Reports Donald Trump Jr. is personally profiting from his connection to his father prompted U.S. Senator John Curtis to ask the Senate Judiciary Committee to develop reforms necessary to curb such conduct (here).

GAB has queried readers for ideas to help the Committee, and an alert GABer flagged a provision in legislation the House Financial Services Committee approved in April (here) modernizing the Defense Production Act.

Current law gives presidents wide-ranging powers to provide financial help to companies critical for national defense. The provision in the reform bill curbs those powers. It would bar any company not only in which the president, vice-president, or a senior defense official has “a significant interest” from receiving assistance but also any company in which a family member has “a significant interest” from receiving assistance as well. Not a complete solution but a first, and important, step. A sign at least some in Congress are willing to act

The Defense Production Act reform bill awaits a vote of the full House. Good chance for House members to go on record on what they think about family members trading on their relatives’ name.

Text of the section follows.