Apr. 4, 2012 President Obama signed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act which explicitly prohibited members of Congress from buying or selling securities based on information gained on the job. The site will remain accessible so that our readers can continue to benefit from the information it provides. If something materially significant occurs on this subject, we may update or even "unarchive” the site. For a list of all our websites, please visit www.procon.org. Insider Trading ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit website that presents facts, studies, and pro and con statements on questions related to insider trading by congress.

Pros & Cons by Category CORE QUESTION   Should insider trading by Congress be allowed? Defining Insider Trading   What is insider trading?   What are some examples of illegal insider trading? Insider Trading Law and Regulation   What are the US insider trading laws and penalties?   Which agencies are responsible for establishing and enforcing insider trading laws?   What are some government agencies that have conflict of interest rules or other regulations prohibiting their employees from trading stocks on which the employees may have insider information? Legal Loophole for Congressional Insider Trading   Is it legal for Congressional representatives to trade securities based on insider information? The STOCK Act   What is the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act?   Should Congress pass the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act? Congressional Representatives' Stock Performance   How do Congressional representatives' stocks perform in relation to the general market? Financial Disclosure   What are the financial disclosure reports that are filed annually by the US House Representatives and Senators?   What are some reported difficulties with evaluating Congressional representatives' financial disclosure reports? Political Intelligence   What is the Political Intelligence Disclosure Act?   What are some of examples of how "political intelligence" can be acquired and used for investment decisions on Wall Street? Insider Trading and the Market   Does insider trading contribute to market efficiency?   Does insider trading harm public confidence in the market?   Is insider trading a victimless offense?

ProCon.org Notices (archived after 30 days) Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)   Last updated on 5/3/2012 3:07:14 PM PST