About OurCongress
Official congressional records, in one place, in plain English.
OurCongress is a non-partisan civic transparency platform that brings official congressional records into one place so people can more easily follow what their elected officials are doing, how they are voting, and what legislation is moving through Congress.
Using official public records, plain-English explanations, and clear source labeling, the platform helps users understand the record for themselves, make their own decisions, and, if they choose, learn how to get involved by contacting their congressional representatives and making their voices heard.
How OurCongress helps you
OurCongress is designed to make congressional activity easier to follow without forcing users to search across multiple government websites or decode legislative jargon on their own.
Follow the public record
Review congressional members, roll call votes, bills, and bill summaries in one place using official public records.
Understand what you are seeing
Plain-English explanations and clear labeling are used to help normal people follow congressional activity more easily.
Track your elected officials
See what your representatives are doing, how they are voting, and what legislation is moving through Congress.
Get involved if you choose
Where available, representative contact information is included so users can reach out directly and make their voices heard.
What you can expect here
- • Non-partisan: we show what happened, not what to think.
- • No political interpretation, no opinion, and no spin.
- • Plain-English explanations so normal people can follow along.
- • Official public records, clearly sourced whenever possible.
- • Read-only public information presented in a simpler format.
Current coverage
OurCongress currently focuses on the 119th Congress and brings together official public records for congressional members, roll call votes, bills, bill summaries, and representative contact information in one place.
About the founder
OurCongress was created by Jacob Byrnes, an independent builder focused on making public information easier for everyday people to access and understand. The platform was built to help users see the public record more clearly in one place, without political spin, opinion, or unnecessary complexity.
Sources and methodology
OurCongress is built from official public records, including congressional roll call data, legislative records, and related government source material. Where explanatory text appears, it should be understood as a plain-English aid to reading the record, not a replacement for the official source itself.
Core source categories include:
- • House Clerk roll call records
- • Senate roll call records
- • GovInfo bulk legislative data
Start exploring
Review members, votes, and legislation using official records organized in a simpler, more accessible format.