18 January 2017 - Even before Tom Price became President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, he played a big role in shaping health policy in the House. 

He also frequently traded health care stocks, raising questions about whether he used his position in Congress for personal profit.

Mr. Price, who will testify at a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, has bought and sold stocks worth more than $300,000 over the last four years, The Wall Street Journal reported last month. His trades included shares of at least two companies that stood to benefit from legislation he voted for, had sponsored or was involved in. 

Democratic lawmakers have called on the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the trades for potential violations of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, which prohibits lawmakers, their staff members and executive branch officials from trading on nonpublic information. Experts say Mr. Price’s trades may have also violated House ethics rules. The Trump transition team says Mr. Price, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee, did nothing wrong and will sell his stocks to avoid conflicts of interest if confirmed.

Read New York Times article