Datasets ======== BICAM provides access to 12 comprehensive congressional and legislative datasets. Each dataset is carefully curated and includes metadata, text content, and related records. Dataset Overview --------------- +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | Dataset | Size | Congress Range | Description | +========================+============+================+==================+ | bills | ~2.5GB | 93-118 | Complete bills | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | amendments | ~800MB | 93-118 | All amendments | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | members | ~150MB | 1-118 | Member info | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | nominations | ~400MB | 93-118 | Nominations | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | committees | ~200MB | 93-118 | Committee info | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | committeereports | ~1.2GB | 104-118 | Committee reports| +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | committeemeetings | ~600MB | 110-118 | Meeting records | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | committeeprints | ~900MB | 105-118 | Committee prints | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | hearings | ~3.5GB | 105-118 | Hearing records | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | treaties | ~300MB | 93-118 | Treaty documents | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | congresses | ~100MB | 1-119 | Session metadata | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ | complete | ~12GB | 1-119 | All datasets | +------------------------+------------+----------------+------------------+ Bills Dataset ------------ **Description**: Complete bills data including text, summaries, and related records **Files**: +-----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | File | Description | +=======================+=============================================================+ | bills_metadata.csv | Bill metadata (sponsor, dates, status, etc.) | +-----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | bills_texts.csv | Full text of bills | +-----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | bills_sponsors.csv | Sponsor information | +-----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ **Key Fields**: +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +===================+===============================================+ | bill_id | Unique bill identifier | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number (93-118) | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | bill_type | Type of bill (HR, S, etc.) | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | title | Bill title | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | sponsor_id | Sponsor's member ID | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | introduced_date | Date introduced | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ | status | Current status | +-------------------+-----------------------------------------------+ Amendments Dataset ----------------- **Description**: All amendments with amended items **Files**: +--------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +==========================+======================+ | amendments_metadata.csv | Amendment metadata | +--------------------------+----------------------+ | amendments_texts.csv | Amendment text | +--------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +===================+===============================+ | amendment_id | Unique amendment identifier | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | bill_id | Associated bill | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | amendment_type | Type of amendment | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | sponsor_id | Amendment sponsor | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | text | Amendment text | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ Members Dataset -------------- **Description**: Historical and current member information **Files**: +--------------------------+------------------------+ | File | Description | +==========================+========================+ | members_current.csv | Current members | +--------------------------+------------------------+ | members_historical.csv | Historical members | +--------------------------+------------------------+ | members_committees.csv | Committee memberships | +--------------------------+------------------------+ **Key Fields**: +--------------+------------------------+ | Field | Description | +==============+========================+ | member_id | Unique member identifier| +--------------+------------------------+ | name | Member name | +--------------+------------------------+ | state | State represented | +--------------+------------------------+ | party | Political party | +--------------+------------------------+ | chamber | House or Senate | +--------------+------------------------+ | start_date | Term start date | +--------------+------------------------+ | end_date | Term end date | +--------------+------------------------+ Nominations Dataset ------------------ **Description**: Presidential nominations data **Files**: +---------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +===========================+======================+ | nominations_metadata.csv | Nomination metadata | +---------------------------+----------------------+ | nominations_actions.csv | Nomination actions | +---------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +===================+===============================+ | nomination_id | Unique nomination identifier | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | nominee_name | Nominee name | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | position | Position nominated for | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | president | Nominating president | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | status | Nomination status | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ | action_date | Action date | +-------------------+-------------------------------+ Committees Dataset ----------------- **Description**: Committee information, including history of committee names **Files**: +----------------------------+------------------------+ | File | Description | +============================+========================+ | committees_metadata.csv | Committee metadata | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | committees_membership.csv | Committee memberships | +----------------------------+------------------------+ **Key Fields**: +---------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +===============+===============================+ | committee_id | Unique committee identifier | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | name | Committee name | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | chamber | House or Senate | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | type | Committee type | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | member_id | Member ID | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | role | Member role in committee | +---------------+-------------------------------+ Committee