Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced a bipartisan bill banning senior government officials from individual stock trading [1].
The legislation seeks to restore public trust by preventing officials from using non-public information for personal financial gain [1]. Lawmakers said that removing the ability to trade individual stocks will tackle perceived corruption within the U.S. government [2].
Beyond traditional equities, the proposal targets betting in financial prediction markets [2]. This move aims to close loopholes where officials could potentially profit from their knowledge of upcoming policy shifts, or government actions [2].
In addition to the House effort, a related Senate bill was introduced on Thursday [3]. While the House legislation focuses on a broad ban on stock trading for members of Congress [2], the Senate version specifically prohibits government officials from using nonpublic information to trade in prediction markets [3].
One of these legislative efforts is titled the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 [3]. The bills represent a coordinated attempt across both chambers to limit the financial activities of high-ranking officials while they serve in office.
The sponsors introduced the House bill on Wednesday as part of a broader push for transparency [2]. The bipartisan nature of the proposal suggests a shared concern over the appearance of insider trading in Washington, D.C. [1].
“The legislation seeks to restore public trust by preventing officials from using non-public information for personal financial gain.”
The introduction of these bills signals a growing legislative appetite to move beyond disclosure requirements toward an outright ban on specific financial instruments for officials. By targeting both the stock market and emerging prediction markets, the legislation attempts to address modern forms of speculative trading that traditional insider trading laws may not fully cover.
