New Congressman's First Stock Trade Tanks 45% After Betting On UnitedHealth Before Fallout

by Chris Katje Benzinga Staff Writer

Zinger Key Points

A member of Congress made their first stock purchase in April since taking office.
While the timing of the trade was questionable, the Congressman is sitting on a large paper loss currently.
Get 5 ‘Hidden Gem’ stock picks and daily rankings—now 60% off for Memorial Day.

The trading activity of members of Congress has drawn increased attention from retail traders. Some disclosed trades resulted in huge profits, potential conflicts of interest, and red flags.

One new member of Congress found out that trading stocks while in office might not be as easy as everyone thinks.

What Happened: Members of Congress are currently able to buy and sell stocks and options as long as they disclose within 45 days, a practice that the P.E.L.O.S.I. Act looks to end if passed by Congress.

While some members of Congress like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) have disclosed hundreds of trades in 2025, Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) is new to the game.

The Congressman who was sworn into office in January 2025 has made only one stock transaction according to the Benzinga Government Trades page.

On April 10, McGuire purchased between $1,000 and $15,000 in UnitedHealth Group stock, one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States.

The purchase drew attention because McGuire serves on the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, a unit of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

However, the timing of the trade likely couldn't have gotten much worse for McGuire, who bought the stock before quarterly financial results that saw the company pull guidance and announce its CEO Andrew Witty was stepping down.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the Justice Department was investigating the company for potential Medicare fraud. The health insurance company said it hasn't been notified of any investigation.

UnitedHealth Group shares traded between $580.00 and $601.88 on April 10 when McGuire made his purchase. Today, the stock trades at $321.50 and has fallen between 46.6% and 44.6% since April 10.

Assuming McGuire bought the full $15,000 value of UnitedHealth Group in his disclosure, the position would be worth $8,010 to $8,310 today.

Why It's Important: McGuire's trade could mark a new era in which members of Congress lose money instead of making large profits on their stock and options activities.

In 2024, many members of Congress outperformed the S&P 500. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has often been the top-followed member of Congress for trading activity, with her husband Paul Pelosi often buying in-the-money options on large technology stocks.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has reintroduced legislation that would ban members of Congress from trading or holding individual stocks.

The bill is known as the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act, or PELOSI Act, based on the first letter of each of the main words. The name targets Pelosi.

Hawley's bill is being reintroduced as President Donald Trump said he would support such a ban.

"Well, I watched Nancy Pelosi get rich through insider information, and I would be okay with it. If they send it to me, I would do it," Trump told TIME.

Trump said he would sign the ban if the bill passes Congress.

While Pelosi makes headlines for her trades, it's important to remember that both Republican and Democratic members of Congress are profiting from buying and selling stocks and options while in office. Some trades have questionable timing or are connected to committees they serve on.

In 2024, a list of the top-performing traders in Congress included six Republicans and four Democrats.

For McGuire to make the 2025 list of best-performing members of Congress, he will have to buy more stocks or hope for a huge recovery in the price of UnitedHealth Group stock.

Did You Know?