Washington shouldn’t stand between Arizona families and their financial security

Emily Stack

Submitted photo/InsideSources

Congress should absolutely protect taxpayers. It should also protect American families’ ability to participate in an economy where opportunity is earned, not managed from Washington.”

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OPINION — Most parents aren’t spending their evenings reading legislation moving through Congress. They’re helping with homework, packing lunches, juggling work schedules and trying to make smart financial decisions for their families. 

They’re contributing to a 401(k). Saving for retirement. Setting aside money they hope will one day help pay for college, buy a home or provide a little peace of mind later in life. 

That’s why a provision now sitting in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act deserves far more attention before Congress decides whether it becomes law. 

Section 815 would require certain companies doing business with the federal government to obtain approval before paying dividends or repurchasing their own stock. On the surface, it sounds like a technical issue for corporate executives. 

It isn't. 

It’s another example of Washington reaching further into decisions that have traditionally belonged to private businesses, and the ripple effects could reach kitchen tables across America. 

For years, we’ve been told that dividends and share buybacks only benefit wealthy investors. That isn’t true. 

Today’s investors are parents. They're teachers. They’re military families. They're first responders. They’re young couples trying to build a future and grandparents hoping their retirement savings will last. 

Millions of Americans own shares of public companies through workplace retirement plans, pensions, mutual funds and college savings accounts. When those companies create value, families benefit, too. 

This debate is about much more than corporate finance. It’s about whether government should have the authority to influence lawful business decisions simply because a company chooses to serve the federal government. 

Government has an important responsibility to protect taxpayers and ensure contracts are fulfilled responsibly. There is a difference between accountability and control. That distinction matters.

Every time Washington expands its authority into areas that have long belonged to the private sector, families eventually feel the consequences. Fewer investment opportunities. Less innovation. Slower economic growth. More uncertainty for the people trying to save for the future. 

Another consequence should concern every parent. America’s public markets have created opportunities for ordinary families to build wealth in ways that previous generations could only imagine. When companies go public, millions of Americans can invest alongside them, not just wealthy insiders or private investment firms. 

Policies that make public companies less attractive encourage businesses to stay private longer. That means more opportunity remains concentrated among those who already have access, while typical families are left watching from the sidelines. Parents understand something policymakers sometimes forget: Small decisions today shape the future our children inherit tomorrow. 

At Moms for America, we believe strong families are the foundation of a strong nation. That means protecting the freedoms that allow parents to work hard, save responsibly, invest wisely and create greater opportunities for the next generation. 

Congress should absolutely protect taxpayers. It should also protect American families’ ability to participate in an economy where opportunity is earned, not managed from Washington. 

Economic opportunity has always been among America’s greatest strengths because it has never belonged only to the powerful. It has belonged to ordinary families willing to work, save and invest in a better future. Congress shouldn’t make that future harder to reach. 

Emily Stack is the executive director of nonprofit Moms for America Action. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.