Bills · S 3649
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 3649Government Operations and Politics
Restore Trust in Congress Act
INTRO JAN 15· LAST ACTION JAN 15
READING
8MIN
COSPONSORS
2BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenVoters should care about this bill because it addresses long-standing concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety among lawmakers. Under the current system, Members of Congress and their families can trade stocks in companies that might be directly affected by legislation or policies they are working on, which can lead to public suspicion that they are using their position for personal financial gain.
If this bill becomes law, it could significantly increase public trust in Congress by removing this perceived conflict, ensuring that lawmakers are making decisions based solely on public interest rather than potential personal profit. If it doesn't pass, the current system remains, leaving open the door for ongoing ethical questions and potentially eroding public confidence in the integrity of government.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Prohibits Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading individual stocks, commodities, or futures.
This directly addresses potential conflicts of interest by removing the ability of lawmakers and their close family to profit from specific company performance while in office.
PROVISION 02
Requires current covered individuals to sell off their existing prohibited investments within 180 days and new covered individuals within 90 days.
This ensures swift compliance with the new rules, preventing existing assets from becoming a source of continued conflict.
PROVISION 03
Allows for certain types of investments, such as diversified mutual funds, U.S. Treasury bonds, and interests in small businesses, to be owned.
This provides alternative investment avenues, ensuring individuals can still save and invest without creating conflicts of interest.
PROVISION 04
Permits spouses or dependent children to trade prohibited investments if it is part of their primary occupation and the investment is not personally owned by a covered individual.
This creates a narrow exception to avoid unduly penalizing family members whose livelihoods depend on such activities, provided the assets are not personally held by the lawmaker or family.
PROVISION 05
Provides tax benefits (certificates of divestiture) for individuals who sell off assets to comply with the new rules, potentially allowing them to defer capital gains taxes.
This reduces the financial burden on those required to divest, making compliance less financially punitive.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 2
R· Florida
YRS IN OFFICE
1
BILLS LED
55
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 100%
DEM 1 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSJAN 15
Introduced in Senate
JAN 15
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 3649
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 15, 2026
Last actionJan 15, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 15, 2026
Senate BillS 3649Government Operations and Politics
Restore Trust in Congress Act
INTRODUCED JAN 15, 2026· LAST ACTION JAN 15, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
8 min
COSPONSORS
2
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
