I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 232 

To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require the President, 

Vice President, and Cabinet-level officers to release their tax returns, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2021 

Mr. RUIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and 

Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require 

the President, Vice President, and Cabinet-level officers 

to release their tax returns, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Service Trans5 parency Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURNS BY CANDIDATES 

2 FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OR 

3 NOMINEE FOR CABINET-LEVEL POSITIONS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102 of the Ethics in Gov5 ernment Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–521; 5 U.S.C. App. 

6 102) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(j)(1) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(c) 

8 by an individual who is a candidate for the office of Presi9 dent or Vice President shall include the individuals return 

10 of Federal income tax for the taxable year ending in or 

11 with the applicable calendar year covered by such report 

12 and such returns for the previous two taxable years. 

13 ‘‘(2) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(b) by 

14 an individual who is a nominee for a Cabinet-level position 

15 shall include the individuals return of Federal income tax 

16 for the taxable year ending in or with the applicable cal17 endar year covered by such report and such returns for 

18 the previous two taxable years. 

19 ‘‘(3) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(d) and 

20 (e) by the President, Vice President, or any individual oc21 cupying a Cabinet-level position shall include the Presi22 dent’s, Vice President’s, or individual’s (as the case may 

23 be) return of Federal income tax for the taxable year end24 ing in or with the applicable calendar year covered by such 

25 report. 


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1 ‘‘(4) If any person covered by paragraph (1), (2), or 

2 (3) files the return for such taxable year with the Internal 

3 Revenue Service after the due date for such report, such 

4 return shall be submitted (in the same manner as such 

5 a report) not later than 30 days after such return was 

6 so filed. 

7 ‘‘(5) In this subsection, the term ‘Cabinet-level posi8 tion’ means— 

9 ‘‘(A) the head of any Executive department (as 

10 that term is defined in section 101 of title 5, United 

11 States Code); and 

12 ‘‘(B) any other position designated by the 

13 President as a position within the Cabinet.’’. 

14 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub15 section (a) shall apply to any individual who becomes a 

16 candidate for the office, or assumes the office, of President 

17 or Vice President, or becomes a nominee for, or assumes, 

18 a Cabinet-level position (as that term is defined in section 

19 102(j)(5) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public 

20 Law 95–521; 5 U.S.C. App. 102(j)(5)), as added by sub21 section (a)), after the date of enactment of this Act. 

22 SEC. 3. DISCLOSURE PERMITTED. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 6103(i) of the Internal 

24 Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 

25 the following new paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(9) DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURNS UNDER

2 THE ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1978.—The 

3 Director of the Office of Government Ethics may 

4 disclose returns described in section 102(j) of the 

5 Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public Law 95– 

6 521; 5 U.S.C. App. 102(j)) to the extent such re7 turns are required to be made available pursuant to 

8 such section.’’. 

9 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub10 section (a) shall apply to disclosures made after the date 

11 of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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