Speaking in an interview Tuesday, Luna said she’s reached her limit waiting for leadership to take action on ethics reforms that voters have demanded for years. According to her, Republican leaders have repeatedly stalled attempts to address insider trading concerns on Capitol Hill, despite bipartisan frustration and public distrust surrounding lawmakers’ investments.

“We’ve waited long enough,” Luna said, emphasizing that the goal is accountability, not political theater. “If leadership refuses to act, then members have to.”

Growing GOP Frustration With Leadership

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who is working closely with Luna on the effort, said many Republicans share her impatience. He noted that rank-and-file members are increasingly “tired” of watching party leaders delay a vote on an issue that has become a political liability for Congress.

Burchett added that grassroots conservatives back home regularly question why lawmakers continue to trade stocks while shaping policy that can influence the markets. According to him, their frustration is reaching a breaking point.

“People are fed up,” Burchett said. “Our voters don’t understand why Congress gets special rules.”

A Rare Challenge to the Speaker

A discharge petition is one of the few procedural tools that can force House leadership’s hand. If Luna collects 218 signatures — a difficult but not impossible threshold — the House must hold a vote on the bill, regardless of the Speaker’s position.

Her move comes at a particularly turbulent moment for Speaker Mike Johnson, who has faced mounting internal rebellions in recent weeks. On Tuesday afternoon, just as Luna and Burchett officially filed their petition, Johnson was confronted with another revolt — this time on the House floor. Several Republicans bucked leadership on a procedural vote related to a bill regulating name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes.

The simultaneous flare-ups underscore the increasingly fragile dynamics within the GOP conference, where conservatives have grown more willing to break ranks and force public confrontations with leadership.

A Popular Issue Deadlocked by Politics

Although a congressional stock trading ban is highly popular across the political spectrum — with polls showing broad support from both Democrats and Republicans — the issue remains politically sensitive inside the GOP. Some lawmakers oppose the restrictions, arguing they would punish honest members or discourage professionals from running for office.

But Luna and Burchett argue the opposite, saying that the refusal to act only fuels public cynicism and reinforces the perception that Congress plays by its own rules.

Luna’s decision to chart her own path sets up yet another internal battle for Johnson, who must now decide whether to fight the petition or allow a vote on a bill that could further expose divisions within his party.