Congress.gov API FAQs

Question 1

How do I get started using the API?

Accepted Answer

First, install the dependencies with `npm install`. Then, obtain a Congress.gov API key and add it to a `.env` file. Finally, build and run the server using `npm run build` and `npm start`.

Question 2

Why do I need an API key?

Accepted Answer

An API key from data.gov is required to access the Congress.gov API. You can sign up for one at [https://api.data.gov/signup/](https://api.data.gov/signup/).

Question 3

What can I do with this API?

Accepted Answer

You can directly lookup Bills, Members, Congresses, and Committees. Perform complex searches, retrieve related data lists, and integrate legislative information into your applications.

Question 4

What is the Congress.gov API MCP Server?

Accepted Answer

It's a bridge providing access to the official Congress.gov API (v3) using the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling AI assistants and development tools to easily query and utilize U.S. legislative data.

Question 5

What is the two-step process for finding entities and getting related data?

Accepted Answer

First, use the `congress_search` tool to find the entity ID. Second, use the `congress_getSubResource` tool with the obtained ID (parentUri) to fetch related details like actions or sponsors.

Congress.gov API

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