Release: Ro Khanna Introduces A New Political Reform And Anti-corruption Plan To Clean Up Corruption In Washington

Washington, DC — Today, Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced a new Political Reform Resolution that presents a comprehensive roadmap to achieving broad political reform in the judicial and legislative branches of the U.S. Federal government. 

“Our political system should not be for sale. Trust in the government has been declining for decades, and Congress must act with urgency to rebuild it. The Political Reform Resolution acknowledges that there are tangible legislative solutions for these problems, and that we must pursue them as a comprehensive reform plan to rein in corruption,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. 

Lax campaign finance and stock-trading regulations allow lawmakers to prioritize the interests of wealthy donors, PACs, and personal gain over the interests of constituents. Even after serving in Congress, many Members continue to profit unethically: in 2019, over half of the lawmakers who left office continued to influence policy by leveraging their connections on Capitol Hill and landing high-paying roles in the lobbying industry.

The need for Supreme Court reform as well could not be clearer. Recent investigations have uncovered countless instances of justices unethically filing deficient financial disclosures, receiving extravagant gifts, and misusing staff. and the absence of a binding code of ethics allows justices to remain completely unaccountable. Lifetime tenures with no regular appointments process results not only in a lack of accountability, but also in a Court increasingly polarized along partisan lines, with each nomination setting up a contentious fight that divides our country.

Specifically, the Political Reform Resolution calls for:

• 12-year term limits for Members of Congress; 
• A ban on Members of Congress from holding and trading individual stocks during the Member’s tenure; 
• A ban on Members of Congress and candidates for the House and Senate from accepting contributions from political action committees and lobbyists, and a lifetime ban on lobbying for Members of Congress;
• A binding code of ethics for Supreme Court Justices; and
• 18-year term limits and regular appointments for future Supreme Court Justices, requiring a new Justice to be added and another to rotate off every two years.

For the full text of the resolution, click here.