# Congress.gov Scraper — Bills, Laws & Members (`ponderable_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper`) Actor
Scrape US Congress data — bills, enacted laws and members with titles, actions, sponsors and dates. Bring your own free api.data.gov key.
- **URL**: https://apify.com/ponderable\_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Ponderable Hydrometer](https://apify.com/ponderable_hydrometer) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Lead generation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
from $4.00 / 1,000 results
This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## How to integrate an Actor?
If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md):
```bash
npm install apify-client
```
In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md):
```bash
pip install apify-client
```
In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):
````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash
In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md).
If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
## Congress.gov Scraper — US Bills, Laws & Members
**The authoritative source for US federal legislation, wrapped as a clean paginated actor.** Three modes — **bills**, enacted **laws**, and **members** of Congress — from the official Congress.gov API. Filter by congress, bill/law type and sort, with optional per-bill enrichment (sponsor, policy area, cosponsor/action counts).
For legislative trackers, civic-data tools, and lead-gen (member contact data).
### What you get
**Bills / laws** — `kind`, `congress`, `type`, `number`, `title`, `originChamber`, `latestActionDate`, `latestActionText`, `laws[]`, `updateDate`, `url`. With `includeBillDetail`: also `introducedDate`, `policyArea`, `sponsorName`/`sponsorParty`/`sponsorState`/`sponsorBioguideId`, `cosponsorsCount`, `actionsCount`, `committeesCount`, `constitutionalAuthorityStatementText`.
**Members** — `kind`, `bioguideId`, `name`, `partyName`, `state`, `district`, `chamber`, `termStartYear`, `termEndYear`, `imageUrl`, `updateDate`, `url`.
### Output sample (bill with detail)
```json
{
"kind": "bill",
"congress": 118,
"type": "HR",
"number": "1",
"title": "Lower Energy Costs Act",
"originChamber": "House",
"latestActionDate": "2023-03-30",
"latestActionText": "Received in the Senate.",
"laws": [],
"updateDate": "2026-06-01",
"url": "https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/118/hr/1?format=json",
"introducedDate": "2023-03-14",
"policyArea": "Energy",
"sponsorName": "Rep. Scalise, Steve",
"sponsorParty": "R",
"sponsorState": "LA",
"sponsorBioguideId": "S001176",
"cosponsorsCount": 20,
"actionsCount": 41,
"committeesCount": 8,
"constitutionalAuthorityStatementText": "..."
}
````
### Input
| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `mode` | string | `bills`, `laws`, or `members`. |
| `congress` | integer | Congress number (e.g. 118). Required for `laws`. |
| `billType` | string | `hr`, `s`, `hjres`, … (bills mode). |
| `lawType` | string | `pub` or `priv` (laws mode). |
| `sort` | string | `updateDate+desc` / `updateDate+asc` (bills mode). |
| `includeBillDetail` | boolean | Enrich each bill with sponsor, policy area, counts (one extra request per bill). |
| `apiKey` | string (secret) | Your free api.data.gov key (DEMO\_KEY fallback). |
| `maxResults` | integer | Cap on rows (default 100). |
### Example input
```json
{
"mode": "bills",
"congress": 118,
"billType": "hr",
"sort": "updateDate+desc",
"apiKey": "YOUR_KEY",
"maxResults": 200
}
```
More: public laws `{"mode":"laws","congress":117,"lawType":"pub","apiKey":"YOUR_KEY"}`; members `{"mode":"members","apiKey":"YOUR_KEY","maxResults":200}`.
### Bring your own key (free, required for real runs)
This actor uses the official Congress.gov API, which needs an **api.data.gov** key — free and instant at . Put it in the `apiKey` input (stored as a secret).
If you leave `apiKey` empty, the actor falls back to **`DEMO_KEY`**, which is heavily rate-limited by api.data.gov and only suitable for a quick test — not production runs. A bad key returns 403 and the actor exits cleanly.
### Why this actor
- **Authoritative source** — the official Congress.gov API, not a third-party mirror.
- **Three modes, full paging** — bills / laws / members with limit-offset paging over whole result sets, not just page one.
- **Optional enrichment** — per-bill sponsor, policy area and counts when you need them.
### Pricing
Pay per result — **$4 per 1,000 results** (one result = one bill, law or member). No subscription; you pay only for what you get. (The Congress.gov API key is free and separate.)
### Notes & limits
- The list endpoints have no free-text search param; filter by congress, type, sort and paging.
- Public data; you are responsible for compliant use. Not affiliated with the Library of Congress.
### Related actors
- **CourtListener Scraper** — US case law and court opinions.
- **eCFR Scraper** — US Code of Federal Regulations section text.
- **SEC EDGAR Scraper** — US public-company filings and full-text search.
# Actor input Schema
## `mode` (type: `string`):
What to fetch: bills, enacted laws, or members of Congress.
