By Richard E. Cohen and Niels Lesniewski, CQ Staff

House leaders plan to move quickly on the Senate-passed insider-trading bill, although there are reservations among the Republican majority about the far-reaching measure.

GOP leaders are working to resolve a number of issues before sending the bill to the floor later this week. Senior lawmakers — including Rules Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif. — and some aides have raised concerns over the scope and necessity of the measure and questions about how significantly the House should amend the bill.

“I plead guilty to not being an enthusiast,” Dreier, a 16-term House veteran, said after the bill’s provisions were expanded during Senate floor debate.

House Republicans face political pressure to follow the swift Senate action and send the measure to President Obama, who called for such legislation during his Jan. 24 State of the Union address.

The bill (S 2038), intended to prevent members of Congress from profiting financially from confidential information, would require additional and quicker disclosure of financial transactions by lawmakers, aides and executive branch officials. Lawmakers and officials would also need to disclose more information about home mortgages. Those working on Capitol Hill to gather “political intelligence” for clients would have to file disclosure reports like those required of lobbyists.

Dreier said he raised “a couple of questions” about the bill during a Republican leadership meeting last week. “Nobody had answers,” he said. “But perception is reality.”

He said Congress’ low public approval ratings have created pressure for action. “This is probably something that needs to be done,” he said.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Feb. 3 that Republicans “intend to strengthen” the Senate-passed bill and get it to Obama as quickly as possible to show that “the public can trust us.”

Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, has not commented on the bill.

Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., suggested that the House consider an alternative bill (HR 1148) that has long been pursued by Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y. But other House Democratic leaders, including Slaughter, have said they could support the Senate measure.

Executive Branch

House leaders plan to bring the bill straight to the floor without committee review, despite requests from some lawmakers and top aides for a more thorough review of its significant additions to disclosure requirements. For example, lawmakers and aides would have to report within 30 days the sale or purchase of any stock or other security.

House GOP leadership aides said they will spend the weekend studying and considering possible alternatives to the Senate’s actions. In a long series of votes, senators added some provisions to the legislation that may conflict or would likely prove unworkable, an initial review by House aides has concluded.