Question 1

Is it legal for members of Congress to trade stocks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the STOCK Act (2012), members of Congress are prohibited from trading on material non-public information, but they can legally trade stocks. They must disclose all trades within 45 days of the transaction.

Question 2

How do I track what stocks Congress members are buying?

Accepted Answer

Congressional transactions are published through periodic disclosures. Meridian organizes available filings at meridianfin.io/congress and keeps the transaction date separate from the later filing date.

Question 3

How long after a trade does a Congress member have to disclose it?

Accepted Answer

Covered transactions are generally reportable no later than 45 days after the transaction. Check the original filing and current ethics guidance for the operative requirement and any correction.

Question 4

Do congressional stock trades outperform the market?

Accepted Answer

The academic evidence is mixed and period-dependent. Early pre-STOCK-Act samples and later studies reached different conclusions, and a delayed disclosure does not establish motive or predict future returns.


LRCX	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	Sheldon Whitehouse	Aug 13, 2026	D	Senate	Lam Research Corporation	Sep 2, 2026	-7.50%
NVDA	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	Sheldon Whitehouse	Aug 13, 2026	D	Senate	NVIDIA Corp	Sep 2, 2026	-0.82%
NVDA	Sale (Partial)	$15,001 - $50,000	Sheldon Whitehouse	Aug 13, 2026	D	Senate	NVIDIA Corp	Sep 2, 2026	-0.82%
AMGN	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	Sheldon Whitehouse	Aug 12, 2026	D	Senate	Amgen Inc	Sep 2, 2026	-6.13%


LRCX	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	▶
NVDA	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	▶
NVDA	Sale (Partial)	$15,001 - $50,000	▶
AMGN	Sale (Partial)	$1,001 - $15,000	▶

Congress Trading

Frequently Asked Questions