# Congress.gov API

> Congress.gov returns federal bills, resolutions, summaries, and actions as a workflow and API.

Search bills finds bills and resolutions by required topic, with optional Congress, status, chamber, and page. Get bill returns a bill’s status, summary, titles, actions, and related bills; provide its name, title, number, or Congress.gov link.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/congress-gov
- Handle: `@congress-gov`
- Category: [Government](https://fous.com/tools/category/government)
- Source website: https://congress.gov
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Get bill

Operation `get_bill`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Get the status, official summary, titles, actions and related bills for one U.S. bill on Congress.gov. A missing summary or text is returned as null.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `bill` | string | yes | `"H.R. 4346"` | Popular name, title, number or Congress.gov bill link, for example CHIPS and Science Act. |
| `congress` | integer | no | `117` | Congress number or calendar year, for example 117 or 2022. Defaults to the most recent matching bill; a bare number uses the current Congress. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "bill"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "bill": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Popular name, title, number or Congress.gov bill link, for example CHIPS and Science Act.",
      "examples": [
        "H.R. 4346",
        "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346",
        "CHIPS and Science Act"
      ]
    },
    "congress": {
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "Congress number or calendar year, for example 117 or 2022. Defaults to the most recent matching bill; a bare number uses the current Congress.",
      "examples": [
        117,
        118
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "bill": "H.R. 4346",
      "congress": 117
    },
    {
      "bill": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346"
    },
    {
      "bill": "CHIPS and Science Act"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `link` | string | `"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346"` |  |
| `status` | string | `"Became law - Public Law 117-167"` |  |
| `actions` | array |  |  |
| `actions[].date` | string | `"2022-08-09"` |  |
| `actions[].text` | string | `"Became Public Law No: 117-167."` |  |
| `sponsor` | string or null | `"Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]"` |  |
| `summary` | string or null |  |  |
| `congress` | integer | `117` |  |
| `bill_number` | string | `"H.R.4346"` |  |
| `policy_area` | string or null | `"Science, Technology, Communications"` |  |
| `short_title` | string or null | `"CHIPS and Science Act"` |  |
| `related_bills` | array |  |  |
| `related_bills[].link` | string | `"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2471"` |  |
| `related_bills[].title` | string | `"Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022"` |  |
| `related_bills[].bill_number` | string | `"H.R.2471"` |  |
| `sponsor_party` | string or null | `"Democratic"` |  |
| `sponsor_state` | string or null | `"OH"` |  |
| `official_title` | string or null | `"Making appropriations for Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes."` |  |
| `cosponsor_count` | integer or null | `0` |  |
| `introduced_date` | string or null | `"2021-07-01"` |  |
| `latest_text_link` | string or null | `"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346/text/statute?statuteId=48173"` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "bill": "H.R. 4346",
  "congress": 117
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346",
  "status": "Became law - Public Law 117-167",
  "actions": [
    {
      "date": "2022-08-09",
      "text": "Became Public Law No: 117-167."
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-08-09",
      "text": "Signed by President."
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-08-02",
      "text": "Presented to President."
    }
  ],
  "sponsor": "Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]",
  "summary": "This act provides funds to support the domestic production of semiconductors and authorizes various programs and activities of the federal science agencies.\n\nDIVISION A--CHIPS ACT OF 2022\n\nCHIPS Act o…",
  "congress": 117,
  "bill_number": "H.R.4346",
  "policy_area": "Science, Technology, Communications",
  "short_title": "CHIPS and Science Act",
  "related_bills": [
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2471",
      "title": "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022",
      "bill_number": "H.R.2471"
    },
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4222",
      "title": "Capitol Police Retirement Reform Act of 2021",
      "bill_number": "H.R.4222"
    },
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4819",
      "title": "National Nuclear University Research Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2021",
      "bill_number": "H.R.4819"
    }
  ],
  "sponsor_party": "Democratic",
  "sponsor_state": "OH",
  "official_title": "Making appropriations for Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes.",
  "cosponsor_count": 0,
  "introduced_date": "2021-07-01",
  "latest_text_link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346/text/statute?statuteId=48173"
}
```

### Search bills

Operation `search_bills`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Search US federal bills and resolutions by topic, Congress, legislative status, and chamber. Results are ordered by Congress.gov relevance; page selects a search-results page.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `page` | integer | no | `2` | Search-results page to start on, for example 2. |
| `topic` | string | yes | `"artificial intelligence"` | Topic to search, for example student loans. |
| `status` | string | no | `"passed_house"` | Legislative stage to match, for example passed_house. |
| `chamber` | string | no | `"house"` | Chamber where the measure originated, for example house. |
