Rep. Luna stock trading ban stalls at 74 signatures

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) officially filed Discharge Petition No. 11 on Dec. 2, 2025, to bypass House leadership and force a vote on H.R. 1908, the Restore Trust in Congress Act. The bill, introduced by Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), would ban members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children from trading individual stocks, owning them directly, or holding them outside blind trusts. The petition needs 218 signatures to succeed—a majority of the 435-member House. As of Jan. 2026, 74 members have signed. Luna needs 144 more signatures to force a floor vote.

The Restore Trust in Congress Act would require members to divest their individual stock holdings within 180 days of enactment or place them in a qualified blind trust. Spouses and dependent children would be subject to the same restrictions. Members could still own diversified mutual funds, index funds, and Treasury bonds. Violations would carry civil penalties of up to 10% of the value of the prohibited holdings per month. The bill aims to eliminate conflicts of interest and insider trading by members who receive non-public information through their official duties. Current law only requires disclosure within 30 days. It doesn't ban trading.

Luna's discharge petition has attracted bipartisan support, but not enough to reach 218 signatures. Supporters include Democratic Reps. Maxwell Frost, Jared Moskowitz, Darren Soto, and Frederica Wilson (all from 🌴Florida), along with Republican Reps. Cory Mills (FL) and Greg Steube (FL). Luna said in a Dec. 2 press release that "members of Congress should not be allowed to profit off information they receive in the course of their official duties." She called the current system "legalized insider trading" and urged colleagues to sign the petition. The bipartisan support reflects public outrage over congressional trading.

The discharge petition is a procedural maneuver to circumvent House leadership and force a floor vote on legislation that leadership has blocked. Speaker Mike Johnson and previous Speakers Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy have all declined to schedule votes on stock trading ban bills, despite bipartisan public support. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures (an absolute majority), making it rare and difficult. If successful, H.R. 1908 would receive one day of debate and a floor vote. Discharge petitions have forced votes only 20 times since 2000. Most fail to reach 218 signatures because members fear retaliation from leadership.

Polling shows 70-80% of Americans support banning congressional stock trading. A 2023 Pew Research poll found 76% of Americans believe members shouldn't be allowed to trade stocks. Support is bipartisan: 82% of Democrats, 75% of independents, and 68% of Republicans favor a ban. Despite public support, House leadership has blocked votes. Critics note that members of Congress have significantly outperformed the S&P 500 in their stock portfolios, suggesting use of non-public information. Studies show senators' portfolios beat market averages by 5-10% annually. A 2022 🗽New York Times investigation found 97 members or their families traded stocks that intersected with their congressional work.

🌴Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed Luna's effort on Dec. 4, 2025, and called for Florida state legislative candidates to disclose their stock trading intentions. DeSantis said "elected officials should serve the public, not their stock portfolios." DeSantis proposed requiring Florida candidates to pledge whether they support a stock trading ban. Luna praised DeSantis' support and said it demonstrates growing momentum for the issue. However, DeSantis' endorsement is largely symbolic. He has no authority over federal discharge petitions. His support may help Luna pressure Florida Republicans to sign, but it won't directly increase signature counts.

With 74 signatures and 144 still needed, Luna's petition faces steep odds. Discharge petitions rarely succeed because they require defying party leadership. Members risk losing committee assignments, fundraising support, and leadership backing for their own bills if they sign. Luna and other supporters are pressuring members through public campaigns and social media. If the petition reaches 218 signatures by late Jan. 2026, the bill could get a floor vote before the end of the session. However, even if the House passes it, the Senate would need to act, and President Trump hasn't stated a position on congressional stock trading bans. Speaker Johnson announced Jan. 12 that GOP leadership is drafting a weaker alternative that lets members keep stocks they already own.