I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 336 

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 

JANUARY 15, 2021 

Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself, Mr. ROY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. 

JONES, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. PERRY, Mr. KELLER, and Mr. WRIGHT) 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’’. 


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•HR 336 IH

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

2 CONGRESS AND THEIR SPOUSES AND DE3 PENDENT CHILDREN IN BLIND TRUST. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.— 

5 (1) MEMBERS OCCUPYING OFFICE ON DATE OF

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

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

8 any spouse or dependent child of such Member shall 

9 place any covered investment owned by such Mem10 ber, spouse, or dependent child into a qualified blind 

11 trust. 

12 (2) MEMBERS ASSUMING OFFICE AFTER DATE

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

14 date an individual becomes a Member of Congress 

15 after the date of enactment of this Act, such indi16 vidual and any spouse or dependent child of such in17 dividual shall place any covered investment owned by 

18 such individual, spouse, or dependent child into a 

19 qualified blind trust. 

20 (3) MINGLING OF ASSETS.—A spouse or de21 pendent child of a Member of Congress may place 

22 a covered investment in a qualified blind trust estab23 lished by such Member under paragraph (1) or (2). 

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

25 Congress and any spouse or dependent child of such 

26 Member may not dissolve any qualified blind trust in 


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•HR 336 IH

1 which a covered investment has been placed pursu2 ant to paragraph (1) or (2), or otherwise control 

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

4 after the date such Member ceases to be a Member 

5 of Congress. 

6 (b) ACCOUNTABILITY.— 

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

8 Congress who is a Member of the House of Rep9 resentatives shall— 

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

11 a qualified blind trust is established under sub12 section (a), certify to the Clerk of the House of 

13 Representatives that such trust has been estab14 lished and that any covered investment owned 

15 by such Member or a spouse or dependent child 

16 of such Member has been placed in such trust; 

17 or 

18 (B) certify to the Clerk that such Member 

19 or a spouse or dependent child of such Member 

20 does not own any covered investment. 

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

22 Congress who is a Senator shall— 

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

24 a qualified blind trust is established under sub25 section (a), certify to the Secretary of the SenVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:33 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H336.IH H336

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•HR 336 IH

1 ate that such trust has been established and 

2 that any covered investment owned by such 

3 Member or a spouse or dependent child of such 

4 Member has been placed in such trust; or 

5 (B) certify to the Secretary that such 

6 Member or a spouse or dependent child of such 

7 Member does not own any covered investment. 

8 (3) REPORT.—The Clerk of the House of Rep9 resentatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall 

10 make available on the public internet website of the 

11 Clerk and the Secretary, respectively, any certifi12 cation made under paragraph (1) or (2). 

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

14 receives compensation from their primary occupation 

15 through any covered investment shall not be required to 

16 place such covered investment in a qualified blind trust 

17 under this Act. 

18 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

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

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

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

22 (2) COVERED INVESTMENT.—The term ‘‘cov23 ered investment’’— 

24 (A) means investment in a security, a com25 modity, or a future, or any comparable ecoVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:33 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H336.IH H336

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1 nomic interest acquired through synthetic 

2 means such as the use of a derivative; and 

3 (B) does not include— 

4 (i) a widely held investment fund de5 scribed in section 102(f)(8) of the Ethics 

6 in Government Act of 1978; or 

7 (ii) a United States Treasury bill, 

8 note, or bond. 

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

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

11 109(2) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. 

12 (4) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem13 ber of Congress’’ has the meaning given that term 

14 in section 109(12) of such Act. 

15 (5) QUALIFIED BLIND TRUST.—The term 

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

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

Æ 


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