Senators introduce tax on financial transactions

A group of U.S. senators want to tax financial transactions -- a move they argue will generate billions of dollars in revenue and reduce the risk of another financial crisis. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Wall Street Tax Act while Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced legislation in the House.

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), a 2020 presidential contender, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY), and other progressive lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors. The plan would tax the sale of stocks, bonds and derivatives at 0.1%. “Over the last decade, Wall Street has made record profits from high-risk trades that have made the market dangerously volatile, while doing nothing to add real value to our economy or raise wages for workers,” said Schatz. “My bill will help discourage this kind of risky, volume-based trading and bring in billions in new revenue.”