House of Representatives and Senate Staff Levels in Member, Committee, Leadership, and Other Offices, 1977-2010

R. Eric Petersen
Analyst in American National Government

Parker H. Reynolds
Analyst in American National Government

Amber Hope Wilhelm
Graphics Specialist

The manner in which staff are deployed within an organization may reflect the mission and priorities of that organization. In Congress, employing authorities hire staff to carry out duties in Member-office, committee, leadership, and other settings. The extent to which staff in those settings change may lend insight into the work of the two chambers over time. Some of the insights that might be taken from staff levels include an understanding of the division of congressional work between Members working individually through their personal offices, or collectively, through committee activities; the relationship between committee leaders and chamber leaders, which could have implications for the development and consideration of legislation or the use of congressional oversight; and the extent to which specialized chamber administrative operations have grown over time. 

This report provides staffing levels in House and Senate Member, committee, leadership, and other offices since 1977. Data presented here are based on staff listed by chamber entity (offices of Members, committees, leaders, officers, officials, and other entities) in telephone directories published by the House and Senate. These directories were chosen because they are the only official, publicly available resource that provides a concise breakdown of House and Senate staff by internal organization. 

In the past three decades, staff working for the House and Senate has grown. Between 1977 and 2009, the number of House staff grew from 8,831 to 9,808, or 11.06%. In the Senate, the number of staff has grown steadily, from 3,380 in 1977 to 6,099 in 2010, or 80.44%. There are differences in the scale of growth between the chambers, but there are similarities in the patterns of change in the distribution of staff among congressional entities. In each chamber, for example, there have been increases in the number of staff working in chamber leadership offices, and larger increases in the staffing of chamber officers and officials. In the House and Senate, staff working for Members have shifted from committee settings to the personal offices of Members. Some of these changes may be indicative of the growth of the House and Senate as institutions, or the value the chambers place on their activities.


Date of Report: August 10, 2010
Number of Pages: 35
Order Number: R41366
Price: $29.95

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