WASHINGTON — Congressman-elect Ryan Elijah arrives in Washington with a stated focus on fraud prevention, consumer protection and congressional ethics reform—and an explicit call for Republicans and Democrats to work together on issues voters care about.
Elijah, a former Central Florida sports broadcaster who defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Cory Mills in a primary election, said the message from Tuesday's midterms is unmistakable.
"Voters made it loud and clear to both parties that they want change, they want inflation to come down and they want life to become a little easier," Elijah said.
His immediate target: lawmakers who trade stocks on committee assignments and exploit public office for private gain. Elijah argued that members of Congress should be barred from trading stocks while serving on committees with regulatory or financial oversight authority.
"Members of Congress should not sit on a committee and be able to trade stocks, and that is something that I would support if it moves forward in the next Congress," he said. "We all have to be on the same playing field, the person back home and the person on Capitol Hill."
Elijah emphasized that Congress has failed to act decisively on fraud draining federal programs. "Washington holds the capacity to do more against fraud," he said, adding that a bipartisan effort is needed to protect consumers and stop the waste of tax dollars.
He also stressed that elected representatives must serve their entire district, not just their political base. "Members of Congress are elected to represent 100 percent of the people in their district, not just 50 percent," Elijah said. "Bipartisan solutions are essential to rebuilding public trust and accountability."
For his committee work, Elijah indicated a preference for either the House Energy and Commerce Committee or the House Financial Services Committee—positions that would give him a platform to pursue consumer protection and financial oversight issues.
