I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 273 

To improve Presidential and Vice Presidential tax transparency, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 8, 2019 

Ms. ESHOO (for herself and Mr. PASCRELL) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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 improve Presidential and Vice Presidential tax 

transparency, 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 ‘‘Presidential Tax 

5 Transparency Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE PRESIDENTIAL TAX 

7 TRANSPARENCY. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 


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1 (1) The term ‘‘covered candidate’’ means a can2 didate of a major party in a general election for the 

3 office of President or Vice President. 

4 (2) The term ‘‘major party’’ has the meaning 

5 given the term in section 9002 of the Internal Rev6 enue Code of 1986. 

7 (3) The term ‘‘income tax return’’ means, with 

8 respect to an individual, any return (as such term is 

9 defined in section 6103(b)(1) of the Internal Rev10 enue Code of 1986) of such individual other than— 

11 (A) information returns issued to persons 

12 other than such individual, and 

13 (B) declarations of estimated tax. 

14 (4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

15 of the Treasury or the delegate of the Secretary. 

16 (b) DISCLOSURE.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.— 

18 (A) CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT AND

19 VICE PRESIDENT.—Not later than the date that 

20 is 15 days after the date on which an individual 

21 becomes a covered candidate, the individual 

22 shall submit to the Federal Election Commis23 sion a copy of the individual’s income tax re24 turns for the 10 most recent taxable years for 


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1 which a return has been filed with the Internal 

2 Revenue Service. 

3 (B) PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.— 

4 With respect to each taxable year for an indi5 vidual who is the President or Vice President, 

6 not later than the due date for the return of tax 

7 for the taxable year, such individual shall sub8 mit to the Federal Election Commission a copy 

9 of the individual’s income tax returns for the 

10 taxable year and for the 9 preceding taxable 

11 years. 

12 (C) TRANSITION RULE FOR SITTING PRESI13 DENTS AND VICE PRESIDENTS.—Not later than 

14 the date that is 30 days after the date of enact15 ment of this section, an individual who is the 

16 President or Vice President on such date of en17 actment shall submit to the Federal Election 

18 Commission a copy of the income tax returns 

19 for the 10 most recent taxable years for which 

20 a return has been filed with the Internal Rev21 enue Service. 

22 (2) FAILURE TO DISCLOSE.—If any require23 ment under paragraph (1) to submit an income tax 

24 return is not met, the chairman of the Federal Elec25 tion Commission shall submit to the Secretary a 


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1 written request that the Secretary provide the Fed2 eral Election Commission with the income tax re3 turn. 

4 (3) PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.—The chairman of 

5 the Federal Election Commission shall make publicly 

6 available each income tax return submitted under 

7 paragraph (1) in the same manner as a return pro8 vided under section 6103(l)(23) of the Internal Rev9 enue Code of 1986 (as added by this section). 

10 (4) TREATMENT AS A REPORT UNDER THE

11 FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACT OF 1971.—For 

12 purposes of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 

13 1971, any income tax return submitted under para14 graph (1) or provided under section 6103(l)(23) of 

15 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by 

16 this section) shall, after redaction under paragraph 

17 (3) or subparagraph (B)(ii) of such section, be treat18 ed as a report filed under the Federal Election Cam19 paign Act of 1971. 

20 (c) DISCLOSURE OF RETURNS OF PRESIDENTS AND

21 VICE PRESIDENTS AND CERTAIN CANDIDATES FOR

22 PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 6103(l) of the Inter24 nal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at 

25 the end the following new paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(23) DISCLOSURE OF RETURN INFORMATION

2 OF PRESIDENTS AND VICE PRESIDENTS AND CER3 TAIN CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESI4 DENT.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon written request 

6 by the chairman of the Federal Election Com7 mission under section 1(b)(2) of the Presi8 dential Tax Transparency Act of 2019, the Sec9 retary shall provide copies of any return which 

10 is so requested to officers and employees of the 

11 Federal Election Commission whose official du12 ties include disclosure or redaction of such re13 turn under this paragraph. 

14 ‘‘(B) DISCLOSURE TO THE PUBLIC.— 

15 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The chairman of 

16 the Federal Election Commission shall 

17 make publicly available any return which is 

18 provided under subparagraph (A). 

19 ‘‘(ii) REDACTION OF CERTAIN INFOR20 MATION.—Before making publicly available 

21 under clause (i) any return, the chairman 

22 of the Federal Election Commission shall 

23 redact such information as the Federal 

24 Election Commission and the Secretary 

25 jointly determine is necessary for proVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:24 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H273.IH H273

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1 tecting against identity theft, such as so2 cial security numbers.’’. 

3 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 

4 6103(p)(4) of such Code is amended— 

5 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

6 (A) by striking ‘‘or (22)’’ and inserting ‘‘(22), 

7 or (23)’’, and 

8 (B) in subparagraph (F)(ii) by striking ‘‘or 

9 (22)’’ and inserting ‘‘(22), or (23)’’. 

10 (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 

11 by this subsection shall apply to disclosures made on 

12 or after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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