QUESTION: how frequently is the Congress.gov.api updated?

[BrandonChiazza]

I would like to know if this is perfectly in synch with Congress.Gov or if there are delays between information on congress.gov and what's available via this API?

[rbram]

Hello. The Congress.gov API is updated with new information from Congress.gov roughly every 15 minutes. Please review the documentation in this Git repository for the scope of each collection.

[BrandonChiazza]

Thank you so much for the prompt respone @rbram . I have not found the details in the documentation regarding this, but will review.

My question is pertaining to the dates in the bill documentation: I noticed that in some cases there is a discrepancy for and the updateDate by a day or so. Is this expected? is there a reasoning here or some latecy between it being introduced physically, to its entry into congress.gov, and then another delay to the api?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. -Brandon

Definitions found from documentation below:

• (<updateDate> (e.g. 2021-06-07T20:24:30Z) The update date for the bill summary on Congress.gov. This may be the date the summary was published or re-published. The <updateDate> is the date of the last update received for the legislative entity . It’s not a date corresponding to the legislative date or legislative action date.
• <introducedDate>(e.g. 2021-05-11)The date the bill or resolution was submitted or introduced

[apreiter18]

Hello, @BrandonChiazza - Congress.gov's legislation collection is updated the morning after a session adjourns.

Here is an example of a bill that was introduced yesterday and ingested into Congress.gov today (2024-07-16):

• HR 9030 on Congress.gov: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9030?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22chamberActionDateCode%3A%5C%222024-07-15%7C118%7C1000%5C%22+AND+billIsReserved%3A%5C%22N%5C%22%22%7D&s=4&r=1
• In the API: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/118/hr/9030?api_key=INSERT_KEY

The updateDate element can be best defined as the following: the date of the last update received for the legislative entity . It’s not a date corresponding to the legislative date or legislative action date.

You will see updateDate elements that differ from action dates. In the above scenario, for 118 HR 9030:

• <updateDate> 2024-07-16T08:05:29Z </updateDate>
• <introducedDate> 2024-07-15 </introducedDate>
• <latestAction> <actionDate> 2024-07-15 </actionDate> <text> Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. </text> </latestAction>

[apreiter18]

Are you comfortable with closing this issue, @BrandonChiazza - or do you have any further questions? Thank you!

[BrandonChiazza]

Thank you. This was really helpful!

[BrandonChiazza]

I actually would like to just confirm my understanding further and ask a follow-up:

• Congress.gov is updated once per day, the morning after the session adjourns.
• Any activity throughout the day doesn't update throughout the day

Confirming that there are no additional synchs or updates throughout the day -- only one synch in the day.

Thanks and sorry for the multiple questions here.

[apreiter18]

Hi @BrandonChiazza - Congress.gov has many collections so the updates can vary. For example,

1. Congress.gov's legislation collection (e.g., actions, official titles, cosponsors) is updated the morning after a session adjourns
2. Legislation texts, which come from the Government Publishing Office (GPO), are updated throughout the day, roughly 15 minutes after the legislation text becomes available on GPO's GovInfo website.
3. Committee reports, which come from the Government Publishing Office (GPO), are updated throughout the day, roughly 15 minutes after the committee report becomes available on GPO's GovInfo website.

This chart shows when you can expect updates to occur on Congress.gov for all of our collections.

I hope this helps a bit!

[apreiter18]

Hi @BrandonChiazza - I wanted to check in and see if this issue could be closed/or if you had any further questions. Thanks!