Release Your Taxes Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
Introduced
Summary
Public disclosure of federal tax returns would be required from incumbent Members of Congress and congressional candidates, and a central public database would be created to publish those filings promptly. The requirement covers Form 1040 filings, schedules, extensions, and statements for people who would otherwise not owe a return and applies to tax years beginning in 2025 or later.
Show full summary
- Members and candidates: Would have to submit their 1040, Schedule A, extensions, and any required statement within 2 business days of the tax filing date if they were a Member or candidate during the relevant year. If they become a Member or candidate after filing, they must submit within 30 days. Transition rules force current officeholders and candidates to provide the calendar year filing that would have applied earlier in the year.
- Congressional administrators: The Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate would run a public website that stores every submitted filing and posts each entry within 5 business days of receipt.
- Public and media: The website would include a public list of noncompliant individuals whose names remain until they comply or more than 6 years after leaving office.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Public listing for noncompliant officials
If enacted, the bill would require congressional officials to promptly post the name of any individual who fails to submit a required filing or explanatory statement on the public website. A name could not be removed until the individual complies or until more than six years have passed after the person is no longer a Member or a congressional candidate.
Quick tax filing deadlines for members, candidates
This bill would require individuals who are Members of Congress or congressional candidates to submit their tax return filing to the congressional officials within 2 business days after they file their IRS return if they are a Member or candidate for any part of the tax year or calendar year. If someone becomes a Member or candidate after filing, they would have 30 days to submit. If a person is not required to file, they must submit a statement explaining that by the usual due date. As a transition rule, those who are Members or candidates on enactment would have 30 days after enactment to submit that year's filing.
Public online database of tax returns
If enacted, the bill would require the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate to set up and run a public, centralized database of every tax return filing submitted under the section. The database would be posted on a public website. Each filing received would have to be posted within 5 business days after receipt.
Who must disclose and when
This bill would define who the rules cover and which filings count. It would name the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate as the congressional officials who run the system. It would define "Member of Congress" and "congressional candidate" and say tax years starting in 2025 are covered. It would say a tax return filing includes Form 1040, Schedule A (or successors), extensions, and the required statement.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
MI • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov