Frequently Asked Questions
General
- What does this site track?
- How often is the data updated?
- What tools does this site provide?
- What kinds of data visualizations are available?
- Why should I care what my congress people are doing?
- How do I hold my congress people accountable?
- What are the common forms of corruption within congress?
- What is the difference between a bill and a law?
- Why should I read the actual bills and passed laws?
Congress Member Profiles
Congress Trivia
- What can my congressperson help me with?
- I'm visiting DC soon and want to see the captiol building. Can my congressperson help with this?
Lobbying
- What is lobbying?
- Why is lobbying controversial?
- What can this site show me about the lobbying activities within congress?
Elections and Voting
- What is the Electoral College?
- What is the Federal Elections Commission?
- How do I find my polling place?
- How do I register to vote?
The House of Representatives
- What is the House of Representives?
- How many members are in the House of Representatives?
- How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
- What are the qualifications to be a member of the House of Representatives?
- How do I find out who my representative is?
The Senate
- What is the Senate?
- How many members are in the Senate?
- How long is a term for a member of the Senate?
- What are the qualifications to be a member of the Senate?
- How do I find out who my senators are?
- What are the gift rules for senators?
General
What does this site track?
This site tracks the bills introduced to the House of Representatives and the Senate. It also tracks the members of the House and Senate, as well as the committees that they serve on. The site also tracks the various issues that are being debated in the House and Senate, as well as the various bills that are being introduced to address those issues. It tracks the topics and references within the bills and generates an index of topics. It also provides visualizations.
How often is the data updated?
The bill data is updated every 2 hours. The data is pulled from the Govinfo.gov website. The lobbying information is updated once a quarter with data pulled from the Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database.
What tools does this site provide?
This site provides tools to search for bills by keyword, topic, or reference. It also provides tools to search for members of the House and Senate, as well as the committees that they serve on. It also provides tools to search for issues that are being debated in the House and Senate, as well as the bills that are being introduced to address those issues. It provides visualizations of the data.
What kinds of data visualizations are available?
- Who is sponsoring the most bills?
- Pie chart showing how often a congress person reaches across the aisle
- Network graph showing how congress people are connected by co-sponsorship
- Word Clouds of Topics in the Bills
Why should I care what my congress people are doing?
Your congress people are elected to represent you and your interests. They are responsible for making laws that affect your daily life. It is important to know what they are doing so that you can hold them accountable for their actions.
How do I hold my congress people accountable?
You can hold your congress people accountable by staying informed about what they are doing, contacting them to express your opinions, voting in elections, and participating in the political process.
What are the common forms of corruption within congress?
Common forms of corruption within congress include bribery, extortion, embezzlement, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and kickbacks. These forms of corruption can undermine the integrity of the legislative process and erode public trust in government.
What is the difference between a bill and a law?
A bill is a proposed piece of legislation that is introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. Once a bill is passed by both chambers of Congress and signed by the President, it becomes a law. A bill must pass through several stages in both chambers of Congress before it can become a law, including committee review, floor debate, and a final vote.
Why should I read the actual bills and passed laws?
Reading the actual bills and passed laws can help you understand the details of the legislation and how it may affect you. It can also help you evaluate the impact of the legislation and hold your elected officials accountable for their votes. Reading the actual bills and passed laws can also help you identify any provisions that may be of concern to you and take action to address them.
Congress Member Profiles
What information is on the congress member profiles?
The congress member profiles contain information about the member's background, voting record, committee assignments, sponsored and cosponsored bills, and contact information. The profiles also include visualizations of the member's voting record and bill sponsorship.
Congress Trivia
What can my congressperson help me with?
Your congressperson can help you with a variety of issues, including obtaining government benefits, resolving problems with federal agencies, and advocating for legislation that addresses your concerns. Your congressperson can also help you navigate the federal bureaucracy and connect you with resources in your community.
I'm visiting DC soon and want to see the captiol building. Can my congressperson help with this?
