What Do Congressional Interns Do?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Interns are often called upon to

attend briefings, write memos, and draft constituent correspondence

. Interns also provide administrative and day-to-day support for the office. … Press internships offer a unique opportunity to work with members of a congressional communications team.

Are congressional interns paid?

The average intern pay was $1,986.75 in the Senate and

$1,612.53 in the House

, for stints that normally run five and seven weeks, respectively. Monthly rent for a barebones studio apartment in D.C. alone can run $1,600, leaving no money for other costs.

What are the duties of a congressional intern?

  • Conduct various administrative duties including logging and responding to Constituent correspondence, sorting and distributing mail, and answering phones.
  • Attend hearings and briefings covering areas of interest including foreign and domestic energy policy.

What are the duties of an intern?

  • Answer phone inquiries, direct calls, and provide basic company information; oversee mail deliveries, packages, and couriers.
  • Perform clerical duties, take memos, maintain files, and organize documents; photocopy, fax, etc.

Who hires congressional interns?


Democrats in both the Senate and House

hire more interns from private universities than Republicans. For example, Democratic senators are 2 times more likely to hire an intern from a private university than Republican senators.

What skills do congressional interns need?

Rank Congressional Internship Skill Percentage 1 Constituent Correspondence 17.1% 2 Legislative Process 11.6% 3 Policy Issues 11.5% 4 Congressional Hearings 6.5%

Are Senate internships prestigious?

Paid congressional internships are a

prestigious and powerful

stepping stone for college students, but a recent report found they are far from representative of the nation’s diversity.

Are White House interns paid?

Interns at the White House and State Department

may finally be compensated for their work

. … For the White House, it’s a historic first, according to Carlos Mark Vera, the executive director of Pay Our Interns (POI).

How much do congressional interns generally get paid?

Still, a recent report by Pay Our Interns found that the average total stipend per intern was

$1,986.75 in the Senate

and $1,612.53 in the House, which isn’t a living wage for multiple months of work.

How much does a legislative intern make?

Job Title Salary Legislative salaries – 9 salaries reported $1,577/mo Internship salaries – 8 salaries reported

$1,290/mo
Intern – Monthly salaries – 5 salaries reported $1,140/mo Intern – Hourly salaries – 2 salaries reported $14/hr

How do I keep my intern busy?

  1. Have a task list prepared. The list should be more than the day’s duties. …
  2. Take your intern along. Got an important lunch meeting? …
  3. Use your intern’s youth and inexperience to your advantage.

What are your ethical responsibilities as a student intern?


Accepting responsibility and accountability for decisions and actions taken while at the internship site

; Ensuring that all interactions with guests, patients, clients, members, customers, the public and fellow employees are conducted with dignity and respect towards every person.

What to do at an internship when you have nothing to do?

  • Slow down and do simple tasks really well. …
  • Ask for feedback on how you are doing. …
  • Repeat a task that you have already learned to do. …
  • Ask your manager or another co-worker if there is anything else you can help with. …
  • Volunteer to make a manual or update training materials.

How do you become a congressional intern?

Congressional internships are offered by a variety of organizations. They can be

obtained directly through the office of a state representative

or through a specialized institute or training facility. Obtaining a position is competitive. Prospective interns are required to submit an application and cover letter.

Why do you want a congressional internship?

A congressional internship provides

key professional skills

that you’ll see will be very helpful in the long run. You’ll enhance your communication, writing, and critical thinking skills, which are necessary in any work setting.

What’s it like to be a congressional intern?

Former Congressional Intern at U.S. House of Representatives

As a rule of thumb, you will

spend a lot of time on the phone with constituents, sorting emails, running errands, etc

. There are usually opportunities to write memos for staff assistants; if they dont offer it to you, offer to help in that way.

Carlos Perez
Author
Carlos Perez
Carlos Perez is an education expert and teacher with over 20 years of experience working with youth. He holds a degree in education and has taught in both public and private schools, as well as in community-based organizations. Carlos is passionate about empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential through education and mentorship.