A Python interface to the OpenCongress.org API.
python-opencongress is a simple Python module that is installable by placing the opencongress
directory onto your system path.
As it is available on the Python Package Index, you can install python-opencongress using your favorite package manager:
pip install python-opencongress
easy_install python-opencongress
You can also install directly from the git master branch using the pip package manager:
pip install git+http://github.com/cpharmston/python-opencongress.git#egg=opencongress
Or you can download python-opencongress and install locally:
setup.py install
The OpenCongress.org API is exposed via the opencongress.Api
class. To create an instance of the class:
import opencongress
api = opencongress.Api('your_api_key_here')
Substituing your_api_key_here
for your own API key, which can be obtained at the API documentation page.
Most OpenCongress.org API functionality is available through the opencongress.Api
class. For example, to view a list of all bills introduced during the 111th Congress:
>>> api.bills(congress=111)
[
<OpenCongress Bill object (H.R.5472 America RISING Act of 2010)>,
<OpenCongress Bill object (H.R.2521 National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2009)>,
<OpenCongress Bill object (H.R.5473 Investing Income at Home Act of 2010)>,
<OpenCongress Bill object (H.R.5455 New Philadelphia, Illinois, Study Act)>,
<OpenCongress Bill object (H.R.5454 Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010)>,
...
]
To view a list of all congresspeople who are members (by name) of the Kennedy family and Democrat party:
>>> api.people(last_name='Kennedy')
[
<OpenCongress Person object (Ambrose Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Andrew Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA])>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Joseph Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Martin Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Michael Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D, RI-1])>,
<OpenCongress Person object (Robert Kennedy)>,
<OpenCongress Person object (William Kennedy)>
]
For a full list of API methods, see the pydoc
-generated inspection of the Api object at api_reference.txt
, included with this package and available at python-opencongress' GitHub page.