国会工作人员：国会议员为选定职位确定的职责、资格和技能

Contents

IdentifyingJobAdvertisementsforCongressionalStaffPositions2

CategorizingandCodingJobAdvertisements2

ConcludingObsa,vations4

SamplePositionExpectations7

Caseworker7

Caseworker/FieldRepresentative8

ChiefofStaff9

CommunicationsDirector10

CommunicationsDirectoi;'SeniorLevel"or"NotEntryLevel”11

ConstituentServicesRepresentative12

CorrespondenceManager13

DeputyPressSecretary14

DeputyScheduler15

DeputyScheduler/AssistanttoChiefofStaff16

DigitalDirector/PressAssistant17

DigitalDirector18

DistrictDirector19

ExecutiveAssistant20

ExecutiveAssistant/Scheduler21

ExecutiveAssistant/Scheduler,tcNotEntryLevel”22

Field,District,orRegionalRepresentative23

LegislativeAide24

LegislativeAssistant25

LegislativeAssistant,uNotEntryLevel”26

LegislativeCorrespondent27

LegislativeCorrespondent/PressAssistant28

LegislativeCorrespondent/StaffAssistant29

LegislativeCounsel30

LegislativeDirector,House31

LegislativeDirector“SeniorLevel,"or“NotEntryLevel”32

LegislativeDirector,Senate33

MilitaryLegislativeAssistant34

PressAssistant35

PressSecretary36

PressSecretary/DigitalDiiector37

RegionalDirector38

Scheduler39

Scheduler,44NotEntryLevel”40

Scheduler/OfficeManager41

SeniorLegislativeAssistant42

Speechwriter43

StaffAssistant44

StaffAssistant/Driver45

StaffAssistant/PressAssistant46

SystemsAdministrator47

Tables

Table1.DistributionofJobAdvertisementsAnalyzed,byCategoryandChamber5

Table2.AcronymsUsedinThisReport6

Contacts

AuthorInformation48

ongressionalemployeesareretainedtoperformpublicdutiesthatincludeassisting

Membersinofficialresponsibilitiesinpersonal,committee,leadership,oradministrative

officesettings.Theroles,duties,andactivitiesofcongressionalstaffaremattersof

CongoinginteresttoMembersofCongress,congressionalstaff,1groups,2andindividuals,3

includingthosewhoraiseconcernsaboutcongressionaloperations.Mostobserversrecognizethat

Congressdoesnotfunctionwithoutstaffi4butthereislittle5systematicattentiontowhatstaffdo,

orwhatMembersexpectofthem.

Incongressionaloffices,theremaybeinterestinidentifyingMemberexpectationsof

congressionalstaffdutiesbypositionfrommultipleperspectives,incladingassessmentofstaffing

needsinMemberoffices;guidanceinsettingpositionexpectations,quaHfications,andexperience

whenofficeschoosetohirestaff;andinformingcurrentandpotentialcongressionalemployeesof

positionexpectations.MembersoftheHouseandSenategenerallyestablishtheirown

employmentpoliciesandpracticesfortheirpersonaloffices.6Itisarguablythecasethatwithin

Memberoffices,acommongroupofactivitiesisexecutedforwhichstaffwithrelevantskillsets

andotherqualificationsarenecessary.Abodyofpubliclyavaihblejobadvertisementsforstaff

positionsfromanumberofdifferentofficescanshedlightontheexpectationsMembershavefor

positionduties,aswellasstaffskills,characteristics,experience,andotherneeds.

For35commonlyusedcongressionalstaffpositiontitles,thisreportprovidesasetof41sample

positiondescriptionsincludingwidelyexpectedjobduties,applicantskills,characteristics,prior

experiences,andotherexpectationsbasedoninformationfoundinasampleofjobadvertisements

placedbyMembersofCongressbetweenapproximatelyDecember2014andMarch2021seeking

staffintheiroffices.Table1liststhepositiontitlesandthefrequencywithwhichadvertisements

forthemappearedinthesample.

1U.S.HouseofRepresentatives,ChiefAdministrativeOfficer,2019HouseofRepresentativesCompensationand

DiversityStudyReport:HouseOverallResults,2019,athttps:〃/sites/dcfault/files/uploads/documents/

2019_housc_compdiversitystudy_executivesummary.pdf.

2SeeDemocracyFund,44PrincipledLeadership&EffectiveGovernance,“htlps:〃/priorities;

andWilliamandFloraHewlettFoundation,MadisonInitiative,/strategy/madison-initiative/.

