House Ethics sets a $1,000 PTR trigger
The House Committee on Ethics says members, officers, and certain employees must file a periodic transaction report for covered securities transactions over $1,000.
The same House PTR guidance covers purchases, sales, and exchanges. It is a disclosure rule, not a ban on owning or trading individual securities.
The disclosure deadline can run 45 days after the trade
House Ethics says the PTR due date is the earlier of two dates: 30 days after the filer becomes aware of the transaction or 45 days after the transaction itself.
A trade can therefore become public weeks after the market move, committee fight, hearing, briefing, or agency decision that gives it political context.
The House late-fee number is $200
The House Ethics Manual says an individual who files a report more than 30 days late must pay a $200 late filing fee, unless the committee waives the fee in exceptional circumstances.
The fee is flat. The manual language does not scale the penalty to the value of the transaction, the size of the filer's portfolio, or the market sensitivity of the officeholder's committee work.
House and Senate reform bills target ownership
Congress.gov says H.R. 5106, the Restore Trust in Congress Act, would prohibit members of Congress and their spouses and dependents from owning or trading stocks.
Congress.gov says S. 1879, the Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act, would require current members to certify compliance within 30 days and divest covered investments or move them into qualified blind trusts within 120 days, subject to extensions.
CRS keeps the question inside the STOCK Act record
The Congressional Research Service summary, 'Taking Stock of the STOCK Act,' places current reform proposals in the same file as disclosure deadlines, blind-trust proposals, and penalties for late or missing reports.
The official paper trail is narrow and testable: PTR threshold, filing window, late fee, disclosure portals, and pending bills that would replace delayed disclosure with ownership limits.
Sources & records
Reviewed by Standards Review. Updated April 13, 2026.
- Senate EFD Search
Official Senate disclosure portal for annual reports and periodic transaction reports.
- House Financial Disclosures
Official House Clerk disclosure portal for annual and transaction reporting materials.
- U.S. Senate Salary History
Official Senate salary table showing current member and leadership pay levels.
- House Salaries
Official House data page listing current member and leadership salary levels.
- Senate Ethics Financial Thresholds
Current Senate ethics thresholds, including the 2026 outside earned income limit.
- House PTR Guidance
Official House guidance for the >$1,000 threshold and the earlier-of 30/45 day PTR due rule.
- House Filing Deadlines And Late Fees
Official House Ethics Manual section stating that a report filed more than 30 days late triggers a $200 late fee unless waived.
- House Annual Pay Memo
Official House ethics memo summarizing current financial disclosure and PTR requirements.
- H.R. 5106 Restore Trust in Congress Act
Current House bill text that would prohibit Members of Congress and their spouses and dependents from owning or trading stocks.
- S. 1879 Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act
Current Senate bill text requiring divestment or placement in qualified blind trusts for covered investments.
- CRS Taking Stock Of The STOCK Act
Congressional Research Service summary of current and recent congressional stock-trading reform proposals and penalties.
- FEC Campaign Finance Statistics
Current cycle-by-cycle congressional candidate, party, PAC, and independent expenditure statistics.
- SEC EDGAR
Public-company filings used for issuer, ownership, and asset-context checks.
