Jay Feely, a Congressional candidate for Arizona’s 5th District, has advocated for reforms in Congress, including term limits, trading bans, and lobbying restrictions. He expressed these views on the social media platform X.
“We need term limits,” said Feely. “A ban on Congressional stock trading, and. A Ban on members of Congress & staff from lobbying after working in Congress. Being a member of Congress is meant to be sacrificial service not self serving endeavor enriching your personal interests.”
In the 119th Congress, discussions on federal ethics have concentrated on three main areas: banning congressional stock trading, tightening post-Congress lobbying bans, and pushing for term limits. A 2025 report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) highlights a surge of bills aimed at restricting members’ financial activities. These include the TRUST in Congress Act and the No Corruption in Government Act. Additionally, a bipartisan House proposal seeks to compel lawmakers to divest individual stocks and impose significant fines.
According to recent disclosures, congressional stock trading remains prevalent despite ongoing reform discussions. Data from Capitol Trades, cited in a 2025 analysis by The Motley Fool, indicates that 113 members of Congress conducted 9,261 trades in 2024 involving approximately 706 million shares or other assets. This activity is expected to continue at a high rate in 2025.
Trend data reveals an increase in ethics and anti-corruption bills over recent sessions, particularly concerning stock trading. Efforts related to term limits and lobbying bans are primarily driven by external campaigns. A CRS report from 2025 reviewing the 115th–118th Congresses describes numerous proposals aimed at curbing members’ financial activities. The follow-up report on the 119th Congress catalogs multiple new bills, including H.R. 358 which seeks to extend post-service lobbying bans.
Feely is a former NFL placekicker who played for teams such as the Falcons, Giants, Dolphins, Jets, and Cardinals before working as a CBS Sports analyst for about ten years. In 2025 he announced his Republican candidacy for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District with a focus on economic issues and border security. He has signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge and supports measures like term limits and bans on congressional stock trading and post-service lobbying.
Arizona’s 5th Congressional District encompasses much of the East Valley in metro Phoenix. It includes areas such as Gilbert, Queen Creek, southern and eastern Chandler, and eastern Mesa within Maricopa and Pinal counties. As of 2024 census-based estimates show it had around 902,000 residents with an urban population of 86.9%, a median household income slightly over $112,000, and demographics showing roughly 67% White and 18% Hispanic residents. Politically it is considered a solidly Republican seat with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+10.
