[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 12 (Thursday, January 26, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THE STOCK ACT

  Mr. BEGICH. Before I speak on my formal comments, I just want to say 
one thing. I know the Senator from New York was here a little bit ago 
talking about the STOCK Act. She made an incredible presentation to us 
in the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, and I am 
grateful she is moving forward on that. We actually added a piece to 
the STOCK Act that I think makes it a lot stronger than it was by 
making sure that as officials report their transactions, they are done 
electronically and are searchable. That means anybody in this country 
can go to the Senate's Web site and find the information about their 
Senator.
  As you know, as a new person in this office, as I am, when we file 
our disclosure forms, they are sent to the Senate Clerk, and then if 
you want them, they have to copy them and send it off to someone else. 
You cannot search for them and you cannot get them, which is 
unbelievable. So we made sure in the committee that if we do this act--
I think it is a strong act; it is something we should do--we make sure 
it is searchable and available electronically in this age we live in 
today.
  I already put my disclosure form on my Web site. I have put it on 
there since the day I came into office. I think people need to know 
exactly what their Senator's investments are. If they have spouses--in 
my case, all of my spouse's information is on there even though I am 
not required to do it. I put it on there because I think people need to 
know the household income of their Senator and where it comes from and 
where their investments are. We overreport. After I fill out the forms, 
we have an attorney review it, and he always tells me we are giving too 
much information. I have to remind him that is what I am doing. That is 
the way I think it should be done.
  Again, I congratulate the Senator from New York who was here for the 
work on the STOCK Act, and I am glad I could participate in making it 
even stronger.

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