On This Day: Senator Durbin Joins Democratic Bloc in Blocking Stop Insider Trading Act
On September 30, 2026, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was among the 47 members of the Democratic caucus, including independents Angus King and Bernie Sanders, who voted against cloture on H.R. 7008, the “Stop Insider Trading Act,” during Roll Call Vote #253 of the 119th Congress, 2nd session. The cloture vote required 60 affirmative votes to proceed to debate on the bill; it failed 53-47, with all 53 yes votes coming from Republicans and all 47 no votes from Democrats and their caucus allies. Because cloture was not achieved, the motion to proceed to the bill was blocked, preventing it from advancing to final passage.
This procedural outcome must be described accurately: the Senate did not reject or vote down the bill on its merits; rather, it filibustered the cloture motion, falling short of the supermajority needed to bring the legislation to the floor for consideration.
What the Senate Actually Voted On
H.R. 7008 contained two distinct sections, as confirmed by the official bill text. Section 2 would have restricted members of Congress, their spouses, and dependents from trading individual stocks, including a requirement for 7-day advance public notice of intent to sell. Section 3, titled “Requiring Voters to Provide Photo Identification,” mandated that in-person voters in federal elections present valid physical photo identification, with narrow exceptions for religious objectors and uniformed or overseas voters.
Senate Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer, stated they opposed the bill because the voter-ID provision was a “poison pill” and argued the stock-trading restrictions were insufficiently strong, describing them as “toothless.” Supporters of the bill countered that Democrats could have advanced the stock-trading ban separately and amended it through the legislative process, rather than blocking a measure that combined two policies each broadly popular with the American public, according to multiple national polls.
How Durbin Got to the Senate
Senator Dick Durbin first entered national politics as a U.S. Representative from Illinois’ 20th congressional district, serving from 1983 to 1997. He won election to the Senate in 1996 following the retirement of Senator Paul Simon, securing the open seat in a statewide vote. By 2026, Durbin had served five full terms in the Senate and was not considered a new senator. His most recent re-election occurred in 2020, when he defeated Republican nominee Mark Curran with 54.93% of the vote to Curran’s 38.87%, a margin of +16.1 percentage points. Durbin holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Senate Democratic Whip in history, a leadership role he has held since 2005.
Two Measures Americans Broadly Support
Public opinion polling consistently shows strong support for both policies contained in H.R. 7008. Regarding voter identification, Gallup found in its October 1-12, 2024 survey (reported in a 2026 update) that 84% of Americans favor requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification in order to vote. The Pew Research Center, in its August 4-10, 2025 poll, reported 83% support and 16% opposition to the same proposition.
Earlier, the Monmouth University Polling Institute found in June 2021 that 80% of Americans supported requiring voters to show photo identification to vote, a figure frequently cited in subsequent coverage through 2026. On the separate issue of proof of citizenship for voter registration, Rasmussen Reports found in October 2024 that 68% of Americans favor requiring such documentation. Supporters of voter-ID laws often argue that such requirements enhance election integrity by ensuring only eligible citizens vote and note that photo identification is routinely required for everyday activities like boarding aircraft or purchasing alcohol.
Opponents, meanwhile, contend that strict ID requirements can create barriers to ballot access for certain voters, particularly minorities, the elderly, and low-income individuals, a concern attributed to civil rights and voting access advocates. Separately, multiple national polls have shown broad, bipartisan majorities in favor of banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, commonly reported at 70% or higher; this consensus reflects widespread concern about potential conflicts of interest when lawmakers trade based on non-public information obtained through their official duties.
The Conflict Between Public Will and Party Loyalty
Senator Durbin’s vote to block H.R. 7008 represents a clear defiance of the expressed will of the American people on two fronts. Polling shows that over 80% of Americans support voter-ID requirements, and broad bipartisan majorities favor ending congressional stock trading; by voting to prevent cloture on a bill that combined both measures, Durbin chose to uphold party strategy over popular demand. When members of Congress trade stocks based on information gleaned from confidential briefings or legislative deliberations, ordinary shareholders without access to such insights are placed at a structural disadvantage, eroding trust in financial markets and reinforcing perceptions of a rigged system.
Respect for the office of the president is a foundational civic norm, regardless of which individual holds the position; Americans have criticized presidents from both parties throughout history without dismantling democratic institutions, demonstrating that loyalty to office can coexist with political disagreement. Furthermore, extended tenure in Congress risks entrenching officials who prioritize partisan retaliation over public service, making term limits a necessary safeguard to ensure that lawmakers remain accountable to the voters who elect them rather than becoming fixtures insulated from electoral consequences.
Documented Past Controversy
In 2005, Senator Durbin compared the treatment of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to tactics used by ‘Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime — Pol Pot,’ a statement made during a Senate floor speech. He subsequently apologized on the Senate floor for the comparison, acknowledging it was inappropriate. This episode is a matter of public record, with no formal charges, convictions, or sanctions resulting from the remarks.
Additionally, on September 19, 2008, Durbin sold mutual fund shares and reinvested the proceeds into Berkshire Hathaway stock, the day after attending a confidential congressional briefing on the unfolding financial crisis. The timing of this transaction drew public scrutiny and ethical questions, but no legal charges were filed, no enforcement action was taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Senate Ethics Committee, and the matter was ultimately resolved without a finding of wrongdoing.
Voters Will Remember Who Stood Against Reform
The polling data leaves no ambiguity about where the American public stands on election integrity and congressional accountability. Voters overwhelmingly support photo-ID requirements to safeguard the franchise and demand an end to lawmakers trading stocks on information unavailable to the public. By blocking H.R. 7008, Senator Durbin and his Democratic colleagues placed party allegiance above these clear public priorities, opting to prevent a vote on measures that could have strengthened both democratic participation and ethical standards in Congress. At the next election, constituents will have the opportunity to assess whether their senator’s actions reflected their interests or a calculation of political convenience, and the record of this vote will stand as a factual marker of that choice.
