Budzinski Sends Letter to Speaker Johnson, Demands House Pass PREDICT Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson urging him to bring her bill, the PREDICT Act, to the House Floor as soon as possible. Just hours ago, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution banning sitting United States Senators, officers, and staff from wagering on prediction markets. 

“Earlier today, the Senate took a serious and necessary step toward holding politicians to a higher standard – and the House must follow suit. Both Republicans and Democrats agree – members of Congress should not use their public service for personal gain. My bill –  the first bipartisan legislation of its kind –  would make that law, with real transparency and accountability measures to back it up,” said Budzinski. “The Senate has read the room. Now I urge the Speaker to do the same. Pass this bill.”

To read the letter, see below or click here. 

Dear Speaker Johnson: 

I write today as a co-lead of the bipartisan H.R. 8076, the Preventing Real-time Exploitation and Deceptive Insider Congressional Trading (PREDICT) Act. Given the urgency of this matter, I urge you to bring this critical legislation to the House Floor for a vote immediately upon our return from the District Work Period.

The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution to prohibit U.S. Senators and their staff from wagering on prediction markets. It also expresses the sense of the Senate that the House of Representatives, executive branch, and judicial branch should establish similar restrictions. It is time for the House to lead and ensure a uniform standard of integrity across the federal government. 

The PREDICT Act provides a common sense solution to a growing ethical risk to our institution. This bipartisan legislation would prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses and dependents, senior staff, and other top federal officials from placing wagers on policy- or politically-related outcomes on prediction market platforms. 

The officials covered under this prohibition oftentimes have access to material non-public and classified information that can directly shift these markets. Allowing federal officials in positions of public trust to capitalize their inside knowledge for personal gain undermines the public’s confidence in our democratic institutions. 

Public service should never be a vehicle for personal financial gain. As such, I urge you to bring H.R. 8076, the PREDICT Act, to the Floor as soon as the House returns from the District Work Period. 

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