Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is calling on House leadership to take up legislation that would ban Members of Congress — and their spouses — from buying or selling individual stocks while in office.
Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s First District, is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Restore Trust in Congress Act. The measure would prohibit lawmakers and their immediate families from owning or trading individual stocks, instead steering them toward options like blind trusts, index funds, or diversified mutual funds.
In a letter sent to the House Committee on Administration, Miller-Meeks urged Chairman Bryan Steil and Ranking Member Joe Morelle to advance a comprehensive reform package. She says the public deserves confidence that lawmakers are acting in the nation’s best interest — not their own financial gain.
“Iowans expect, and deserve, a Congress that works for them, not for personal profit,” Miller-Meeks said. “Members of Congress should not be trading individual stocks while writing laws and receiving nonpublic briefings. It’s time to end this practice, restore trust, and make sure the decisions we make are driven solely by the people we serve.”
She also emphasized that bipartisan proposals are already on the table and believes the Committee can unify them into a single, enforceable reform. According to Miller-Meeks, Americans overwhelmingly support a stock-trading ban, and passing one would be a significant step toward rebuilding public trust.
Miller-Meeks noted that neither she nor her husband own any individual stocks.