Congress

Get Members

get_members

Read-onlyIdempotent

Get current members of Congress with their name, party, state, district (for representatives), chamber and first term-start year, from congress.gov. Requires an API key (see get_bill).

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`limit`	No	Number of results to return (default: 50, max: 600)

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`total`	Yes	Total current members of Congress
`members`	Yes
`returned`	Yes	Number of members returned

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedMay 24, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "limit": 50
+  }
+]

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "members": {
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "birthday": {
+            "description": "Birth date",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "district": {
+            "description": "Congressional district (for representatives)",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "enddate": {
+            "description": "Role end date",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "gender": {
+            "description": "Gender",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "link": {
+            "description": "GovTrack member URL",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "description": "Member full name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "party": {
+            "description": "Political party",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "person_id": {
+            "description": "Person ID",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "role_id": {
+            "description": "Role ID",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "role_type": {
+            "description": "Role type (senator or representative)",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "sortname": {
+            "description": "Member name in sort format",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "startdate": {
+            "description": "Role start date",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "state": {
+            "description": "State code",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "state_name": {
+            "description": "State name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "description": "Official title",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "returned": {
+      "description": "Number of members returned",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "total": {
+      "description": "Total current members of Congress",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "total",
+    "returned",
+    "members"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed2 schema fields changedMay 13, 2026

removedInput schema / examples

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-propublica-congress-api-key",
-    "chamber": "senate",
-    "congress": 118
-  },
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-propublica-congress-api-key",
-    "chamber": "house"
-  }
-]

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "chamber": {
-      "description": "Chamber (senate or house)",
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "congress": {
-      "description": "Congress number",
-      "type": "number"
-    },
-    "count": {
-      "description": "Number of members returned",
-      "type": "number"
-    },
-    "members": {
-      "description": "List of members",
-      "items": {
-        "properties": {
-          "district": {
-            "description": "Congressional district",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "gender": {
-            "description": "Gender",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "id": {
-            "description": "Member ID",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "in_office": {
-            "description": "Currently in office",
-            "type": [
-              "boolean",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "missed_votes_pct": {
-            "description": "Percentage of votes missed",
-            "type": [
-              "number",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "name": {
-            "description": "Full name",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "next_election": {
-            "description": "Next election year",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "party": {
-            "description": "Political party",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "phone": {
-            "description": "Phone number",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "state": {
-            "description": "State abbreviation",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "title": {
-            "description": "Short title (Senator, Representative)",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "twitter": {
-            "description": "Twitter account handle",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "url": {
-            "description": "Official URL",
-            "type": [
-              "string",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          },
-          "votes_with_party_pct": {
-            "description": "Percentage of votes with party",
-            "type": [
-              "number",
-              "null"
-            ]
-          }
-        },
-        "type": "object"
-      },
-      "type": "array"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "congress",
-    "chamber",
-    "count",
-    "members"
-  ],
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null

Changed1 schema field changedMay 8, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "chamber": {
+      "description": "Chamber (senate or house)",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "congress": {
+      "description": "Congress number",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "count": {
+      "description": "Number of members returned",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "members": {
+      "description": "List of members",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "district": {
+            "description": "Congressional district",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "gender": {
+            "description": "Gender",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "id": {
+            "description": "Member ID",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "in_office": {
+            "description": "Currently in office",
+            "type": [
+              "boolean",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "missed_votes_pct": {
+            "description": "Percentage of votes missed",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "description": "Full name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "next_election": {
+            "description": "Next election year",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "party": {
+            "description": "Political party",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "phone": {
+            "description": "Phone number",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "state": {
+            "description": "State abbreviation",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "description": "Short title (Senator, Representative)",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "twitter": {
+            "description": "Twitter account handle",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "url": {
+            "description": "Official URL",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "votes_with_party_pct": {
+            "description": "Percentage of votes with party",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "congress",
+    "chamber",
+    "count",
+    "members"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-propublica-congress-api-key",
+    "chamber": "senate",
+    "congress": 118
+  },
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-propublica-congress-api-key",
+    "chamber": "house"
+  }
+]

First observedApr 22, 2026

TDQS

A3.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint, so safety is covered; the description adds the non-obvious operational context the annotations cannot — an external API key requirement and the congress.gov provenance. It stops short of noting rate limits, caching, or that only *current* members are returned (no historical lookup).

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

One front-loaded sentence covering purpose, output fields and source, followed by a short auth caveat — no wasted prose. The parenthetical provenance trails the field list slightly awkwardly and the 'see get_bill' pointer is a flimsy cross-reference, but overall it is tight.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists and the tool is a single-optional-param read, so the description only needs to frame intent, source and prerequisite — which it does. Minor gaps remain (no statement on ordering, pagination beyond limit, or whether historical members are excluded), which are small against the structured coverage.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

There is a single optional parameter with 100% schema description coverage ('default: 50, max: 600'), so the schema carries the full burden and the baseline of 3 applies. The description adds no meaning about what the limit counts or how to page beyond the cap.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get current members of Congress') and enumerates the returned fields (name, party, state, district, chamber, first term-start year) plus the upstream source, congress.gov. It does not, however, distinguish itself from the nearby member_committees, member_legislative_stats, or committee_members siblings.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The only usage guidance is the prerequisite 'Requires an API key (see get_bill)', which is a setup note rather than a when-to-use rule. Nothing tells the agent when to pick this over the three adjacent 'member_*' tools, so the routing decision is left to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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Input Schema

Output Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

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