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Sen. Mark 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.