## `congress` (type: `integer`):
Congress number, e.g. 118 (2023-24), 117. Required for laws; optional filter for bills.
## `billType` (type: `string`):
Restrict bills to a type. Requires a congress number too.
## `lawType` (type: `string`):
For laws mode: public or private laws.
## `sort` (type: `string`):
Bills sort order.
## `includeBillDetail` (type: `boolean`):
For each bill, also fetch its detail record (sponsor, policy area, cosponsor/action counts). One extra request per bill — slower and uses more API quota.
## `apiKey` (type: `string`):
Bring your own FREE api.data.gov key (get one instantly at https://api.data.gov/signup/). If left empty, the actor falls back to DEMO\_KEY, which is heavily rate-limited and only suitable for testing. Kept secret.
## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):
Cap on number of rows returned.
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"mode": "bills",
"congress": 118,
"billType": "",
"lawType": "",
"sort": "updateDate+desc",
"includeBillDetail": false,
"maxResults": 100
}
```
# API
You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.
## JavaScript example
```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';
// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"congress": 118
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("ponderable_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper").call(input);
// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
console.dir(item);
});
// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs
```
## Python example
```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "congress": 118 }
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("ponderable_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"congress": 118
}' |
apify call ponderable_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=ponderable_hydrometer/congress-gov-scraper",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
```json
{
"openapi": "3.0.1",
"info": {
"title": "Congress.gov Scraper — Bills, Laws & Members",
"description": "Scrape US Congress data — bills, enacted laws and members with titles, actions, sponsors and dates. Bring your own free api.data.gov key.",
"version": "0.1",
"x-build-id": "7cz95xcwZ9khyNLNh"
},
"servers": [
{
"url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
}
],
"paths": {
"/acts/ponderable_hydrometer~congress-gov-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-ponderable_hydrometer-congress-gov-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
},
"/acts/ponderable_hydrometer~congress-gov-scraper/runs": {
"post": {
"operationId": "runs-sync-ponderable_hydrometer-congress-gov-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK",
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
}
}
}
}
}
}
},
"/acts/ponderable_hydrometer~congress-gov-scraper/run-sync": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-ponderable_hydrometer-congress-gov-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
}
},
"components": {
"schemas": {
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"mode": {
"title": "Mode",
"enum": [
"bills",
"laws",
"members"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "What to fetch: bills, enacted laws, or members of Congress.",
"default": "bills"
},
"congress": {
"title": "Congress number",
"type": "integer",
"description": "Congress number, e.g. 118 (2023-24), 117. Required for laws; optional filter for bills."
},
"billType": {
"title": "Bill type (bills mode)",
"enum": [
"",
"hr",
"s",
"hjres",
"sjres",
"hconres",
"sconres",
"hres",
"sres"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "Restrict bills to a type. Requires a congress number too.",
"default": ""
},
"lawType": {
"title": "Law type (laws mode)",
"enum": [
"",
"pub",
"priv"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "For laws mode: public or private laws.",
"default": ""
},
"sort": {
"title": "Sort (bills mode)",
"enum": [
"updateDate+desc",
"updateDate+asc"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "Bills sort order.",
"default": "updateDate+desc"
},
"includeBillDetail": {
"title": "Include bill detail (bills mode)",
"type": "boolean",
"description": "For each bill, also fetch its detail record (sponsor, policy area, cosponsor/action counts). One extra request per bill — slower and uses more API quota.",
"default": false
},
"apiKey": {
"title": "api.data.gov API key",
"type": "string",
"description": "Bring your own FREE api.data.gov key (get one instantly at https://api.data.gov/signup/). If left empty, the actor falls back to DEMO_KEY, which is heavily rate-limited and only suitable for testing. Kept secret."
},
"maxResults": {
"title": "Max results",
"minimum": 1,
"type": "integer",
"description": "Cap on number of rows returned.",
"default": 100
}
}
},
"runsResponseSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"data": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"id": {
"type": "string"
},
"actId": {
"type": "string"
},
"userId": {
"type": "string"
},
"startedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"finishedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"status": {
"type": "string",
"example": "READY"
},
"meta": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"origin": {
"type": "string",
"example": "API"
},
"userAgent": {
"type": "string"
}
}
},
"stats": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"inputBodyLen": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2000
},
"rebootCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"restartCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"resurrectCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"computeUnits": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"options": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"build": {
"type": "string",
"example": "latest"
},
"timeoutSecs": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 300
},
"memoryMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1024
},
"diskMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2048
}
}
},
"buildId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultDatasetId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultRequestQueueId": {
"type": "string"
},
"buildNumber": {
"type": "string",
"example": "1.0.0"
},
"containerUrl": {
"type": "string"
},
"usage": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"usageTotalUsd": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"usageUsd": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
```