Nation
Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls for members of Congress to sell all individual stocks
[ad_1]
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., advocated for a new bill she introduced that bans members of Congress or their spouse from owning, buying or trading individual stocks.
Unlike other bills introduced, it would mandate that members of Congress and their spouses sell off all their individual stocks and invest in mutual funds instead. In contrast, other versions of the bill have allowed members of Congress the option to place their individual stocks in a blind trust.
In an interview with CNN, she said, “Now is the time to say to the American people, you can be confident that when a Representative or Senator is voting on something, they’re doing it because they believe it is best for the country, not just for themselves.”
Warren pointed out in the interview that the bill is simple, direct and bipartisan and that it is the only one that exists in the Senate. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is a cosponsor of the bill, providing support across the aisle.
Other members of Congress have recently introduced bills similar to Warren’s that prevent members of Congress from trading stock, and the idea has been popular with voters but has not yet reached enough critical momentum to make it onto the floor for a vote yet.
An investigation by Business Insider released in December found that 57 members of Congress and 182 senior-level congressional staffers have violated a federal conflicts-of-interest law, which sparked public interest in the debate. The results of the investigation revealed that lawmakers and congressional staffers in both parties are constantly investing and trading in stocks that they could impact with their votes or have insider knowledge about.
Insider found that nearly 75 lawmakers held stocks in the top three vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, well before the vaccines were deployed to the public. The investigation pointed out the hypocrisy of many lawmakers, such as Democrats who invested in fossil fuel companies and anti-smoking regulators invested in tobacco companies.
What’s everyone talking about?Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
Even before the investigation, many lawmakers were aware of the issue and introduced bills to combat it.
For example, in May 2019, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Oh., introduced the Ban Conflicted Trading Act, which would bar members of Congress and senior congressional staff from buying or selling individual stocks and other investments, and from serving on any corporate boards, while in office.
The bill was more flexible, allowing members of Congress to hold existing investments while in office but preventing them from trading it until they’re out of office. It also allowed for the possibility of placing their stocks in a blind trust.
More recently, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Az., introduced a Congressional bill in January that prevents not only members of Congress but also their entire family from owning and trading individual stocks. However, similar to the Merkley-Brown bill and unlike the Warren bill, the members of Congress would still have the option to place their stocks in a blind trust.
Ossoff-Kelly stock ban bill: A potential new bill could bar members of Congress and their families from trading individual stocks
In February, Rep. Katie Porter, D-Ca., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Ny., also introduced legislation related to stock trading to strengthen transparency around potential insider trading.
It would require members of Congress, senior congressional staff, and senior members of the executive branch to report any time that they, a spouse, or dependent applies for or receives a benefit from the government like a loan, contract, or a grant. Gillibrand said the expanded ban would also cover supreme court justices and federal reserve governors.
While the bills around stock trading are gaining momentum, lawmakers are still in discussion about the specifics of the bill. Whether it will go onto the House or Senate floor is yet to be seen.
Michelle Shen is a Money & Tech Digital Reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her @michelle_shen10 on Twitter.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Uber, Lyft made safety improvements, but many of those protect riders more than drivers. But drivers are also in danger.
Naomi Ogutu
Opinion contributor
I’ve been a rideshare driver in New York City for six years, and I take pride in my job and helping my passengers get where they need to go safely. But my safety is not a guarantee. I’m a mom of three. I need to know that I’ll make it home to my kids at the end of each night.
Subscribe to continue reading
Access all subscriber-only stories free for 2 months
Subscribe Now
[ad_2]
Business
'A bad déjà vu': Under the crush of Western sanctions, Russians fear a return to dark economic days
[ad_1]
The lone No. 1 seed still alive heading into the Elite Eight, Kansas needs only a win against No. 10 Miami (Fla.) to book a spot in the Final Four.
No. 2 Duke and coach Mike Krzyzewski can make one last Final Four and chase one final national championship by beating No. 4 Arkansas.
No. 2 Villanova can reach the national semifinals for the third time in six tournaments by winning what should be a defense-dominated brawl against No. 5 Houston.
And after beating No. 4 UCLA in the Sweet 16, No. 8 North Carolina is one win from reaching the Final Four under first-year coach Hubert Davis.
If everything goes according to plan, this year’s Final Four will consist of some of the biggest names in the history of the sport.
But the last week has taught us that this year’s NCAA Tournament will inevitably deviate from the script.
So look for the Jayhawks to be shocked in the Elite Eight, as the Bill Self collection of tournament collapses adds another painful chapter. Based on how things have gone through three rounds, Arkansas is a lock to send Krzyzewski into retirement one game shy of the Final Four. Villanova may be a two-time champion under Jay Wright, but the Wildcats will be smothered by Houston.
And, of course, the Tar Heels will lose to the team that embodies the wackiness and uncertainty of this entire tournament.
Saint Peter’s stands at the precipice of another outlandish achievement: being the first No. 15 seed — the first seed lower than No. 11, in fact — to reach the Final Four.
The Peacocks will be the underdog once again come Sunday, when they’ll match against a deeper and more talented opponent with decades of history to more than overshadow the Peacocks’ three-game run.
But beating another college basketball giant will simply take what we already know the Peacocks can bring to the table: Saint Peter’s reached the Elite Eight with energy, aggressiveness and composure, following the model set by unflappable coach Shaheen Holloway, and that same combination will give the Peacocks a chance at etching themselves into an even more permanent place in NCAA Tournament history.
“We’re happy but don’t mistake, we’re not satisfied, we’re not satisfied at all,” said guard Doug Edert. “The job is not finished. We feel like we belong and the more games we win the more confidence we build.”
That sounds like bad news for the Tar Heels, who might’ve righted the ship after a poor start to ACC play but could be the latest blueblood to the Peacocks’ formula.
At some point, the magic has to run out — for Saint Peter’s, which somehow keeps stacking upsets of higher-ranked opponents, and for the tournament at large, which has been wackier than ever but could suddenly snap back to the status quo.
But this March has not gone according to plan. Several big names lost early. Others failed to get out of the second round. The story of this year’s tournament has been upsets, shockers, letdowns, unpredictable officiating and unpredictability, period — why should the next two days be any different?
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
[ad_2]
What are the conditions to play at Kubet?
Why You Should Take Advantage of Solventless Products
5 Ways to Track Direct Mail Effectiveness in Your Marketing Campaign
New Soundboard Review: Pricing is Not Always the Only Criteria
Advantages of Using CBG Oil
Computers Climb the List of the Top Gadgets in Forbes Magazine
-
Tech6 months ago
New Soundboard Review: Pricing is Not Always the Only Criteria
-
Health4 months ago
Advantages of Using CBG Oil
-
Tech6 months ago
Computers Climb the List of the Top Gadgets in Forbes Magazine
-
Latest6 months agoBest supplements: Two daily pills shown to lower cholesterol levels by up to 30 percent
-
Travel6 months agoWinter Olympics recap: Jessie Diggins wins Team USA's final medal, Finland wins men's hockey gold
-
Latest6 months agoMichigan basketball coach Juwan Howard strikes Wisconsin assistant at end of loss
-
Politics6 months ago'Invasion has already begun!' Sajid Javid warns Russia to face sanction fury from UK
-
Science6 months ago
Inspiration for 'Contact' still listening