S. 3817 – Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act

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Updated February 26, 2026 at 5:21 AM UTC

The Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act would add a new tax provision to the Internal Revenue Code that taxes, at a 100 % rate, any civil‑action damages received by the President, Vice President, senior executive‑level officials, and members of Congress when they sue the United States. The tax would apply to settlements, verdicts or judgments received after the law takes effect, effectively removing any tax benefit from such awards.

Key Provisions

Creates a new Chapter 50B in the tax code covering “certain civil damages received by certain officers of the United States.”
Defines “covered persons” as the President, Vice President, any Level I Executive Schedule official, and any member of Congress (including delegates and resident commissioners) and their related parties.
Defines “qualified civil action amount” as the total damages a covered person receives from a civil lawsuit they filed against the United States or its agencies.
Imposes a tax equal to 100 % of that qualified amount for each taxable year in which the damages are received.
Treats the tax as a regular income tax under subtitle A and adds Chapter 50B to the list of tax chapters.
Specifies that the taxed amount is excluded from gross income for other tax calculations, but the tax still applies.
Amends Section 275(a)(6) to reference the new Chapter 50B.
Effective only for damages received after the law’s enactment date.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 10, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 10, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 10, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued February 10, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3817

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 10, 2026

Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Luján, and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a tax on damages received by certain officers of the United States on account of any civil action filed against the United States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act.

2.

Imposition of tax on damages received by the President of the United States on account of civil action filed against the United States

(a)

In general

Subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

50B

Certain civil damages received by certain officers of the United States

Sec. 5000E. Imposition of tax on damages received on account of civil action filed against the United States.

5000E.

Imposition of tax on damages received on account of civil action filed against the United States

(a)

In general

There is hereby imposed on each covered person for any taxable year a tax equal to 100 percent of the qualified civil action amount received by such person during such taxable year.

(b)

Covered person

For purposes of this section—

(1)

In general

The term covered person means—

(A)

any individual who has served in a position described in paragraph (2), and

(B)

any person related (within the meaning of section 267(b)) to a person described in subparagraph (A).

(2)

Position described

The positions described in this paragraph are the following:

(A)

President of the United States.

(B)

Vice President of the United States.

(C)

Any position at level I of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of title 5, United States Code.

(D)

Member of Congress (including any Delegate and Resident Commissioner).

(c)

Qualified civil action amount

For purposes of this section—

(1)

In general

The term qualified civil action amount means, with respect to any covered person during any taxable year, the aggregate amount of damages received by such person during such taxable year (whether by settlement, verdict, judgment, or otherwise) on account of any civil action—

(A)

filed by such person against the United States (or any agency or instrumentality thereof), and

(B)

with respect to which the filing or settlement of, or issuance of a verdict or judgment for, occurred during the applicable period.

(2)

Applicable period

The term applicable period means, with respect to any covered person, the period of time—

(A)

beginning with the date on which the individual described in subsection (b)(1)(A) began serving in a position described in subsection (b)(2)(A), and

(B)

ending with the date on which such individual ceased to serve in any position described in subsection (b)(2)(A).

(d)

Special rules

(1)

Administrative provisions

For purposes of subtitle F, any tax imposed by this section shall be treated as a tax imposed by subtitle A.

(2)

Exclusion from gross income

For purposes of chapter 1, the gross income of any covered person for any taxable year shall not include any qualified civil action amount received by such person during such taxable year.

.

(b)

No deduction from income tax

Section 275(a)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting 50B, after 50A,.

(c)

Clerical amendment

The table of chapters for subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 50A the following new item:

Chapter 50B—Certain civil damages received by certain officers of the United States

.

(d)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to amounts received after the date of the enactment of this Act.