November 18, 2025
The Honorable Bryan Steil
Chairman, House Administration Committee
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Joseph Morelle
Ranking Member, House Administration Committee
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Steil, Ranking Member Morelle, and Members of the Committee,
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I write to express our views on H.R. 5106, the Restore Trust in Congress Act.
NTU appreciates the Committee’s efforts to address conflicts of interests in congressional stock trading. We agree that prohibiting members of Congress from trading individual stocks is a sensible reform that will bolster the public’s trust in the policymaking process. Our organization has long championed this issue, and, in the past, has also highlighted gaps in previous proposals that fail to fully address conflicts of interest.
Nevertheless, we are concerned that provisions in H.R. 5106 could unintentionally discourage qualified Americans from running for office. The legislation’s forced divestiture process could impose prohibitive financial burdens on prospective candidates and shrink the pool of individuals willing to serve in Congress. Without modifications, Capitol Hill risks becoming a club only for those wealthy enough to shoulder these costs.
We believe the Committee should consider alternative solutions that uphold high ethical standards without imposing such financial burdens. In particular, expanding the qualified blind trust option to allow for the retention of assets would be a practical compromise that balances integrity with accessibility to public office. Blind trusts are already a proven tool for mitigating conflicts of interests in both the public and private sectors.
Thank you for your consideration. As you continue your important work of shoring up public trust in government, we urge you to focus on reforms that uphold ethical safeguards that aren’t so onerous they dissuade everyday Americans from serving their country.
Sincerely,
Alexander Ciccone
Policy and Government Affairs Manager
National Taxpayers Union