The U.S. Senate is advancing a bill to restrict insider trading, prohibiting officials from engaging in securities investments while in office.

Information on the U.S. Congressional website shows that Bill S.1498, the "HONEST Act," of the 119th Congress, was placed on the Senate legislative agenda on December 10th, entering the next stage of consideration. Introduced in April 2025 by Republican Senator Josh Hawley, the bill has passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and been submitted with amendments. The core objective of the bill is to prevent insider trading and conflicts of interest among public officials. It proposes to prohibit members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and certain federal officials from holding or trading financial assets that may pose a conflict of interest during their term of office, including stocks, derivatives, and futures, while providing exemptions for Treasury bonds and broadly diversified funds. The bill also requires relevant personnel to dispose of restricted assets within a specified period and make annual compliance disclosures; violations will face penalties such as fines or forfeiture of proceeds. This legislation is seen as a strengthening supplement to the existing STOCK Act, aiming to improve government transparency and ethical standards, and responding to long-standing public concerns about securities trading and potential insider trading by members of Congress.