python-opencongress 0.1

A Python interface to the OpenCongress.org API

A Python interface to the OpenCongress.org API.

Installation

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

Usage

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.