Analysis · Floor speech · beta

Jeff Merkley

Democrat on Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act 2026-09-30

859 words · 39 sentences · 62 clauses

Statement grade

Average 94 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Positioning 7%Reasoning 14%Claims 66%Aside 0%The ask 5%Procedure 8%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Madam President, Positioning · 6 wordscongressional stock trading is profoundly corrupt.Positioning Reasoning · 13 wordsWe in this Chamber were elected to serve the public, not our portfolio. Positioning · 7 wordsBut what do the American people see?Positioning Claims · 33 wordsThey see Senators and Representatives who are thinking about their portfolios when they are voting on different measures, including a whole lot of tax credits and tax deductions. They are both different elements. Reasoning · 77 wordsIf someone in this Chamber is sitting on a significant holding--let’s say renewable energy stocks--they might be thinking about: I want to promote those stocks, rather than ask the question: Is this the right move for America? What if they are sitting on fossil fuel stocks or oil stocks or maybe Wall Street stocks and they are thinking, ``I want to give a big break to the banking community on Wall Street to inflate my personal wealth’’? Positioning · 5 wordsThat is just absolutely wrong.Positioning Claims · 178 wordsIt is a massive conflict of interest. About now, 14 years ago, Senator Sherrod Brown and I introduced the idea that we should end this stock trading, ¹and that means buying, that means selling, and that means holding. It has been a while to build the momentum on this, but even the President of the United States, in his last State of the Union, said we should attack this problem.² And the American people see that, while Members here are thinking about their portfolios--trying to make themselves richer, corrupting their votes on the issues before us--they are suffering. Instead of thinking about your stock portfolio, maybe you should be thinking about the price of gas at the pump, maybe thinking about the cost of diesel and fertilizer for our farmers, maybe thinking about a war of choice--an unconstitutional war of choice--that is spending more than $1 billion a day.³ Maybe we should be thinking about the fact that we have the most expensive healthcare system that delivers the least effective healthcare for a person in the developed world, Reasoning · 7 wordsand maybe we need to improve it. Claims · 59 wordsMaybe we need to think about the fact that the career technical programs in other developed programs--other developed countries--are pretty good and maybe ours should be better. Maybe we should think about the fact that college debt is a millstone around the neck of our children, when children in other countries are able to go to college debt free. Positioning · 12 wordsMaybe we should care about families instead of thinking about our portfolios.Positioning Claims · 50 wordsThe American people see Congress--the House and Senate Members--and the President of the United States cashing in on stock trades. The President of the United States actually invested in stocks before announcing big agreements for major companies--buying Dell stock before a major announcement, buying Nvidia stock before a major announcement.⁴ Aside · 2 wordsCome on.Aside Positioning · 4 wordsThis is massively corrupt, PositioningReasoning · 6 wordsand we should be ending it. The ask · 4 wordsSo let’s end it. Claims · 38 wordsEntry-level employees and executive branch Agencies are required to recuse themselves from conflicts of interest, ⁵but Senators and Representatives think it is just fine to get rich on conflicts of interest and corrupt their representation of the public. Reasoning · 8 wordsThat is why we need the ETHICS Act, ⁶Claims · 159 wordswhich would ban Members of Congress and their spouses, their dependents, ⁷and the President and the Vice President and their dependents from owning, trading, or holding individual stocks. If they want to invest in America, invest in a broad-based mutual fund that has establishment in all of these industries at once, like the S&P 500 fund. Members of Congress should be banned from making new trades, ⁸and Members of Congress will have to divest their holdings or move them to mutual funds.⁹ There is so much corruption that we need to tackle--banning crypto corruption; banning funding for Trump’s gold-plated, billion-dollar boondoggle; stopping insider trading on prediction markets; implementing a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court; outlawing the taxpayer-funded ``cash for cronies’’ slush funds, like the President arranged with his $1.8 billion fund when he sued himself to award himself $1.8 billion of money; ¹⁰banning Members of Congress to have a longer period before they serve as lobbyists; Procedure · 2 wordsand more.Procedure Reasoning · 6 wordsBut Congress can lead by example. The ask · 7 wordsRight now, let’s pass the ETHICS Act. Procedure · 14 wordsNow, some may say: Well, wait. Isn’t there this bill coming from the House?Procedure Claims · 54 wordsThat House bill leaves people holding the very portfolios that we have to get rid of.¹¹ It preserves the conflicts of interest. That is pretty damn weak tea--keeping the corruption and legitimizing it--and, meanwhile, throwing in an extra measure on the bill that proceeds to engage in the effort to rig the November election.¹² Positioning · 22 wordsWow, well, that is certainly not a serious effort to address this corruption. But the ETHICS Act, it is that serious effort.Positioning The ask · 31 wordsLet’s pass it. Let’s ban Members of Congress from trading stocks. Let’s make it clear to every American that we are here to serve the people, not our portfolios Madam President, Procedure · 55 wordsas if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill at the desk, the ETHICS Act; further, that the bill be considered read three times and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for
Reasons givenThis statement drew 8 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 78

