How to Use the FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP in Claude Code

Q: How do I pipe FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) data to other CLI tools in Claude Code?

Run Claude Code to execute listagencycomponents and direct the output to a local JSON file. You can then use tools like jq to filter the results.

Q: Can I automate XML downloads from FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) using Claude Code?

Yes, you can trigger getannualreportxml through terminal prompts or shell scripts. Claude Code retrieves the raw XML and saves it to your specified directory.

Q: How do I add the FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP Server to Claude Code?

Run the claude mcp add command with the HTTP transport flag and the server URL. Verify the installation by running claude mcp list.

Run CLI commands to extract FOIA.gov data and pipe raw XML reports directly to your local scripts.

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Connect FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP to Claude Code

Create your Vinkius account to connect FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) to Claude Code and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) with Claude Code

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Bulk export agency components to JSON

The `list_agency_components` tool retrieves federal agency data directly through your terminal. Claude Code runs this tool, filters the output using sparse fieldsets, and pipes the clean JSON payload straight into your local scripts or databases. This is built for automated scraping and data collection pipelines. You can run a single terminal command to update your entire local database of federal departments without writing custom scrapers.

Download raw XML annual reports via terminal

The `get_annual_report_xml` tool pulls the raw XML data of any federal agency's annual performance directly to your shell. Claude Code executes this command, saves the file locally, and can run bash scripts to parse the records. You do not need to deal with web browsers or manual download links. Get the raw data you need for historical analysis in one swift terminal execution.

Inspect specific agency requirements instantly

The `get_agency_component` tool fetches the exact contact details and metadata for a specific office via its UUID. Claude Code queries this endpoint to verify submission addresses or phone numbers right from your terminal prompt. It removes the friction of digging through bad government websites. Get the raw contact data in seconds and pipe it to other command-line utilities.

Setup guide

Set up FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP in Claude Code

Prerequisites

Claude Code CLI installed (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Run the add command

Open your terminal and run the command shown on the right. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com. Use --scope user to make it available across all projects.
2

Verify the connection

Start a Claude Code session and type /mcp to list connected servers. You should see foiagov-freedom-of-information-mcp with a green status indicator.
3

Start using tools

Ask Claude Code something like "Check my latest FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) transactions." It will automatically discover and invoke the available FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) tools.

Terminal

claude mcp add --transport http foiagov-freedom-of-information-mcp https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

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Prerequisites

Claude Code CLI installed
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open the config file

Create or edit .mcp.json in your project root for project-level scope, or ~/.claude.json for user-level scope.
2

Add the FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Code

Start a new Claude Code session. Type /mcp to confirm the server is connected. The tools will be automatically available in your conversation.

.mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "foiagov-freedom-of-information-mcp": {
      "type": "url",
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by FOIA.gov. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about FOIA.gov (Freedom of Information) MCP in Claude Code

Run Claude Code to execute `list_agency_components` and direct the output to a local JSON file. You can then use tools like jq to filter the results.

Yes, you can trigger `get_annual_report_xml` through terminal prompts or shell scripts. Claude Code retrieves the raw XML and saves it to your specified directory.

Run the `claude mcp add` command with the HTTP transport flag and the server URL. Verify the installation by running `claude mcp list`.

Yes, you can script Claude Code to loop through a list of UUIDs and call `get_agency_component` for each one.

All retrieved XML payloads and form schemas are saved directly to your local file system. They do not pass through any external caching servers.

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