# BLS Public Data API MCP MCP > BLS Public Data API MCP provides access to authoritative U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data through your AI agent. It lets you audit complex economic indicators, pull historical labor statistics, and analyze time-series trends—all without navigating government websites. You can query specific markers like the Consumer Price Index or track employment changes by simply talking to your AI client. ## Overview - **Category:** data-analytics - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** economic-indicators, labor-statistics, time-series-data, macroeconomics, public-data, trend-analysis ## Description Your AI agent now talks directly to the core data source for U.S. economic information. This MCP lets you run full labor audits and macroeconomic searches using natural conversation, turning complex financial research into a simple query. You don't need to jump between government portals or manually download CSV files anymore. Need to track inflation markers? Ask your agent. Want to know how unemployment rates changed over the last decade? Tell it. It pulls the historical time series data and presents the trends instantly. This capability transforms how you conduct market research, letting you verify economic facts on the fly. The whole catalog of tools is managed through Vinkius, meaning this BLS connection works with whatever AI client you already use. ## Tools ### check_api_status This tool checks the live status of the BLS Public Data service to ensure it’s operational before running a query. ### get_bls_timeseries_data This tool retrieves historical data points for specific economic series identifiers you provide. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Get Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for the last 5 years using BLS. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the CPI data (Series ID: CUUR0000SA0)! The latest values show an inflation trend of [Value] for [Year]. I can provide the full historical breakdown or the monthly percent change metadata for you. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show employment statistics for series 'LNS14000000' (Unemployment Rate). ``` **Response:** ``` I've identified the unemployment rate series! The recent data points indicate a rate of [Value]% as of [Period]. I can assist you with an audit of other related employment markers if you'd like. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Compare data for series 'WPUFD4' and 'WPUFD491' from 2020 to 2023. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the data for both series! There are notable distributions in values between the primary and sub-category markers from 2020 to 2023. I can provide the comparative metadata breakdown to assist in your fiscal research. ``` ## Capabilities ### Check Service Health Confirm if the entire BLS Public Data service is currently running and operational. ### Retrieve Historical Time Series Fetch detailed historical data points for multiple specific economic series identifiers at once. ### Audit Economic Trends Analyze the longitudinal movement of labor statistics to understand shifts in economic scale over time. ## Use Cases ### Tracking Inflation Changes A financial journalist needs to compare CPI data from 2018 to 2023 for an article. They ask their agent, 'Show me the CPI for the last five years.' The MCP uses `get_bls_timeseries_data` and returns a clean historical breakdown immediately. ### Auditing Employment Shifts A policy analyst needs to see how unemployment rates changed during an economic shock. They ask the agent for the specific series ID, and the MCP retrieves all relevant labor statistics, helping them understand the longitudinal distribution of the rate. ### Validating Data Source Reliability A data scientist starts a large project and first uses `check_api_status` to confirm the BLS feed is up. This prevents hours of work from failing because of a simple service outage. ### Comparing Related Economic Markers An economist wants to compare wage growth markers with general price indices. They prompt the agent with multiple series IDs, and `get_bls_timeseries_data` compiles them into one comprehensive data set for analysis. ## Benefits - Stop spending hours clicking through government websites. You ask your agent for the data, and it handles all the complex querying using `get_bls_timeseries_data` in a single step. - Your economic research remains verifiable because every number comes straight from the authoritative BLS source. The data is always precise. - You don't have to worry if your workflow will break; you can first run `check_api_status` to confirm the service is active before running any time series query. - Compare multiple economic markers—like CPI versus unemployment rates—in one session, letting your agent pull data for several series IDs at once. - The MCP structure means that whether you're using Cursor or Claude, the workflow remains consistent. You just talk to your AI client and get answers. ## How It Works The bottom line is you use your natural language prompt to trigger specific data calls that pull verifiable statistics directly into your AI workspace. 1. First, subscribe to this MCP and enter your specific BLS Registration Key. 2. Then, connect it to your preferred AI client—be it Cursor or Claude—via the Vinkius catalog. 3. Finally, ask your agent a question like, 'What was the CPI for 2015?' and let it retrieve the data. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find my BLS Registration Key?** Register for an account at the [**BLS developer portal**](https://data.bls.gov/registrationEngine/), and you will receive your Registration Key via email. Copy and paste it below. **What is a series ID?** A series ID is a unique code identifying a specific statistical dataset, such as 'CUUR0000SA0' for the Consumer Price Index. **Can I query multiple series at once?** Yes. The `get_bls_timeseries_data` tool accepts an array of series IDs to retrieve metadata for multiple datasets in a single request. **What should I do if the call to `get_bls_timeseries_data` fails?** The API response will include a specific error code, which tells you exactly what went wrong. This helps determine if the problem is an invalid series ID, incorrect date parameters, or a temporary service outage. **How do I manage usage limits when calling `get_bls_timeseries_data`?** The BLS Public Data API enforces rate limits to maintain system stability. If you hit a limit, your agent will receive a specific HTTP error; consult the official developer documentation for current quota details. **When should I use the `check_api_status` tool?** You run this tool before starting any major economic research workflow. It confirms that the entire BLS Public Data service is operational and accepting requests, saving you time on failed data calls. **What format does the output from `get_bls_timeseries_data` use?** The function returns a structured JSON object. Each entry includes the date, the series ID, and the corresponding numerical value, making it simple for your agent to parse and analyze. **How can I filter results by specific years using `get_bls_timeseries_data`?** You must include explicit start and end date parameters in your request. Defining a precise time range ensures you only retrieve the historical records you need for accurate analysis.