Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act

Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act

This bill generally prohibits Members of Congress (and their spouses and dependents) from purchasing or selling certain investments, such as individual stocks and related financial instruments that are not diversified investment funds, Treasury securities, or other specified holdings. Violations of this prohibition are subject to specified civil penalties.

Members must certify their compliance with the provisions of the bill, and the applicable House or Senate ethics office must make the certifications and related information (e.g., trust agreements; descriptions of assets held in trusts; and federal loans, grants, or related benefits that the Member received) available online.

Additionally, the bill restricts certain communications between trustees and beneficiaries related to investments held in qualified blind trusts. Violations of the restriction are subject to specified civil penalties.

Further, the bill imposes penalties for failing to comply with existing financial disclosure requirements and requires electronic filing of those disclosures in a searchable format.