'AlexanderC.Furnas,“Legislativestaffarespendinganincreasingamountoftimeonconstituentservices/*LegBranch,

April11,2018,/2018-4-l1-legislative-staffare-spending-an-increasing-amount-of-time-on-

constituent-services/;JacobM.MontgomeryandBrendanNyhan,"TheEffectsofCongressionalStaff

Netuurks/'JournalofPolitics,vol.79,no.3(July2017),pp.745-761:BrianAlexander,“Aframeworkfor

congressionalstaffing:afewthoughtsfrommanagementconsulting,''LegBranch,June28,2016,

httpsiZ/wu^w./2016-6-28-a-frameuork-for-congressionaI-staffing-a-few-thoughts-from-management-

consulting/;andAnthonyJ.MadonnaandIanOstrander,''GettingtheCongressYouPayFor:LegislativeStaffingand

OrganizationalCapacity/*PaperpreparedforpresentationattheAnnualMeetingoftheAmericanPoliticalScience

Association,Washington,DC,August28-September1,2014.

4See,e.g.,JoshMcCrain,^Convincingevidencethatcongressionalstaffdo,infact,matter/'LcgBranch,January23,

2018,h11ps:///2018-1-16-convincing-evidence-that-congressional-staff-do-in-fact-matter/;DavidE.

Price,TheCongressionalExperience,3rded.(Cambridge,MA:WestviewPress,2004),pp.66-69;andMichaelJ.

Malbin,UnelectedRepresentatives:CongressionalStaffandtheFutureofRepresentativeGovernment(NewYork:

BasicBooks,Inc.,1980),pp.3-7.

5SeeJesseM.Crosson,AlexanderFiunas,andTimothyLaPira,CongressandItsExperts,DatasetCodebook、

electronicdataset,UniversityofMichigan,/2018/02/

staff_data_codebook.pdf.

6Memberswhohirestaffincommitteeorleadershipsettingsalsohavebroaddiscretionregardingestablishingand

overseeingstaffrolesandduties.Thesearebeyondthescopeofthisreport.

IdentifyingJobAdvertisementsforCongressional

StaffPositions

Datausedindevelopingsamplepositionexpectationsweretakenfromseveralpubliclyavailable

sources,includingthefollowing,overtheperiodsspecified:

•TheHouseEmploymentBulletin,publishedweeklybytheHouseXkcancy

AnnouncementandPlacementService(HVAPS)intheHumanResourcesOffice

oftheHouseChiefAdministrativeOfficer(CAO).78Datawerecollectedfromads

publishedbetweenapproximatelyJanuary2015andMarch2021.

•TheEmploymentBulletin,publishedonlinebytheSenate“asaservicetoSenate

officeschoosingtoadvertisestaffvacancies."Datawerecollectedfromads,

whichwerenotdated,appearingfromapproximatelyJuly2016toMarch2021.

•TheHouseGOPJobandResumeBank,whichpostsadsonbehalfoftheHouse

RepublicanConferenceonFacebook.9Adswerecollectedbetween

approximatelyJanuary2017andwhatappearstobeitsmostrecentpostingin

November2020.Otheradswerecollectedfromtheperiodbetween

approximatelyDecember2014andJanuary2017fromtheHouseGOPJobBank

webpageonthewebsiteofRepresentativeWginiaFoxxduringpartofher

tenureastheHouseRepublicanConferenceSecretary.

•TheJobAnnouncementsBoardhostedbyRepresentativeStenyHoyerduring

partsofhistenuresasHousemajorityleaderandasHouseminoritywhip.10Data

werecollectedfromadspostedbetweenapproximatelyDecember2020and

March2021,andJanuary2016andDecember2017.

CategorizingandCodingJobAdvertisements

Morethan1,950adswerecollectedfromallsources.Whiletheyrepresentasubstantialnumberof

adspostedbythesourcesconsulted,theseadsdonotrepresentanexhaustivecollectionofpublic

congressionalemploymentsolicitations.Duplicateadsresultingfrompoststomorethanone

source,andadsthatappeartohavebeenfrequentlyreposted,11wereremoved,aswereadsfor

positionsincongressionalsettingsotherthanpersonaloffices,12yielding931adsforpositionsin

Memberpersonaloffices.Substantiallysimilarpositiontitles(e.g.,deputyschedulerandstate

deputyscheduler)forwhichtherewerefiveormoreadswereidentifiedandgroupedtogether,as

wererelatedjobtitles(e.g.,positionsdesignatedasdistrict,field,orregionalrepresentativethat

hadessentiallysimilarjobdutiesandexpectations)forwhichtherewerefiveormoresubstantially

similarads,yieldingatotalof763ads.Adsforthe35identifiedpositiontitleswerefurther

categorizediftherewerefiveormoreadsthatspecifiedtheadvertisedpositionas”not

7SeeU.S.HouseofRepresentatives,^EmploymentInformation,Mat/empioyment.

