U.S. House Leader Chooses High-Dividend Coal Stock: The Identity of ARLP Purchased by Congressman Fox

Virginia Foxx, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, disclosed on June 2 that she purchased $1,001 to $15,000 worth of shares in coal and energy company Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (ARLP) on May 15. Although this filing complies with the STOCK Act’s reporting requirements, Foxx’s investment in a coal company facing regulatory scrutiny has reignited conflict-of-interest concerns, given her role as chair of key House committees overseeing education, labor policy and overall House operations.

Alliance Resource Partners is a leading U.S. coal producer structured as a master limited partnership in the energy infrastructure sector. The company supplies thermal coal for power generation and industrial use from the Illinois Basin and Appalachian fields, and diversifies its revenue through oil and gas royalty operations. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, ARLP reported revenues of approximately $516 million and net income of $9.1 million—down sharply year over year due to declines in coal sale prices, impairment charges on mining assets and valuation losses on digital holdings. Despite these headwinds, the company maintained its quarterly dividend of $0.60 per unit, yielding around 9% as of early June. Over the past three months, ARLP’s share price has fallen between 3% and 5%, significantly underperforming the S&P 500. In April, ARLP’s Riverview Coal Mine subsidiary received an “imminent danger” order from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, highlighting ongoing safety and environmental compliance risks. As a result, investors face a mix of high income and regulatory uncertainty.

Representing North Carolina’s 5th District, Foxx is a senior Republican who, in the 119th Congress, serves as Chair of the House Rules Committee and sits on the Education and Labor Committee. In these roles, she wields substantial influence over federal labor regulations, workforce training programs, and education policy, as well as the gatekeeping of legislation to the House floor. Foxx has publicly criticized the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse-gas regulations on power plants as “an assault on states,” arguing that they would drive up electricity costs and cost jobs, and has advocated for regulatory rollbacks. Her recent investment in a coal company whose regulation she can influence has drawn criticism that her policy agenda and personal financial interests may align too closely. Foxx has repeatedly reported transactions in ARLP and other energy-infrastructure stocks since the early 2020s, maintaining a personal stake in the coal sector. This pattern, combined with the broader practice of senior lawmakers investing in industries they regulate, has intensified calls on Capitol Hill for stricter rules—or even an outright ban—on stock trading by members of Congress to ensure a clear separation between public duties and private investments.