#OpenGov: XML of House Floor Summaries Now Available in Bulk

The Office of the House Clerk today announced that House floor summaries are now available for bulk download in XML. Each House session (roughly a calendar year) is available in one bulk file, going back to the 109th Congress (2005). Click here and select the “Download XML” tab to try it out.

This project is the first of several to be rolled out in the 113th Congress that were coordinated or initiated by the Legislative Branch Bulk Data Task Force. The task force was created to expedite the process of providing bulk access to legislative information and to increase transparency for the American people. It includes the House Clerk, legislative branch agencies such as the Government Printing Office and Library of Congress, representatives from House leadership and key committees, and the House Chief Administrative Officer.

Open government is and has been a priority for House leaders. In fact, the Clerk began offering real-time updates on House floor proceedings in XML back in 2011. The feed of real-time information complemented HouseLive.gov, a new video streaming feature they set up for desktop and mobile devices. The House also began utilizing new low-cost video conferencing tools, streaming committee hearings online, working with developers and transparency advocates, and more.

House Floor Activities Download

Today’s announcement is yet another step in the effort to make the legislative process more open and accessible – and there are more to come. Stay tuned.

Office of the Speaker H-232 The Capitol. Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-0600. Fax: (202) 225-5117.

Dave Camp Statement on December Jobs Report

Washington, DC – Today, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) released the following statement in reaction to the December jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor. A net total of 155,000 jobs were created, and the unemployment rate for December rose to 7.8 percent from the 7.7 percent rate previously reported for November.

"It is clear there is still a long way to go before we can declare the economy is healthy again. This week, we took a critical step toward strengthening our economy by making Republican tax cuts permanent so that more money stays in the hands of families and job creators, but that was a first step and not the last step. The simple truth is that our tax code is a nightmare. Washington must work with the American people to pass and enact comprehensive tax reform that makes the tax code simpler and fairer so they are in control of their economic security, rather than Washington."
###

House Committee on Ways and Means: 1101 Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone (202) 225-3625 Fax (202) 225-2610 Michelle Dimarob, or Sarah Swinehart (202) 226-4774