Is it legal for members of Congress to trade stocks?

Yes, but the STOCK Act requires them to disclose trades publicly within roughly 30–45 days. Trading on material non-public information remains illegal.

How current is 'Pelosi tracker' data?

It lags. Disclosures can arrive up to ~45 days after the trade, so the data is a delayed, public record — not a real-time feed.

Does Oswol track lawmakers other than Pelosi?

Yes. The Smart Money Radar surfaces congressional disclosures broadly, alongside institutional 13F filings and corporate insiders, each scored and sourced.

Congressional stock trading and the Pelosi tracker, explained

U.S. lawmakers must disclose their trades under the STOCK Act. Here's what the filings actually show, why the 'Pelosi tracker' went viral, and how to read them without the conspiracy.

Members of the U.S. Congress trade stocks — and by law they have to tell you. The result is a public stream of disclosures that traders watch closely, and that spawned a whole genre of 'politician trackers'. Here's what's real and what's hype.

What the STOCK Act requires

The 2012 STOCK Act requires senators and representatives to file a Periodic Transaction Report for any trade over $1,000, usually within 30–45 days. Crucially, the filing shows a dollar range (e.g. $1M–$5M), not an exact amount, and covers the lawmaker, spouse and dependents.

Why the 'Pelosi tracker' went viral

A handful of lawmakers posted large, well-timed trades — often big tech names held by a spouse — and the internet noticed. 'Pelosi tracker' became shorthand for 'watch what informed, connected money is doing'. The fascination is less about one person and more about a hunch: that proximity to policy might mean an edge.

How to read them without the conspiracy

Mind the lag. A 45-day delay means you're often seeing old news.
Ranges, not amounts. You rarely know the true size or the reasoning.
Disclosure isn't proof. A well-timed trade can be luck, a manager, or coincidence — not evidence of misconduct.

Treat congressional trades as one signal among many, not a buy button. Oswol scores each disclosure for size, timing and freshness and shows the original filing.