15 of 15 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “congressional stock trading is profoundly corrupt.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “But what do the American people see?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is just absolutely wrong.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Maybe we should care about families instead of thinking about our portfolios.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
A remark off to the side of the point.What the tags mean “Come on.”An aside: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “This is massively corrupt,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and more.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Now, some may say:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Well, wait.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Isn’t there this bill coming from the House?”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Wow, well, that is certainly not a serious effort to address this corruption.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “But the ETHICS Act, it is that serious effort.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill at the desk, the ETHICS Act;”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “further, that the bill be considered read three times and passed,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Reasoning · 100

0 of 15 deductions are Reasoning

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

Nothing lost points.

Conclusions found · 8

Conclusion“congressional stock trading is profoundly corrupt.”

Because“They see Senators and Representatives who are thinking about their portfolios when they are voting on different measures, including a whole lot of tax credits and tax deductions.”

“The President of the United States actually invested in stocks before announcing big agreements for major companies--buying Dell stock before a major announcement, buying Nvidia stock before a major announcement.”

Reason given
Conclusion“It is a massive conflict of interest.”

Because“They see Senators and Representatives who are thinking about their portfolios when they are voting on different measures, including a whole lot of tax credits and tax deductions.”

“If someone in this Chamber is sitting on a significant holding--let’s say renewable energy stocks--they might be thinking about:”

Reason given
Conclusion“and we should be ending it.”

Because“It is a massive conflict of interest.”

“They see Senators and Representatives who are thinking about their portfolios when they are voting on different measures, including a whole lot of tax credits and tax deductions.”

Reason given
Conclusion“That is why we need the ETHICS Act,”

Because“which would ban Members of Congress and their spouses, their dependents,”

“and the President and the Vice President and their dependents from owning, trading,”

“or holding individual stocks.”

“Entry-level employees and executive branch Agencies are required to recuse themselves from conflicts of interest,”

Reason given
Conclusion“Right now, let’s pass the ETHICS Act.”

Because“which would ban Members of Congress and their spouses, their dependents,”

“and the President and the Vice President and their dependents from owning, trading,”

“or holding individual stocks.”

Reason given
Conclusion“It preserves the conflicts of interest.”

Because“That House bill leaves people holding the very portfolios that we have to get rid of.”

Reason given
Conclusion“Wow, well, that is certainly not a serious effort to address this corruption.”

Because“That House bill leaves people holding the very portfolios that we have to get rid of.”

“It preserves the conflicts of interest.”

Reason given
Conclusion“But the ETHICS Act, it is that serious effort.”

Because“which would ban Members of Congress and their spouses, their dependents,”

“and the President and the Vice President and their dependents from owning, trading,”

“or holding individual stocks.”

Reason given

Respect · 100

0 of 15 deductions are Respect

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Nothing lost points.

Clarity · 100

0 of 15 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 12

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“About now, 14 years ago, Senator Sherrod Brown and I introduced the idea that we should end this stock trading”Jeff Merkley and Senator Sherrod Brown introduced legislation to end congressional stock trading around 2012 (about 14 years before September 2026).search
2“even the President of the United States, in his last State of the Union, said we should attack this problem”In his most recent State of the Union address, the President called for addressing congressional stock trading.search
3“a war of choice--an unconstitutional war of choice--that is spending more than $1 billion a day”A military conflict the speaker describes as a war of choice is costing the United States more than $1 billion per day.search
4“buying Dell stock before a major announcement, buying Nvidia stock before a major announcement”The President bought Dell stock before a major company announcement and bought Nvidia stock before a major company announcement.search
5“Entry-level employees and executive branch Agencies are required to recuse themselves from conflicts of interest”Executive branch employees and agencies are required to recuse themselves from conflicts of interest.search
6“we need the ETHICS Act”A bill called the ETHICS Act has been introduced in Congress.search
7“which would ban Members of Congress and their spouses, their dependents, ”The ETHICS Act would prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses and dependents, and the President, Vice President and their dependents from owning, trading, or holding individual stocks.search
8“Members of Congress should be banned from making new trades”The ETHICS Act would ban Members of Congress from making new stock trades.search
9“Members of Congress will have to divest their holdings or move them to mutual funds”The ETHICS Act requires Members of Congress to divest their individual stock holdings or move them into mutual funds.search
10“the President arranged with his $1.8 billion fund when he sued himself to award himself $1.8 billion of money”The President was awarded $1.8 billion through litigation he brought relating to himself, which the speaker describes as a taxpayer-funded fund he arranged.search
11“That House bill leaves people holding the very portfolios that we have to get rid of”A House bill on congressional stock trading would allow Members to keep their existing stock portfolios.search
12“throwing in an extra measure on the bill that proceeds to engage in the effort to rig the November election”The House stock-trading bill contains an additional provision related to the November election.search

Analyzed on 2026-10-20