S. 4125Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)Introduced

Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act

Sponsored by Ron WydenSen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Introduced March 17, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated March 21, 2026 at 4:11 AM UTC

The Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act would add a new tax provision that fully taxes any civil‑action damages earned by the President, Vice President, top executive officials, members of Congress, and their related parties when they sue the federal government. By taxing 100% of those awards, the bill aims to prevent these officials from profiting from lawsuits against the United States. The changes take effect for damages received after the law is enacted.

Key Provisions

  • Creates a new Chapter 50B in the Internal Revenue Code that imposes a tax equal to 100% of any civil‑action damages received by covered officials.
  • Defines “covered persons” as the President, Vice President, any Level I Executive Schedule employee, members of Congress (including delegates and resident commissioners), and anyone related to them for tax purposes.
  • Specifies the “qualified civil action amount” as the total damages a covered person receives from a civil lawsuit they file against the United States or its agencies, whether settled or awarded by a court.
  • The tax applies to damages received after the law’s enactment and is treated as a regular income tax, with no deduction allowed.
  • Amends the tax code’s chapter list to insert Chapter 50B and updates related references to include the new chapter.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 360.

March 18, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 17, 2026

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

March 17, 2026

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 360.

March 18, 2026

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 4125 on the floor

1 Democrat
Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Mar 17, 2026

Madam President, I understand that there are four bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc. Madam President, I now ask for a second reading, and I object to my own request, all en…

Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Mar 18, 2026

Mr. President, I understand that there are four bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to…

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Placed on Calendar SenateIssued March 18, 2026

II

Calendar No. 360

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4125

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 17, 2026

Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Luján, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

March 18, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

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 is one year after the date on which such individual last served 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:

.

(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.

March 18, 2026

Read the second time and placed on the calendar