8SeeU.S.Senate,“EmploymentBulletin,“at/cmploymcnt/po/positions.htm.

9See"HouseGOPJobandResumeBank“athttps:〃/GopJobBank/.

10Rep.Hoyercontinuestohostajobannouncementsboardat/jobs.

11FrequentlyrepostedadsincludethosethatappearedinsequentialeditionsoftheHouseEmploymentBulletin,and

adsforthesamepositionpostedbyidentifiableofficesmorethanonceoveraperiodofsixmonths.

12Othercongressionalsettingsforwhichadswerecollectedincludecommittee,leadership,officer,official,shared

Memberandcommittee,partyconferencesandcaucuses,andHousecongressionalmemberorganizations.

entrylevel“orothersignifierofpresumptiveadvancedstatus.The763adswerecodedagainsta

varietyofvariableswithineightcategories,includingadtrackinginformation;addetails;position

responsibilitiesandresponsibilityareas;expectedjobskills,qualifications,andcredentials;

applicationmateriak;andofficetype.13Thedistributionofadsbyjobtitleandlevelisprovidedin

Table1.

Solicitationsofapplicantsforcongressionalstaffappeartooriginateinahighlydecentralized

manner.Meansofidentifyingappropriatecandidatesmightpotentiallyincludereassigningstaff

withinoffices,placingadsinservicesthatmakethemavailablebysubscription,14wordofmouth,

andothernonpublicmeansofidentifyingpotentialapplicantsforcongressionalstaffpositions.

Consequently,itcannotbedeterminedwhetherthedatasetofadsanalyzedinthisreportis

representativeofallcongressionalemploymentsolicitations.Inaddition,theprocessbywhich

candidatesforsomeMemberofficeseniorstaffpositions15areidentifiedmaynotbepublic-

facing.

Basedoninformationspecifiedwithintheads,mostpositiontitleswereidentifiedbyoneofthe

followingfiveprimaryresponsibilityareas(somepositionswereidentifiedbyuptothree

responsibilityareas):

•Legislative,Policy,andOversight,

•Media,Messaging,andSpeeches,

•ConstituentCommunications,Outreach,andService,

•OfficeAdministrationandSupport,and

•StaffLeadership.

Foreachposition,atleastonesamplepositiondescriptionwascreatedbasedonthecodeddata.

Informationincludesthemostfrequentlyoccurringofthefollowing:

•primaryresponsibilityareas;

•widelyexpectedduties,typicallyuptosixofthemostfrequentlyoccurringduties

specifiedinalladsforthatposition;

•otherpotentialduties,typicallyuptosixotherdutiesmentionedinmorethanone

ad;

•applicantinformation,including

•characteristics,

•skills,and

•knowledgeandpriorexperience;and

•otherexpectations.

13Acodebookanddetailedexplanationofthecodingprocessareavailabletocongressionalofficesuponrequest.

14See.forexample,Daybook,/listings,,https:〃/q-

Congressional-Assistant-1-Washington,-DC-jobs.html,amongothers.

15Forexample,theadsourcesuseddidnotcontainanalyzablenumbersofadsforAdministrativeDirectororState

DirectorpositionsintheSenate.

ConcludingObservations

Categorizingcongressionalstaffpositionsbypositiontitle16reliesonanassumptionthatsimilarly

titledpositionsinHouseandSenatepersonalofficescarryoutthesametasksunderessentially

similarcircumstances.Thesamplepositiondescriptionsprovidedinthisreportmightprovide

someinsightintoMemberexpectationsofstaffintheirpersonaloffices.Atthesametime,some

ofthefindingsmightsuggestthattasksanddutiesareaggregatedindiversewayswithinsome

sunilarlytitledpositions.Thismaybeduetooperationaldifferencesamongofficesseekingstaff,

ordifferencesintheexpectationsofanemployeeinthatposition.17Someothertitlessuggestthat

congressionalemployingofficesmightassignanumberoftitlestosubstantiallysimilargroupsof

positionexpectations,duties,knowledgeandskills.18Consequently,assumptionsaboutjobtitles

asasingularorganizingconceptmightbequestionable.

