Congressional Financial Committee Member Bets Millions on Goldman and Corning

U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican serving Florida’s 27th District, disclosed late-March purchases of Goldman Sachs and Corning shares totaling at least $30,000 and up to $100,000 in each name. According to her April 21 congressional trading report, these two holdings represented her largest single-stock commitments in the disclosure bundle, with combined investments potentially reaching $200,000.

Salazar sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Financial Services Committee in the 119th Congress, serving as vice-ranking member of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee and on the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions. In these roles, she helps shape U.S. policy on international sanctions, global banking regulation, and contributions to multilateral development banks. Observers note that her growing stake in Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) raises questions about a possible overlap between her legislative and oversight responsibilities and her personal financial interests.

Goldman Sachs reported first-quarter 2026 net income of $5.6 billion and a return on equity of 19.8% on April 13, far exceeding analyst forecasts. Against a backdrop of aggressive share repurchases and strong dividend expectations, the stock has climbed more than 50% over the past year, reaching the high-$800s in early April.

Corning Incorporated (GLW), the other major purchase, supplies fiber-optic cable for telecommunications as well as specialty glass for displays and data centers. Fueled by increased investment in AI data centers and ultra-high-speed communications infrastructure, Corning’s share price jumped over 50% in a single month earlier this year, setting record highs. As of April 22, the stock traded in the mid-$160 range, and several leading brokerages have raised price targets in recognition of its long-term growth potential.

Salazar also serves on two Small Business Committee subcommittees—Infrastructure and Procurement, and Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains—overseeing federal procurement, supply-chain policy, and telecommunications infrastructure. Critics argue that her sizable investments in companies directly linked to her committee work blur the line between her legislative authority and her personal portfolio.

The trades, executed through a third-party asset manager between March 19 and March 25 in roughly 25 separate transactions, were collectively reported on April 1 and officially disclosed on April 21. Salazar has previously faced scrutiny under the STOCK Act for failing to timely report a stock swap involving medical firm Cano Health, and her husband’s involvement in an investment firm is also public. Her aggressive purchases of strategic-industry and large-financial-sector stocks come as Congress considers a blanket ban on member trading, intensifying the debate over potential conflicts of interest and ethics risks.