How to Track Congress Stock Trades (STOCK Act Explained)

Congressional stock trading is one of the most talked-about topics in investing. Because lawmakers can be exposed to non-public information, their personal trades draw intense scrutiny — and, thanks to a 2012 law, those trades are public. Here is how to follow them.

The STOCK Act, explained

The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act requires members of the U.S. House and Senate — along with senior staff — to publicly disclose securities transactions worth more than $1,000 within 45 days. The law was designed to bring transparency to how lawmakers invest and to deter the misuse of privileged information.

Where the data comes from

Each chamber publishes Periodic Transaction Reports (PTRs). The House and Senate maintain public disclosure portals where these filings appear. The raw filings, however, are often scanned PDFs that are hard to search — which is why aggregators collect, clean, and structure the data into readable feeds.

How to read a disclosure

• Asset: the stock, ETF, or option that was traded.
• Transaction type: purchase, sale, or exchange.
• Amount range: disclosed in bands (e.g. $1,001–$15,000) rather than exact figures.
• Dates: the transaction date versus the later disclosure date.

Limits to keep in mind

Disclosures use broad dollar ranges, not precise amounts, and the 45-day lag means you are always seeing trades after the fact. Some transactions are filed late, and family member trades add nuance. Use the data to stay informed and generate ideas — not as a signal to copy blindly.

Track Congress trades with StockInsider

StockInsider aggregates congressional disclosures into a clean, searchable feed. You can follow the most-watched members — including Nancy Pelosi — and get notified when new trades are filed.