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Halting Ownership and Non-Ethical Stock Transactions (HONEST) Act

USA119th CongressS-1498| Senate 
| Updated: 12/10/2025
Josh Hawley

Josh Hawley

Republican Senator

Missouri

Cosponsors (4)
Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Bernie Moreno (Republican)

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, titled the "Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act," seeks to amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, by establishing a ban on transactions involving certain financial instruments for Members of Congress and their spouses. The prohibition covers investments in securities , security futures , commodities , and comparable economic interests acquired through synthetic means like derivatives. However, the legislation explicitly excludes diversified mutual funds, diversified exchange-traded funds, and U.S. Treasury bills, notes, or bonds from this definition of "covered financial instrument." Under the proposed law, Members of Congress and their spouses would be prohibited from holding, purchasing, or selling these covered financial instruments during the Member's term of service. For existing holdings, a divestment period of 180 days is provided, either from the date of the bill's enactment or from the start of a new Member's initial term. Non-compliance can result in the disgorgement of profits to the U.S. Treasury and the assessment of civil fines by the applicable supervising ethics committees. The bill mandates that Members annually submit a written certification of compliance, which will be made publicly available. Supervising ethics committees are empowered to implement and enforce these requirements, including issuing rules, guidance, and granting extensions for good faith divestment efforts. Civil fines for continuing non-compliance, assessed every 30 days, would amount to 10 percent of the value of non-divested instruments, with opportunities for hearings and public disclosure of all fine assessments. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is tasked with auditing compliance within two years of the bill's enactment and reporting its findings.

Bill Text Versions

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Timeline
Apr 28, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Apr 28, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Dec 10, 2025
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Dec 10, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 294.
  • April 28, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • April 28, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • December 10, 2025
    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • December 10, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 294.

Congress

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3388: Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act
Civil actions and liabilityCommodities marketsCongressional oversightFamily relationshipsFinancial services and investmentsGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsMembers of CongressSecurities

Halting Ownership and Non-Ethical Stock Transactions (HONEST) Act

USA119th CongressS-1498| Senate 
| Updated: 12/10/2025
This bill, titled the "Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act," seeks to amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, by establishing a ban on transactions involving certain financial instruments for Members of Congress and their spouses. The prohibition covers investments in securities , security futures , commodities , and comparable economic interests acquired through synthetic means like derivatives. However, the legislation explicitly excludes diversified mutual funds, diversified exchange-traded funds, and U.S. Treasury bills, notes, or bonds from this definition of "covered financial instrument." Under the proposed law, Members of Congress and their spouses would be prohibited from holding, purchasing, or selling these covered financial instruments during the Member's term of service. For existing holdings, a divestment period of 180 days is provided, either from the date of the bill's enactment or from the start of a new Member's initial term. Non-compliance can result in the disgorgement of profits to the U.S. Treasury and the assessment of civil fines by the applicable supervising ethics committees. The bill mandates that Members annually submit a written certification of compliance, which will be made publicly available. Supervising ethics committees are empowered to implement and enforce these requirements, including issuing rules, guidance, and granting extensions for good faith divestment efforts. Civil fines for continuing non-compliance, assessed every 30 days, would amount to 10 percent of the value of non-divested instruments, with opportunities for hearings and public disclosure of all fine assessments. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is tasked with auditing compliance within two years of the bill's enactment and reporting its findings.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Apr 28, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Apr 28, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Dec 10, 2025
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Dec 10, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 294.
  • April 28, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • April 28, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • December 10, 2025
    Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • December 10, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 294.
Josh Hawley

Josh Hawley

Republican Senator

Missouri

Cosponsors (4)
Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Bernie Moreno (Republican)

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Congress

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3388: Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityCommodities marketsCongressional oversightFamily relationshipsFinancial services and investmentsGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsMembers of CongressSecurities