Someexplanationforthedifferenceswithinorsimilaritiesamongjobtitlesmightbeexplainedin

partbytherangeofapproachesindividualMembersofCongresspursueincarryingouttheir

officialduties.Thiscanresultinvariableemploymentpracticesfromofficetooffice.Other

insightmightcomefromdifferencesinthescaleandextentofactivitiesduetotheresources

madeavailabletooperatethepersonalofficesofMembersoftheHouseandSenators.19

Theseandotherexplanationsmaylimittheextenttowhichsamplepositionexpectations

providedherematchoperationalpracticesinallcongressionaloffices.

16ASenatormayestablishpositiontitlesinhisorherofficebywrittennotificationtothedisbursingofficeofthe

Senate,2U.S.C.4575(d)(l)(C)(2).NosimilarexplicitauthorityforaMemberoftheHousewasidentified.

17Forexamples,secdifferencesinexpectationsbetweensomepositionsandidenticallytitledpositionsdesignatedas

“NotEntryLevel"or"Senior,“andHouseandSenateLegislativeDirectors,orsimilaritiesbetweenLegislative

AssistantandMilitaryLegislativeAssistant,orLegislativeAide,LegislativeAssistant,andLegislativeCorrespondent.

18See,e.g.,LegislativeCorrespondent/StaffAssistantandLegislativeCorrespondent/PressAssistant,orDigital

Director,PressSecretary,andPressSecretary/DigitalDirector,amongothers.

19ThesmallestSenatepersonalofficetypicallyhastwicethenumberofstaffasthemaximumstaffinglevelsauthorized

forHouseMemberoffices,whichishigherthantheactuallevelofstaffinginthatchamber.Forfurtherdiscussionsee

CRSReportRL30064,CongressionalSalariesandAllowances:InBrief,byIdaA.Brudnick;CRSReportR43946,

SenateStaffLevelsinMember,Committee,Leadership,andOtherOffices,1977-2020,byR.EricPetersen;andCRS

ReportR43947,HouseofRepresentativesStaffLevelsinMember,Committee,Leadership,andOtherOffices,1977-

20/6,byR.EricPetersenandAmberHopeWilhelm.

TableI.DistributionofJobAdvertisementsAnalyzed,byCategoryandChamber

Legislative,Policy,and<OversightMedia,Messaging,andSpeeches

AdsHsAdsHS

LegislativeAide1266CommunicationsDirector54504

CommunicationsDirector

LegislativeAssistant(LA)107773018180

“SeniorLevel,”“NotEntryLevel**

LA,“NotEntryLevel”26206DeputyPressSecretary808

LegislativeCounsel642DigitalDirector/PressAssistant532

LegislativeDirector(LD),House24240DigitalDirector12210

LD,“SeniorLevel,0**NotEntry

660PressAssistant18108

Level”

LD,Senate505PressSecretary37316

MilitaryLegislativeAssistant(MLA)1293PressSecretary/DigitalDirector550

SeniorLegislativeAssistant(SLA)13121Speechwriter10010

LegislativeCorrespondent(LC)543420LC/PressAssistant770

LC/PressAssistant770StaffAssistant/PressAssistant550

LC/StaffAssistant15141

ConstituentCommunications,Outreach,and

ServiceOfficeAdministrationandSupport

AdsHSAdsHS

Caseworker12102DeputyScheduler707

DeputyScheduler/

Caseworker/FieldRepresentative880707

AssistanttoChiefofStaff

ConstituentServices

651ExecutiveAssistant752

Representative

CorrespondenceManager11011ExecutiveAssistant/Scheduler15141

ExecutiveAssistsnt/Scheduler

DistrictDirector770990

“NotEntryLevel”

Field,District,orRegional

14113Scheduler48426

Representative

RegionalDirector505Scheduler,44NotEntryLevel”871

LC543420Scheduler/OfficeManager11110

LC/StaffAssistant15141StaffAssistant/Driver734

StaffAssistant846716SystemsAdministrator10010

StaffAssistant/PressAssistant550LC/StaffAssistant15141

StaffAssistant846716

StaffAssistant/PressAssistant5S0

StaffLeadership

AdsHSAdsHS

ChiefofStaff1082LD,Senate505

Source:CRSanalysisofselectedadsseekingcongressionalstaff,varioussources,December2014-March2021.

Positionswithmorethanoneareaofresponsibilityareshowninitalics.

