WASHINGTON — Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who represents the Knoxville region, drew national attention Wednesday after delivering a series of blunt hallway remarks criticizing congressional stock trading, a long-running ethics issue that has repeatedly stalled in Washington.
Burchett spoke to reporters after the House Administration Committee held a hearing on potential updates to the STOCK Act, which governs financial disclosures for federal lawmakers. Clips of his comments quickly went viral on X.
“Let’s give America a reason to trust Congress for once in our miserable lives,” Burchett said. “Everybody talks about this place being a dadgum swamp. It’s not a swamp. This is a sewer.”
He accused members of avoiding reforms that have broad bipartisan support among voters, saying Congress had been “enriching itself for too dadgum long.” Burchett urged constituents to “light up the switchboard” to pressure House leadership to take action.
The committee examined proposals to restrict or ban members and their spouses from trading individual stocks. More than two dozen bills have been introduced in recent years, but House leadership has not committed to bringing any to a vote.
Burchett has backed several of the proposed bans, arguing that eliminating stock trading by lawmakers would help restore public trust. “America knows what the heck’s going on,” he said.
No vote is currently scheduled.
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