Congressional staff and support agencies are the backbone of legislative work. They handle everything from constituent services to drafting bills. Personal staff assist individual members, while committee staff organize hearings and craft legislation in specific policy areas.
Support agencies like CRS, GAO, and CBO provide crucial research and analysis. They help Congress understand complex issues, investigate government spending, and project the costs of proposed laws. Together, staff and agencies enable Congress to fulfill its constitutional duties.
Congressional Staff Roles
Personal Staff Responsibilities
- Personal staff, also known as district staff, work directly for individual members of Congress in their Washington D.C. and district offices
- Handle constituent services such as casework, responding to inquiries, and assisting with federal agency issues (Social Security benefits, veterans' affairs)
- Manage communications including press releases, speeches, and social media to inform constituents and advocate for the member's positions
- Assist with legislative research by gathering information, analyzing data, and preparing memos to help the member make informed decisions
Committee Staff Functions
- Committee staff work for congressional committees to organize hearings, draft legislation, and conduct oversight
- Have specialized knowledge in the committee's jurisdiction such as agriculture, energy, or foreign affairs
- Plan and execute committee hearings by selecting witnesses, preparing questions, and managing logistics
- Draft legislation based on the committee's priorities and the chair's direction, working with affected stakeholders and executive branch agencies
- Conduct oversight investigations into federal programs, agencies, and private sector entities within the committee's purview (Enron scandal, Hurricane Katrina response)
Leadership Staff Roles
- Leadership staff work directly for the Speaker of the House, House Majority/Minority Leaders, or Senate Majority/Minority Leaders to help set the legislative agenda and coordinate party strategy
- Assist in counting votes by tracking member positions, persuading undecided members, and negotiating compromises to reach majority support
- Help build coalitions within the party caucus and across the aisle to pass priority legislation
- Negotiate agreements between parties or chambers to reconcile differences on legislation and break stalemates (budget deals, debt ceiling increases)
- Advise leadership on political strategy, message development, and policy priorities to advance the party's agenda and maintain electoral success
Support Agencies in Congress
Congressional Research Service
- The Congressional Research Service (CRS) works exclusively for Congress to provide objective, nonpartisan research and analysis on a wide range of policy issues
- Helps members and staff understand complex topics such as healthcare financing, immigration law, or international trade agreements
- Provides confidential memoranda and briefings to individual members and committees upon request
- Publishes general distribution reports on topics of perennial congressional interest (legislative process, budget concepts)
- Assists lawmakers in crafting legislation by providing background information, explaining current law, and identifying policy options
Government Accountability Office
- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer funds
- Conducts performance audits of federal programs and agencies to evaluate efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with laws and regulations (weapons systems acquisition, Medicare payment accuracy)
- Performs financial audits of government accounts and provides opinions on agencies' financial statements
- Makes recommendations to Congress and agencies to improve operations, reduce costs, or enhance revenue collection
- Serves as Congress' "watchdog" to identify waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in government
Congressional Budget Office
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provides nonpartisan budget and economic analysis to support the congressional budget process
- Scores proposed legislation to project effects on spending, revenue, and deficits over a 10-year period
- Provides formal cost estimates that are required before legislation can move forward in the House or Senate
- Produces baseline projections of spending, revenue, and economic output assuming current law continues, which help guide fiscal decision making in Congress
- Analyzes the President's budget proposals and major Congressional budget plans (budget resolutions)
- Conducts long-term budget projections to identify fiscal sustainability challenges (Social Security, Medicare solvency)
Staff Contributions to Legislation
Developing Legislative Ideas
- Personal and committee staff help develop legislative ideas based on district needs, constituent input, and members' policy goals
- Research existing laws and programs to identify gaps or areas for improvement
- Consult with outside experts, interest groups, and executive agencies to gather information and build support
- Draft bill text in technical legislative language, ensuring key provisions are included and potential unintended consequences are addressed
Building Coalitions and Counting Votes
- Staff play a key role in building coalitions within Congress to move legislation forward
- Identify members who may support or oppose a bill and strategize ways to win their votes
- Negotiate with staff from other offices to resolve concerns, incorporate feedback, and reach compromises
- Help leadership whip votes by tracking member positions, providing information to undecided members, and relaying vote counts
Incorporating CRS, GAO, and CBO Analysis
- CRS assists Congress at every stage of the legislative process by providing background research, analyzing bills, and helping staff understand complex policy details and trade-offs
- GAO reports can identify problems or inefficiencies in government that spur Congress to act through oversight or legislation (patient safety at VA hospitals, security vulnerabilities at airports)
- GAO also evaluates how well agencies are implementing laws passed by Congress, informing potential legislative fixes
- CBO scores legislation to inform members about costs and benefits, which can determine whether a bill advances or stalls
- CBO's budget projections set the overall parameters for tax and spending bills by establishing the baseline and identifying fiscal challenges