Democratic congressional candidate Matt Castelli on Friday criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not yet holding a House vote on any legislation banning members of Congress from trading in stocks while in office.

“Members of Congress using their privileged positions to get rich off the stock market is among the many reasons that the American public has lost faith in current leadership in Washington,” Castelli said in a news release. “This should have been a top priority of congressional Democrats, and it’s one of the reasons that I will not support Nancy Pelosi for another term as speaker.”

Various bills have been proposed in both the House and Senate that would require members of Congress, spouses and dependents to either divest of stock or place it in a blind trust while in office.

House Democratic leaders have said they might schedule a vote before the November recess.

Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official living in Glens Falls, is running against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville.

In other political news of the region:

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Employment legislation

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Stefanik on Friday announced she introduced legislation to assist employers that prefer to use work experience rather than college degrees as the basis of hiring.

So-called “skills-based hiring” could be particularly useful for filling jobs during the ongoing labor shortage, Stefanik said in a news release.

The legislation would establish a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Council program to provide education about skills-based hiring and consulting to ensure that hiring practices of employers who voluntarily participate in the program comply with federal guidelines.

The EEOC could not open an investigation of an employer because the employer participated in the program.

NFIB The National Federation of Independent Business, a small business advocacy group, endorsed state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, for re-election.

Woerner is running in the 113th District against Republican challenger David Catalfamo, an economic development official and writer from Wilton.

Elsewhere in the region, NFIB endorsed state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, who is running in the 45th District against Democratic challenger Jean Lapper, a certified public accountant and financial adviser from Queensbury; Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, who is running in the 44th District against Michelle Ostrelich, a Schenectady County legislator; Assemblyman Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, who is running for an open seat in the 43rd Senate District against Democrat Andrea Smyth, a health care and family issues policy advocate from Troy; and Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon, who is running unopposed in the 114th Assembly District.

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NFIB report cards

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Stefanik received a perfect “100” score, based on her voting record on small business issues during the current congressional session, on a recent National Federation of Independent Business report card.

Stefanik also received a “100” for the previous two-year session.

Elsewhere in the region, Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, received a “14” score, out of a possible 100, for this session, and a “40” score for the previous session.

Tonko is running in the 20th District against Republican challenger Liz Lemery Joy, a former blogger and speaker from Schenectady.

League of Conservation Voters The New York League of Conservation Voters endorsed Woerner for re-election.

Woerner is running in the 113th District against Republican challenger David Catalfamo, an economic development official and writer from Wilton.

Elsewhere in the region, the league endorsed Ostrelich against Tedisco.

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Stec endorsement

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Stec on Wednesday announced that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2032 of St. Lawrence County endorsed his re-election bid.

Stec is running in the 45th Senate District against Lapper, a certified public accountant and financial adviser from Queensbury.

Leftover campaign cash State Sen. Daphne Jordan, R-Halfmoon, who is not seeking re-election, had $60,349 left in her campaign fund, as of Sept. 2, the date of the most recent report filed with the state Board of Elections.

Jordan has said she expects to contribute unused campaign funds to other Republican candidates in the region.

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Stefanik endorsements

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Stefanik on Tuesday announced that 110 elected officials, including Ogdensburg Councilman Daniel Skamprie, a Democrat, endorsed her reelection bid.

On Friday, Stefanik announced that 111 elected officials from Herkimer County endorsed her re-election bid, including Democrats John Brezinski, District 8 county legislator, and Dorayne Peplinki, a Warren Town Board member.

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Moose calling

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Stec is regarded as an expert on the call of the wild.

Stec on Sept. 24 was a judge at the Great Adirondack Moose Calling Contest at Indian Lake.

“Now, if I can only be fortunate enough to actually see one,” he wrote in a Facebook post.