[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5006]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MODIFYING THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE STOCK ACT

  Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. 716, introduced earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 716) to modify the requirements under the STOCK 
     Act regarding online access to certain financial disclosure 
     statements and related forms.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. COONS. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times 
and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 716) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 716

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

     SECTION 1. MODIFICATIONS OF ONLINE ACCESS TO CERTAIN 
                   FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS AND RELATED 
                   FORMS.

       (a) Public, Online Disclosure of Financial Disclosure 
     Forms.--
       (1) In general.--Except with respect to financial 
     disclosure forms filed by officers and employees referred to 
     in paragraph (2), section 8(a) and section 11(a) of the STOCK 
     Act (5 U.S.C. App. 105 note) shall not be effective.
       (2) Exempted officers and employees.--The officer and 
     employees referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
       (A) The President.
       (B) The Vice President.
       (C) Any Member of Congress.
       (D) Any candidate for Congress.
       (E) Any officer occupying a position listed in section 5312 
     or section 5313 of title 5, United States Code, having been 
     nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to 
     that position.
       (3) Conforming amendment.--Section 1 of the Act entitled 
     ``An Act to change the effective date for the internet 
     publication of certain information to prevent harm to the 
     national security or endangering the military officers and 
     civilian employees to whom the publication requirement 
     applies, and for other purposes'' is repealed.
       (b) Electronic Filing and Online Availability.--
       (1) For members of congress and candidates.--Section 8(b) 
     of the STOCK Act (5 U.S.C. App. 105 note) is amended--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``, Officers of the House 
     and Senate, and Congressional Staff'';
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act'' and inserting ``January 1, 2014'';
       (ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
       ``(B) public access to--
       ``(i) financial disclosure reports filed by Members of 
     Congress and candidates for Congress,
       ``(ii) reports filed by Members of Congress and candidates 
     for Congress of a transaction disclosure required by section 
     103(l) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, and
       ``(iii) notices of extensions, amendments, and blind 
     trusts, with respect to financial disclosure reports 
     described in clauses (i) and (ii),
     pursuant to title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 
     (5 U.S.C. App. 101 et seq.), through databases that are 
     maintained on the official websites of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate.'';
       (C) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking the first two sentences; and
       (ii) in the last sentence, by striking ``under this 
     section'' and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)'';
       (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ``under this subsection'' 
     and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)'';
       (E) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``be able to'' after 
     ``shall''; and
       (F) in paragraph (5), by striking ``under this subsection'' 
     and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)''.
       (2) For executive branch officials.--Section 11(b) of the 
     STOCK Act (5 U.S.C. App. 105 note) is amended--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``Employees'' and inserting 
     ``Officials'' ;
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act'' and inserting ``January 1, 2014'';
       (ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
       ``(B) public access to--
       ``(i) financial disclosure reports filed by the President, 
     the Vice President, and any officer occupying a position 
     listed in section 5312 or section 5313 of title 5, United 
     States Code, having been nominated by the President and 
     confirmed by the Senate to that position,
       ``(ii) reports filed by any individual described in clause 
     (i) of a transaction disclosure required by section 103(l) of 
     the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, and
       ``(iii) notices of extensions, amendments, and blind 
     trusts, with respect to financial disclosure reports 
     described in clauses (i) and (ii),
     pursuant to title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 
     (5 U.S.C. App. 101 et seq.), through databases that are 
     maintained on the official website of the Office of 
     Government Ethics.'';
       (C) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking the first two sentences; and
       (ii) in the last sentence, by striking ``under this 
     section'' and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)'';
       (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ``under this subsection'' 
     and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)'';
       (E) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``be able to'' after 
     ``shall''; and
       (F) in paragraph (5), by striking ``under this subsection'' 
     and inserting ``under paragraph (1)(B)''.

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