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House passes congressional stock buying ban

Aug. 12, 2026 · Bill Summary · by Brandi M. Vail

On July 22 the House passed the Stop Insider Trading Act (SITA), with a poison pill for the Senate. The main part of the legislation would increase penalties for insider trading in Congress from $200 to $2000 or 10% of the value of the transaction, whichever is greater, plus any profits. But the current penalties which are imposed by the STOCK Act, passed in 2012, have never been successfully enforced, despite violations. SITA would also ban legislators, their …