The House Administration Committee is poised to host a significant hearing as early as next week, addressing the contentious issue of stock trading by Congress members. This session could set the stage for legislative advancements on a bipartisan proposal aimed at prohibiting such financial activities by lawmakers.

According to sources who requested anonymity, this hearing is tentatively scheduled for the latter part of next week, focusing on the updates and developments concerning congressional stock trading since the enactment of the 2012 STOCK Act, which prohibited trading based on insider information.

The scheduling of this hearing hinges on the House's ability to pass a Senate-approved funding package intended to end the current government shutdown. Votes on this critical package are anticipated to commence Wednesday evening.

The issue of a congressional stock trading ban has been a divisive topic among House members. It represents one of the key challenges for Speaker Mike Johnson as the House reconvenes this week. In a recent development, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) has been a vocal advocate for the ban, even threatening to push forward a discharge petition to bypass traditional legislative hurdles. Luna has reportedly secured a commitment from Speaker Johnson to address the issue.

In September, Luna, alongside Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), introduced a bipartisan compromise bill aimed at establishing this ban. However, progress on this legislation has been hampered by the ongoing government shutdown.

In an interview, Roy confirmed that he and other Republican colleagues are prepared to urge GOP leadership to bring their bipartisan bill to the floor as soon as the House resumes session, potentially using a discharge petition as leverage. He also noted that GOP leaders are currently deliberating the timing and feasibility of moving this legislation forward in the coming months.

Despite the push from certain quarters of the House, there is significant skepticism within Speaker Johnson’s leadership circle about the ability to pass such a bill, given the strong opposition from many House Republicans. Nonetheless, Johnson has privately committed to addressing the issue, spurred by increasing pressure to act, according to Roy.

At present, there are no definitive plans to markup legislation related to banning stock trading by lawmakers, as per individuals familiar with the planning of the hearing. The discussions continue to evolve, with some lawmakers exploring alternative legislative vehicles to achieve the desired reform.