During a legislative session, a congressional aide assists a member of the United States Congress with various tasks. In the day-to-day operations of a congressional office, there are several types of congressional aides who perform specialized tasks. Aides may work in close proximity to the elected representative, either out of a local office in his or her congressional district or in the representative’s Washington, DC, Capitol Hill office. A congressional aide’s responsibilities can range from filing paperwork and answering phones to developing policy initiatives and advising the representative.
Applying for an internship while in college is a common way to become a congressional aide. Students from colleges and universities in the congressional district can apply for internships or volunteer work in most congressional offices. While these positions do not usually include the role of aide, they can be a crucial step in the process of obtaining one.
Answering phone calls from constituents, answering their questions, and addressing their concerns are some of the responsibilities of congressional aides. A congressional aide may also read and sort mail from constituents, as well as mail from other legislators, lobbyists, and consultants. Research and analysis are more difficult responsibilities, which require an aide to gather all relevant data on a specific issue, evaluate it, and create a memo or presentation outlining the results for the representative or other staff members.
Aides may also have more specialized responsibilities. For example, an aide in press relations may be responsible for crafting an overall message on behalf of the representative about specific legislative issues as well as fielding questions from reporters about various issues. A congressional aide may be assigned to take notes during committee meetings, write briefs, or participate in legislative negotiations.
An aide may be in charge of the representative’s schedule, which may include all public appearances, important daily deadlines, legislative sessions, appointments, press conferences, and phone calls. The scheduler will frequently need to make last-minute changes to the schedule because one event may take longer than expected, causing the rest of the day’s events to be pushed back. The scheduler may also set up meetings and appointments for the representative’s other employees.