Yes, your congressperson can help you arrange a tour of the Capitol building. You can contact your congressperson's office to request a tour of the Capitol building, the White House, or other government buildings in Washington, D.C.
Lobbying
What is lobbying?
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence the decisions made by government officials, typically legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbyists are individuals or groups who are paid to influence the decisions made by government officials on behalf of their clients. Lobbyists may work for corporations, trade associations, labor unions, or other organizations. Lobbying can take many forms, including meeting with government officials, providing information and research, testifying at hearings, and organizing grassroots campaigns.
Why is lobbying controversial?
Lobbying is controversial for several reasons. Critics argue that lobbying can give wealthy individuals and corporations undue influence over the political process, leading to policies that benefit the interests of the few at the expense of the many. Lobbying can also create conflicts of interest for government officials, who may be more responsive to the interests of lobbyists than to the needs of their constituents. Lobbying can also undermine the transparency and accountability of the political process, as lobbyists often work behind the scenes to influence decisions.
What can this site show me about the lobbying activities within congress?
This site can show you which organizations are lobbying congress, which congress people are being lobbied, and which bills are being lobbied. It can also show you the topics of the lobbying efforts. Check out the Lobbying Page for more information.
Elections and Voting
What is the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is a group of electors who are chosen by the voters in each state to elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Each state has a certain number of electors, which is equal to the number of representatives and senators that the state has in Congress. The candidate who receives the majority of the electoral votes (270 out of 538) is elected President. The Electoral College was established by the Constitution as a compromise between electing the President by a vote in Congress and electing the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.
What is the Federal Elections Commission?
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that was established by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. The FEC is responsible for administering and enforcing the federal campaign finance laws that govern the financing of federal elections. The FEC is composed of six commissioners who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing the contribution limits and prohibitions, and overseeing the public funding of presidential elections.
How do I find my polling place?
You can find your polling place by visiting the Vote.org website and entering your address.
How do I register to vote?
You can register to vote by visiting the Vote.org website and following the instructions for your state.
The House of Representatives
What is the House of Representives?
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the United States Congress. The House is composed of representatives who sit in congressional districts that are allocated to each of the 50 states on a basis of population as measured by the U.S. Census, with each district entitled to one representative. The number of representatives can change every 10 years, after the U.S. Census is conducted. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the members of the House. There are several nonvoting members for the various terriorities of the United States.
How many members are in the House of Representatives?
There are 435 members in the House of Representatives. The number of representatives can change every 10 years, after the U.S. Census is conducted.
How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
A term for a member of the House of Representatives is two years.
What are the qualifications to be a member of the House of Representatives?
To be a member of the House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and be an inhabitant of the state they represent.
How do I find out who my representative is?
You can find out who your representative is by visiting the House of Representatives website and entering your zip code into the widget at the top of the page.
The Senate
What is the Senate?
The Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. The Senate is composed of senators, each of whom represents a single state in its entirety. Each state, regardless of its population size, is equally represented by two senators who serve staggered six-year terms. The Senate is presided over by the Vice President of the United States, who is also the President of the Senate. In the Vice President's absence, the President Pro Tempore, who is elected by the Senate, presides over the Senate.
How many members are in the Senate?
There are 100 members in the Senate. Each state, regardless of its population size, is equally represented by two senators who serve staggered six-year terms.
How long is a term for a member of the Senate?
A term for a member of the Senate is six years.
What are the qualifications to be a member of the Senate?
To be a member of the Senate, a person must be at least 30 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and be an inhabitant of the state they represent.
How do I find out who my senators are?
You can find out who your senators are by visiting the Senate State Map website and selecting your state from the map image.
What are the gift rules for senators?
The Senate has strict rules governing the acceptance of gifts by senators. Senators are prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists, foreign agents, or anyone seeking official action from the Senate. Senators are also prohibited from accepting gifts that are worth more than $50, with some exceptions. Senators are required to disclose any gifts that they receive that are worth more than $335. The gift rules are intended to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that senators act in the best interests of the public. You can find out more from the official senate ethics website.