Research essentials
Congress stock trades: common questions
Start with the disclosure, its date, and what the evidence can actually establish.
What is CopyGov?
CopyGov is an independent research tool for public congressional stock disclosures. It connects reported purchases to source records and compares modeled outcomes after publication with SPY. It is not affiliated with Congress and does not execute trades.
Does a disclosed purchase mean the politician still owns the stock?
No. A purchase disclosure records a reported event, not a complete current portfolio. Subsequent sales, amendments, reporting delays, and ownership by a spouse or dependent can change its interpretation.
Which date starts a CopyGov stock-return comparison?
The modeled entry uses the first trading-session close after the recorded publication date. The earlier transaction date is shown separately. A reader could not have used an unpublished filing to obtain the earlier transaction price.
How does CopyGov compare a stock with the S&P 500?
CopyGov compares the stock with SPY over matching entry and end dates. Excess return is the stock return minus the SPY return, expressed in percentage points. The standard horizons are 63, 126, and 252 trading sessions, approximately three, six, and twelve months.
Are the displayed results an actual portfolio return?
No. They are modeled outcomes for individual stock-purchase signals. Signals can overlap and repeat. Their average does not specify a capital allocation, reinvestment strategy, taxes, or real brokerage executions.
How current and complete is the public research?
Each profile displays its research and price snapshot dates. The historical study covers 2014–2025 and is supplemented by House filing snapshots from 2025 onward. Senate coverage remains historical. The Free sample contains five profiles and up to twenty detail rows per profile; aggregate statistics can cover more observations.
What does a missing return mean?
A missing outcome can mean the horizon has not finished or the required prices are unavailable. It is not a zero return. Read the priced-signal count, missing count, and price coverage before comparing results.
Can an AI assistant use CopyGov research?
Yes. CopyGov provides a public Markdown research brief and a read-only MCP connection. They retain the Free sample limits. Use the original source links, preserve the dates and assumptions, and distinguish modeled history from a forecast.
Check the evidence
Read the full methodology and source links, browse the public profiles, or connect an assistant.