What is the STOCK Act?
The 2012 law that made congressional trades public — what it requires and who it covers.
The STOCK Act — the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act — is a 2012 federal law that governs how members of Congress handle securities. It is the foundation of every figure Congress Watch reports.
What it requires
The law has two pillars:
- Insider-trading liability. It made explicit that members of Congress and covered staff are not exempt from insider-trading law — they cannot legally trade on material non-public information obtained through their position.
- Public disclosure. Members must file a Periodic Transaction Report (PTR) for each covered securities transaction, generally within 30 days of being notified of the trade and no later than 45 days after it occurred.
What a PTR shows
A PTR lists the asset (often a ticker), the transaction type (purchase or sale), the date, and an amount range rather than an exact figure (for example, "$1,001–$15,000"). That is why our coverage reports ranges, not precise dollar amounts.
Why it matters for readers
Because filing is mandatory and public, anyone can reconstruct what Congress is trading — after the fact. The catch is the disclosure lag: you are seeing a pattern weeks later, not real-time activity. Read how we turn these filings into coverage.
Editorial research on public disclosures — not financial advice.
When was the STOCK Act passed?
It was signed into law in April 2012.
What is a Periodic Transaction Report (PTR)?
A PTR is the public filing a member of Congress submits for each securities transaction, showing the asset, buy/sell, date, and an amount range.
Does the STOCK Act ban members from trading stocks?
No. It requires disclosure and affirms insider-trading rules, but it does not prohibit members from trading individual stocks.