Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act

Ban on stock trading for Congress

If enacted, this bill would bar Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from holding many investments. It would define "covered investments" to include stocks, commodities, futures, and many derivatives. It would exclude diversified mutual funds, ETFs, and U.S. Treasury securities. Members would have to certify within 30 days and sell or place covered investments in approved blind trusts within 120 days. Ethics offices could grant limited extensions totaling no more than 180 days, with any single extension capped at 45 days. Missing deadlines would trigger monthly fines equal to one month's pay, starting 30 days after a written notice. Ethics offices would post certifications, trust agreements, asset lists, extension explanations, and penalties on public websites. Trustees and Members would also have 30-day notice duties for trust execution, transfers, discoveries, and dissolutions.