I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 840 
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 
FEBRUARY 2, 2017 
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 
Government 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Service Trans-
parency Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:07 Feb 09, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H840.IH
H840
smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURNS BY CANDIDATES 
FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OR 
NOMINEE FOR CABINET-LEVEL POSITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102 of the Ethics in Gov-
ernment Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–521; 5 U.S.C. App. 
102) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j)(1) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(c) 
by an individual who is a candidate for the office of Presi-
dent or Vice President shall include the individuals return 
of Federal income tax for the taxable year ending in or 
with the applicable calendar year covered by such report 
and such returns for the previous two taxable years. 
‘‘(2) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(b) by 
an individual who is a nominee for a Cabinet-level position 
shall include the individuals return of Federal income tax 
for the taxable year ending in or with the applicable cal-
endar year covered by such report and such returns for 
the previous two taxable years. 
‘‘(3) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(d) and 
(e) by the President, Vice President, or any individual oc-
cupying a Cabinet-level position shall include the Presi-
dent’s, Vice President’s, or individual’s (as the case may 
be) return of Federal income tax for the taxable year end-
ing in or with the applicable calendar year covered by such 
report. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:07 Feb 09, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H840.IH
H840
smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(4) If any person covered by paragraph (1), (2), or 
(3) files the return for such taxable year with the Internal 
Revenue Service after the due date for such report, such 
return shall be submitted (in the same manner as such 
a report) not later than 30 days after such return was 
so filed. 
‘‘(5) In this subsection, the term ‘Cabinet-level posi-
tion’ means— 
‘‘(A) the head of any Executive department (as 
that term is defined in section 101 of title 5, United 
States Code); and 
‘‘(B) any other position designated by the 
President as a position within the Cabinet.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to any individual who becomes a 
candidate for the office, or assumes the office, of President 
or Vice President, or becomes a nominee for, or assumes, 
a Cabinet-level position (as that term is defined in section 
102(j)(5) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public 
Law 95–521; 5 U.S.C. App. 102(j)(5)), as added by sub-
section (a)), after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. DISCLOSURE PERMITTED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 6103(i) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:07 Feb 09, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H840.IH
H840
smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(9) DISCLOSURE
OF
TAX
RETURNS
UNDER 
THE ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1978.—The 
Director of the Office of Government Ethics may 
disclose returns described in section 102(j) of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public Law 95– 
521; 5 U.S.C. App. 102(j)) to the extent such re-
turns are required to be made available pursuant to 
such section.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to disclosures made after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:07 Feb 09, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H840.IH
H840
smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS