# get_policy_text

Retrieve the full text of a U.S. federal policy document. Returns the raw legislative or regulatory text.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `get_policy_text`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-policy-text

## Facts

- Tool: `get_policy_text`
- Server: Govbase (`https://api.govbase.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/govbase-inc/govbase
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade D, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: yes
- Parameters: 2 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `format` | string | no | Text format |
| `policy_id` | string | yes | Policy ID |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "get_policy_text",
    "arguments": {
      "policy_id": "<policy_id>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why get_policy_text is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries publicly available U.S. federal policy documents without any side effects. It performs a read-only operation consistent with other sibling tools (get_member, get_policy, get_representatives, get_stories, get_story, search_members, search_policies). There is no capability to modify, delete, execute code, or commit financial actions.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'get_policy_text' and description 'Retrieve the full text of a U.S. federal policy document. Returns the raw legislative or regulatory text.' indicate data retrieval with no modification, deletion, or execution capabilities."

## Use case

AI agents call get_policy_text to retrieve information from Govbase without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Govbase:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get_policy_text": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Govbase (11)

- `get_effort` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-effort.md
- `get_member` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-member.md
- `get_member_vote` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-member-vote.md
- `get_policy` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-policy.md
- `get_representatives` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-representatives.md
- `get_stories` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-stories.md
- `get_story` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-story.md
- `get_voter_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/get-voter-info.md
- `resolve_effort` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/resolve-effort.md
- `search_members` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/search-members.md
- `search_policies` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-govbase-govbase/search-policies.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=com-govbase-govbase · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-govbase-govbase