What Is the STOCK Act? Congressional Trade Disclosures

Last reviewed：2026-09-02

Direct answer

The STOCK Act requires U.S. members of Congress and other covered individuals to disclose qualifying securities transactions, generally showing the trade date, direction and an amount range rather than an exact value. Reports are delayed and may be late or amended. Executive-branch officials use a separate system such as OGE Form 278-T and should not be grouped with congressional records.

What the disclosure contains

Public records generally list the asset, transaction type, transaction date, filing date and value range, and may identify a spouse or dependent child's trade. The range is not an exact trade value, and an asset name may not always map cleanly to a single ticker.

Why it is not a real-time signal

Public filings arrive after the underlying trade and may later be amended. They do not reveal the full account, cost basis, hedges or later exits. They are useful for public oversight and historical research, not immediate copy trading.

Keep Congress and the White House separate

The House and Senate maintain their own financial-disclosure portals, while the President and other executive officials are covered by systems administered by bodies such as the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. GuruTrack labels each person's branch and source so a president is not presented as a member of Congress.

Congressional PTR versus executive-branch OGE 278-T

Disclosure system	Who and what it covers	Deadline and extension boundary
Congressional periodic transaction report (PTR)	Covered transactions by members of Congress and other covered filers; reports the trade date, direction and value range	Generally within 30 days after notice and no later than 45 days after the trade; the filing deadline cannot be extended, although late or amended reports can occur
Executive-branch OGE Form 278-T	Covered transactions by covered executive-branch officials; likewise reports dates and value ranges	Uses the same 30/45-day rule; an executive-branch agency may grant an extension for good cause

Neither system is a real-time holdings feed or reports an exact trade value; verify the original report in the corresponding official portal.

Primary sources

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U.S. politician trades Disclosure calendar About and data sources

This page is a general educational explanation based on the cited public sources. It is not legal or investment advice. Always verify the latest rule and original filing.

Public SEC 13F filings may appear up to 45 days after quarter-end; STOCK Act / OGE trade filings are generally due within 45 days but may be late. Partial data only — research, not investment advice.