Table2.AcronymsUsedinThisReport

AcronymTerm

CAOChiefAdministrativeOfficeroftheHouseofRepresentatives

CMSCorrespondenceManagementSystem(e.g.,ComputerWorks,Fireside!1,

Housecall,iConstituent,Leidos)

HTMLHyperTextMarkupLanguage

HVAPSHouseVacancyAnnouncementandPlacementService

ITInformationtechnology

LALegislativeAssistant

LCLegislativeCorrespondent

LDLegislativeDirector

MLAMilitaryLegislativeAssistant

MRAMembers,RepresentationalAllowance

MSMicrosoft,typically。仟iceproductivitysoftwareandapps

SLASeniorLegislativeAssistant

Source:CRS.

SamplePositionExpectations

Caseworker20

ConstituentCommunications,Outreach,

andServiceAds

12(10House,2Senate)

WidelyExpectedDutiesOtherPotentialDuties

AssistconstituentstoresolveissueswithpublicagenciesUpdateMemberanddistrictdirectoronlocalissues

HandleconstituentcaseworkinvolvingI-4agenciesLearnfederalagencycaseworkprocedures

Answercaseworkcorrespondence

Communicatewithconstituents,governmentagencies

ActascommunityrepresentativeforMember

Assesscasework,communityactivitiesforlegislativeaction

ApplicantCharacteristicsApplicantSkills

PatienceManagemultipletasks

MotivationInterpersonalskills,friendly,personable,pleasant

SenseofhumorWorkindependently

Thinkbroadlyaboutpotentialcaseresolutions

ApplicantKnowledgeandPriorExperienceOtherExpectations

CaseworkStrongwrittenandverbalcommunicationsskills

Experiencerelatedtocaseworktype(immigration,tax,Bilingual,typicallySpanish

financialsector,healthcare,military,veterans*issues,etc.)Accesstocar,driving

Federal,state,orlocalgovernmentTiestostateordistrict

Longhours,nights,weekends

Workenvironmenttypicallydescribedashigh

pressure,team-based,collaborative

20BasedonCRSanalysisofselectedadvertisementsseekingcongressionalstaff,asdescribedin44Categorizingand

CodingJobAdvertisements?,

Caseworker/FieldRepresentative21

ConstituentCommunications,Ads

Outreach,andService

8(8House,0Senate)

WidelyExpectedDutiesOtherPotentialDuties

Assistconstituentswithproblems,concernsStaffMemberatevents,appearances

WorkwithstaffoncaseworkandoutreacheffortsProvideadministrativeassistance

RepresentMemberatmeetings,events,appearancesAnswerphones

Monitoractivities,concerns,issuesindistrict

Drive,travelthroughoutdistrict

ApplicantCharacteristicsApplicantSkills

EnergeticWorkwellwithothers

OutgoingThorough

AssertiveOrganized

MatureExercisediscretion,tact

MotivatedWorkindependently

SenseofhumorHandlestress

ApplicantKnowledgeandPriorExperienceOtherExpectations

State,local,andnationalgovernment,agenciesStrongwrittenandverbalcommunicationsskills

EventplanningHavecaranddriverslicense

SocialworkBilingual

Flexiblehoursincludingnightsandweekends

Tiesto/broadknowledgeofdistrict

Workenvironmenttypicallydescribedashighpressure,

team-based,collaborative

21BasedonCRSanalysisofselectedadvertisementsseekingcongressionalstaff,asdescribedin44Categorizingand

CodingJobAdvertisemcnts.*,

ChiefofStaff22

StaffLeadershipAds

10(8House,2Senate)

WidelyExpectedDutiesOtherPotentialDuties

ServeasMember'smostsenioraideoradvisorCoordinateMemberactivitieswithcongressional

AdviseMemberonstrategicprioritiesandpolicydecisionsleadershipandcommitteeoffices

Developandimplementallpolicyobjectives,strategies,andActasliaisonbetweenMemberandconstituents,

operatingplansfortheoffice,inconsultationwithrelevanttheAdministration,andexternalstakeholders

legislative,communications,constituentservice,support,Mentorstaff

andotherstaff

ManageMember'sofficesandoperations

Manageseniorstaff,monitorDCandstatestaff(Senateads

only)

Superviseupto18full-timestaffersinDCanddistrict

offices(Houseadsonly)

Overseeallpersonnelmatters:staffreviews;salary

decisions;andhiring(Houseadsonly)

ManagetheMRAandofficebudget(Houseadsonly)

ApplicantCharacteristicsApplicantSkills

Strongpoliticalinsti