I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7200 

To require Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children 

to place certain assets into blind trusts, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 15, 2020 

Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself and Mr. ROY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on House Administration 

A BILL 

To require Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children to place certain assets into blind trusts, 

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 ‘‘Transparent Represen5 tation Upholding Service and Trust in Congress Act’’ or 

6 the ‘‘TRUST in Congress Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. PLACEMENT OF CERTAIN ASSETS OF MEMBERS OF 

8 CONGRESS AND THEIR SPOUSES AND DE9 PENDENT CHILDREN IN BLIND TRUST. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.— 


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1 (1) MEMBERS OCCUPYING OFFICE ON DATE OF

2 ENACTMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

3 of enactment of this Act, a Member of Congress and 

4 any spouse or dependent child of such Member shall 

5 place any covered investment owned by such Mem6 ber, spouse, or dependent child into a qualified blind 

7 trust. 

8 (2) MEMBERS ASSUMING OFFICE AFTER DATE

9 OF ENACTMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the 

10 date an individual becomes a Member of Congress 

11 after the date of enactment of this Act, such indi12 vidual and any spouse or dependent child of such in13 dividual shall place any covered investment owned by 

14 such individual, spouse, or dependent child into a 

15 qualified blind trust. 

16 (3) MINGLING OF ASSETS.—A spouse or de17 pendent child of a Member of Congress may place 

18 a covered investment in a qualified blind trust estab19 lished by such Member under paragraph (1) or (2). 

20 (4) ASSETS UPON SEPARATION.—A Member of 

21 Congress and any spouse or dependent child of such 

22 Member may not dissolve any qualified blind trust in 

23 which a covered investment has been placed pursu24 ant to paragraph (1) or (2), or otherwise control 

25 such an investment, until the date that is 180 days 


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1 after the date such Member ceases to be a Member 

2 of Congress. 

3 (b) ACCOUNTABILITY.— 

4 (1) MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.—A Member of 

5 Congress who is a Member of the House of Rep6 resentatives shall— 

7 (A) not later than 15 days after the date 

8 a qualified blind trust is established under sub9 section (a), certify to the Clerk of the House of 

10 Representatives that such trust has been estab11 lished and that any covered investment owned 

12 by such Member or a spouse or dependent child 

13 of such Member has been placed in such trust; 

14 or 

15 (B) certify to the Clerk that such Member 

16 or a spouse or dependent child of such Member 

17 does not own any covered investment. 

18 (2) MEMBERS OF THE SENATE.—A Member of 

19 Congress who is a Senator shall— 

20 (A) not later than 15 days after the date 

21 a qualified blind trust is established under sub22 section (a), certify to the Secretary of the Sen23 ate that such trust has been established and 

24 that any covered investment owned by such 


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1 Member or a spouse or dependent child of such 

2 Member has been placed in such trust; or 

3 (B) certify to the Secretary that such 

4 Member or a spouse or dependent child of such 

5 Member does not own any covered investment. 

6 (3) REPORT.—The Clerk of the House of Rep7 resentatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall 

8 make available on the public internet website of the 

9 Clerk and the Secretary, respectively, any certifi10 cation made under paragraph (1) or (2). 

11 (c) EXCEPTION.—A spouse or dependent child who 

12 receives compensation from their primary occupation 

13 through any covered investment shall not be required to 

14 place such covered investment in a qualified blind trust 

15 under this Act. 

16 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

17 (1) COMMODITY.—The term ‘‘commodity’’ has 

18 the meaning given the term in section 1a of the 

19 Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a). 

20 (2) COVERED INVESTMENT.—The term ‘‘cov21 ered investment’’— 

22 (A) means investment in a security, a com23 modity, or a future, or any comparable eco24 nomic interest acquired through synthetic 

25 means such as the use of a derivative; and 


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1 (B) does not include— 

2 (i) a widely held investment fund de3 scribed in section 102(f)(8) of the Ethics 

4 in Government Act of 1978; or 

5 (ii) a United States Treasury bill, 

6 note, or bond. 

7 (3) DEPENDENT CHILD.—The term ‘‘dependent 

8 child’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

9 109(2) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. 

10 (4) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem11 ber of Congress’’ has the meaning given that term 

12 in section 109(12) of such Act. 

13 (5) QUALIFIED BLIND TRUST.—The term 

14 ‘‘qualified blind trust’’ has the meaning given that 

15 term in section 102(f)(3) of such Act. 

Æ 


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