Contact Congress about S. 1171: Ending Trading and Holdings In Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act
Top federal officials and their families could no longer buy or keep most individual stocks and similar assets. They would have to sell covered holdings by set deadlines or face repeat fines. The bill also makes their financial reports easier to search online.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
Ending Trading and Holdings In Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act is a Senate bill in Congress.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects Members of Congress, the President, the Vice President, and their spouses and dependent children. These families would have to change how they hold and manage many investments. It also affects ethics offices, which would have to review filings, post records, and issue fines. The public, journalists, and watchdog groups would get easier online access to financial reports.
Why this matters: This bill matters because it would change how top officials handle money that could be affected by their public power. It tries to lower the risk that officials make decisions while owning investments tied to those decisions. It also tries to make financial records easier for the public to check. The real effect on public trust, who runs for office, and how well the rules work would depend on how ethics offices carry them out.
Key provisions in S. 1171
- The bill covers Members of Congress, the President, the Vice President, their spouses, and their dependent children. It calls these people covered persons or family members.
- Covered people could not buy any covered investment after the law is enacted. There are narrow exceptions, such as some inherited investments that still must be sold by set deadlines.
- Covered people would have to sell covered investments owned by them, their spouses, or their dependent children within 120 days of March 31, 2027. People who enter office later for a new non-consecutive term would have 120 days after that term starts.
- Hard-to-sell investments, such as some private fund interests, would have a special deadline. They must be sold within 90 days after the official is legally allowed to sell them.
- A dependent child could keep up to $10,000 total in covered investments if a legal guardian manages them. That small amount would not trigger the sell-off rule.
How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 1171
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about S. 1171
- What is S. 1171?
- Top federal officials and their families could no longer buy or keep most individual stocks and similar assets. They would have to sell covered holdings by set deadlines or face repeat fines. The bill also makes their financial reports easier to search online.
- How do I support or oppose S. 1171?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about S. 1171?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain S. 1171 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