| `congress` | integer | no | `2025` | Congress number or a year within it, for example 119 or 2025. Defaults to the current Congress. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `5` | Maximum number of bills to return, for example 20. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "topic"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "page": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 1,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Search-results page to start on, for example 2.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        2
      ]
    },
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Topic to search, for example student loans.",
      "examples": [
        "artificial intelligence",
        "student loans"
      ]
    },
    "status": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "introduced",
        "passed_house",
        "passed_senate",
        "passed_both",
        "became_law"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Legislative stage to match, for example passed_house.",
      "examples": [
        "passed_house",
        "became_law",
        "passed_senate"
      ]
    },
    "chamber": {
      "enum": [
        "both",
        "house",
        "senate"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "both",
      "description": "Chamber where the measure originated, for example house.",
      "examples": [
        "house"
      ]
    },
    "congress": {
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "Congress number or a year within it, for example 119 or 2025. Defaults to the current Congress.",
      "examples": [
        2025
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of bills to return, for example 20.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        5,
        3
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "topic": "artificial intelligence",
      "status": "passed_house",
      "chamber": "house",
      "congress": 2025,
      "max_results": 5
    },
    {
      "topic": "student loans"
    },
    {
      "topic": "student loans",
      "status": "became_law",
      "max_results": 5
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `bills` | array |  | Bills and resolutions in relevance order. |
| `bills[].link` | string | `"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5784"` |  |
| `bills[].title` | string or null | `"AI–WISE Act"` |  |
| `bills[].status` | string or null | `"Passed House"` |  |
| `bills[].sponsor` | string or null | `"Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]"` |  |
| `bills[].bill_number` | string | `"H.R. 5784"` |  |
| `bills[].introduced_date` | string or null | `"2025-10-17"` |  |
| `bills[].latest_action_date` | string or null | `"2026-01-26"` |  |
| `bills[].latest_action_text` | string or null | `"Senate - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship."` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "topic": "artificial intelligence",
  "status": "passed_house",
  "chamber": "house",
  "congress": 2025,
  "max_results": 5
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "bills": [
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5784",
      "title": "AI–WISE Act",
      "status": "Passed House",
      "sponsor": "Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]",
      "bill_number": "H.R. 5784",
      "introduced_date": "2025-10-17",
      "latest_action_date": "2026-01-26",
      "latest_action_text": "Senate - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship."
    },
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5784",
      "title": "AI–WISE Act",
      "status": "Passed House",
      "sponsor": "Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]",
      "bill_number": "H.R. 5784",
      "introduced_date": "2025-10-17",
      "latest_action_date": "2026-01-26",
      "latest_action_text": "Senate - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship."
    },
    {
      "link": "https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8881",
      "title": "SBA Artificial Intelligence Utilization Act of 2026",
      "status": "Passed House",
      "sponsor": "Finstad, Brad [Rep.-R-MN-1]",
      "bill_number": "H.R. 8881",
      "introduced_date": "2026-05-19",
      "latest_action_date": "2026-06-24",
      "latest_action_text": "Senate - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship."
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@congress-gov",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_bill",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "bill": "H.R. 4346",
    "congress": 117
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@congress-gov\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_bill\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"bill\": \"H.R. 4346\",\n    \"congress\": 117\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@congress-gov",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_bill",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "bill": "H.R. 4346",
    "congress": 117
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/congress-gov`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `get_bill`: Get bill. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `search_bills`: Search bills. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-congress-gov https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/congress-gov --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## Use cases

- Track legislation by topic, chamber, status, or Congress.
- Review a bill’s status and latest actions.
- Find bill sponsors, introduction dates, and related measures.
- Compare bill summaries, titles, and policy areas.

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this Congress.gov tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a Congress.gov account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from congress.gov when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

### What bills address a particular topic?

Search bills finds bills and resolutions by topic, with optional filters for Congress, legislative status, and chamber.

### What is the status of a specific bill?

Get bill returns the bill’s status and actions, along with its latest text link.

### Who sponsored a bill, and what does it do?

Get bill returns sponsor details and the official summary when available.

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