Under the STOCK Act of 2012, members of Congress must publicly report most stock trades over $1,000 on a Periodic Transaction Report. The report is due within 30 days of when they learn of the trade, and no later than 45 days after the trade date. Amounts are shown in dollar ranges, not exact figures.
- The STOCK Act (2012) requires public reports of most stock trades by members of Congress.
- Reports are due no later than 45 days after the trade, so the news is often weeks old.
- Trades by a spouse or dependent child are reported too.
- Amounts appear as ranges, such as $1,001 to $15,000.
- House reports are on the Clerk’s site and Senate reports on the Senate eFD site.
What is the STOCK Act?
The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act became law in 2012. It confirms that members of Congress may not use non-public information from their jobs to trade, and it requires fast public reports of their trades in stocks, bonds and other securities.
What is a Periodic Transaction Report?
A Periodic Transaction Report (PTR) lists each covered trade: the date, the asset, whether it was a purchase or sale, and the amount range. Trades made by a member’s spouse or dependent child are included. Mutual funds and some other widely held investments are generally exempt.
Why are Congress trades reported up to 45 days late?
The law gives members 30 days from when they are notified of a trade, and no more than 45 days from the trade date, to file. That means the trade you see today may have happened more than a month ago, and the price may have moved a lot since. Always check the trade date as well as the filing date.
Late filers can owe a fee, but late reports still show up from time to time.
How do I read the dollar ranges?
Reports use ranges instead of exact amounts. Common ranges include:
| Range on the report |
|---|
| $1,001 – $15,000 |
| $15,001 – $50,000 |
| $50,001 – $100,000 |
| $100,001 – $250,000 |
| $250,001 – $500,000 |
| $500,001 – $1,000,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 |
So a report can tell you a trade was larger or smaller, but not its exact size.
How can everyday investors use this data?
Congress trade reports are a window into what lawmakers and their families own. Because of the delay and the ranges, they work best as background, not as a timing tool. Trade Conquest’s Congress trades list shows recent House and Senate reports, with links to each member’s official website.
Frequently asked questions
Do members of Congress have to report stock trades?
Yes. The STOCK Act requires members to report most trades over $1,000 in stocks, bonds and similar securities on a Periodic Transaction Report.
How long do members of Congress have to report a trade?
Within 30 days of being notified of the trade, and no later than 45 days after the trade date.
Are spouse trades included?
Yes. Trades by a member's spouse or dependent child are also reported.
Why don't Congress reports show exact amounts?
The law uses dollar ranges, such as $1,001 to $15,000, instead of exact figures.
More guides
Keep learning with these related guides, or see every guide and tool on the Learn page.
Sources
- Congress.gov: STOCK Act (S.2038, 112th Congress)
- House Clerk: Financial Disclosure Reports
- U.S. Senate: Electronic Financial Disclosures
- House Committee on Ethics: Financial Disclosure
Not financial advice. This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. It is published by Trade Conquest, owned and operated by Nite Cat, LLC, 2885 Sanford Ave SW #35064, Grandville, MI 49418. Rules change; check the cited official sources for the latest version. Investing carries a risk of loss. Trade Conquest does not recommend buying or selling any security.