Agents Paid Us $44 for Congress Trading Data. So We Gave It to Humans Free

Description and use

Public access to congressional trading data is now free, while a paid API remains for autonomous agents, aligning pricing with actual demand.

Problem

The public had to pay high subscription fees for congressional trading data while autonomous agents paid only a few cents per call, revealing a mismatch between demand and pricing.

Outcome

Free access to congressional trading data for humans, while maintaining a paid API for agents, aligning pricing with actual demand.

Workflow

• 1. Build parser to read daily electronic PTR filings from House Clerk.
• 2. Extract member, asset, ticker, transaction type, date, and amount range; store unparseable PDFs separately.
• 3. Publish parsed data on a public web page showing top disclosures, active members, hot tickers, and a filterable table of latest filings.
• 4. Provide links to original PDFs for verification.
• 5. Offer free email alerts for notable filings.
• 6. Keep machine‑readable API available for paid agent use.
• 7. Refresh data daily after Clerk site updates.

Evidence

The whole feed is now live at forgemesh.io/trades, free.

Source

10,622 parsed House trades, 129 members tracked, 264 filed in last 30 days, $0 paywall.

Source