Reports Dataset ------------------------ **Description**: Committee reports, with full text and related information **Files**: +----------------------+----------------------------------------+ | File | Description | +======================+========================================+ | reports_metadata.csv | Report metadata | +----------------------+----------------------------------------+ | reports_text.json | Report text (JSON format) | +----------------------+----------------------------------------+ **Key Fields**: +---------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +===============+===============================+ | report_id | Unique report identifier | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | committee_id | Committee ID | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | report_number | Report number | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | title | Report title | +---------------+-------------------------------+ | text | Full report text | +---------------+-------------------------------+ Committee Meetings Dataset ------------------------- **Description**: Committee meeting records **Files**: +--------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +==========================+======================+ | meetings_metadata.csv | Meeting metadata | +--------------------------+----------------------+ | meetings_attendance.csv | Meeting attendance | +--------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +=====================+===============================+ | meeting_id | Unique meeting identifier | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | committee_id | Committee ID | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | date | Meeting date | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | title | Meeting title | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | member_id | Member ID | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ | attendance_status | Attendance status | +---------------------+-------------------------------+ Committee Prints Dataset ----------------------- **Description**: Committee prints, including full text and topics **Files**: +-------------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +===============================+======================+ | committeeprints_metadata.csv | Print metadata | +-------------------------------+----------------------+ | committeeprints_texts.csv | Print text | +-------------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +--------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +==============+===============================+ | print_id | Unique print identifier | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | committee_id | Committee ID | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | title | Print title | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | text | Print text | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | topics | Associated topics | +--------------+-------------------------------+ Hearings Dataset --------------- **Description**: Hearing information, such as address and transcripts **Files**: +------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +========================+======================+ | hearings_metadata.csv | Hearing metadata | +------------------------+----------------------+ | hearings_texts.csv | Hearing transcripts | +------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +--------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +==============+===============================+ | hearing_id | Unique hearing identifier | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | committee_id | Committee ID | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | title | Hearing title | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | date | Hearing date | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | text | Hearing transcript | +--------------+-------------------------------+ Treaties Dataset --------------- **Description**: Treaty documents with actions, titles, and more **Files**: +------------------------+----------------------+ | File | Description | +========================+======================+ | treaties_metadata.csv | Treaty metadata | +------------------------+----------------------+ | treaties_actions.csv | Treaty actions | +------------------------+----------------------+ **Key Fields**: +--------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +==============+===============================+ | treaty_id | Unique treaty identifier | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | title | Treaty title | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | congress | Congress number | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | action_type | Action type | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | action_date | Action date | +--------------+-------------------------------+ | status | Treaty status | +--------------+-------------------------------+ Congresses Dataset ----------------- **Description**: Congressional session metadata, like directories and session dates **Files**: +---------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | File | Description | +=================================+=============================+ | congresses.csv | Congress metadata | +=================================+=============================+ | congresses_directories.csv | Congressional directories | +=================================+=============================+ | congresses_directories_isbn.csv | Directory ISBNs | +=================================+=============================+ | congresses_sessions.csv | Session information | +=================================+=============================+ **Key Fields**: +-------------+-------------------------------+ | Field | Description | +=============+===============================+ | congress | Congress number | +-------------+-------------------------------+ | start_date | Session start date | +-------------+-------------------------------+ | end_date | Session end date | +-------------+-------------------------------+ | session | Session number | +-------------+-------------------------------+ | member_id | Member ID | +-------------+-------------------------------+ | name | Member name | +-------------+-------------------------------+ Complete Dataset --------------- **Description**: Complete BICAM dataset with all data types **Files**: All files from individual datasets **Size**: ~12GB Data Formats ----------- All datasets are provided in CSV format for easy analysis with pandas, R, or other data analysis tools. - **CSV Files**: - UTF-8 encoded - Comma-separated values - Header row included - Consistent field naming Data Quality ----------- - **Completeness**: Data covers the full specified congress range - **Accuracy**: Data sourced from official government sources - **Consistency**: Consistent field names and formats across datasets - **Timeliness**: Updated regularly with new congressional sessions Data Updates ----------- Datasets are updated as new congressional data becomes available. Check the dataset information for the latest update dates: .. code-block:: bash bicam info bills