Updated November 27, 2018
Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
Introduction
benefits; obtaining a missing record or payment from a
federal agency; or assistance with immigration matters.
The priorities and activities of Member offices are varied.
Each Member office has considerable discretion in how it
In addition to working on legislation and oversight, offices
defines and approaches casework, subject to House or
are commonly expected to provide constituent services as
Senate rules and statute. An office’s casework definition
part of their representational duties. This expectation began
may include other constituent services, including those that
in the earliest Congresses. Following requests for assistance
are listed separately here. For additional information, see
with Revolutionary War pensions and other matters, the
CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a Congressional
House, in 1794, and the Senate, in 1816, established select
Office: Background, Rules, Laws, and Resources.
committees to address private claims. Today, many similar
matters would be considered constituent service.
Grants Work
Each Member office chooses how to engage with
Federal grants may be available for state or local
constituents and how to allocate resources in support of
governments, nonprofit community organizations, research
these activities. Constituents often contact Member offices
entities, and small businesses. Federal grants are not
and initiate requests. Sometimes a Member office is one of
benefits or entitlements provided directly to individuals;
several places a constituent can turn. Other programs,
they often are awarded to state or local governments, which
opportunities, or services may require a Member office to
may sub-award them to other community organizations.
serve as an intermediary. Offices can also engage in
Given the competition for, and limitations of, federal
outreach activities to promote available assistance.
grants, Member offices sometimes provide constituents
with information about developing grant proposals or
The following sections provide a brief overview of many
identifying alternative funding options. For more on federal
common constituent services provided by congressional
grants, see CRS Report RL34035, Grants Work in a
offices. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or a
Congressional Office.
prescriptive list. Information on additional resources is also
provided, when available.
Opportunities for Students
Internships
“You learn more about the job by doing constituent
service work than anything else.... It tells you whether
Most Member offices offer internship opportunities, which
or not the legislation is doing what it is supposed to
must, under House and Senate rules, be primarily
do. It is a valuable learning experience, and it keeps
educational in nature. As with all personnel decisions, each
you in touch with the people.”
office has considerable discretion to determine, among

other things, how many (if any) interns it has, length of
—Anonymous former House Member, quoted in John
internships, office location in which interns will work,
R. Hibbing, “Voluntary Retirement from the U.S.
qualifications, and compensation. For more information on
House,” Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 1
internships in Congress, see CRS Report R44491,
(Feb. 1982), p. 62.
Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked
Questions; for information on other federal government
Help with Government
internships, see CRS Report 98-654, Internships,
Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in
Federal Government Resources
the Federal Government.
U.S. Service Academy Nominations
Sometimes constituents simply seek information about the
federal government. Small business owners, for example,
College-age students who want to apply to the U.S. Military
may want to know about federal contracting opportunities
Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy,
or the procurement process. Parents may have questions
or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy must receive an
about federal financial aid for college. Member offices
official nomination, which can be obtained from a Member
commonly refer constituents to the appropriate government
office. The number of nominations from each state,
agencies, and sometimes provide website links or reference
territory, or district is set by statute; the number of
materials in their offices to assist with these inquiries.
nominations available to a Member office can be further
Casework
affected by the number of currently enrolled students from
an area or nominations made by a preceding Member for
Casework refers to the response or services that Members
the current admissions cycle.
of Congress provide constituents seeking assistance, often
with a federal agency. Common requests involve
Nominations typically must be submitted to the service
applications for Social Security, veterans’, or other federal
academies by January 31 for the academic year that begins
the following July; an earlier deadline usually applies for
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Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
Members who are not returning for the next session of
written request, signed by the Member, to the chamber’s
Congress. Offices can largely establish their own criteria
Sergeant at Arms or appointments desk.
and processes for making nominations, which may include
White House Tours and Other Sites
additional deadlines, application materials, or interviews
with candidates. For more information, see CRS Report
Public requests for free, self-guided White House tours
RL33213, Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service
must be submitted through a Member of Congress. A “tour
Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and
coordinator” for each office registers with the White House
Management.
Visitors Office and submits constituent tour requests
Senate Page Program (Senate Only)
through an online portal. Requests must be received at least
21 days in advance, but can be sent up to 3 months prior.
Pages have served in Congress since the early 1800s,
For House offices, more information is available at
typically working as messengers. Today the Senate Page
https://housenet.house.gov/serving-constituents/dc-visitors/
Program (2 U.S.C. §49) is generally open to 16- or 17-year-
white-house-tours.
old high school juniors and is administered by the Senate
Some Member offices provide additional information about
Sergeant at Arms. Senators may sponsor interested high
Washington, D.C., attractions or tour itineraries. With the
school students, who then compete for a limited number of
exception of the White House, congressional requests for
positions. The page program runs four sessions each year—
tours are not usually required. Most federal government
fall, spring, and two during summer. Lodging, schooling,
sites are free of charge and open to visitors on a first-come,
and meals are provided. More information is available in
first-served basis; some provide tours and others are self-
CRS Report 98-758, Pages of the United States Congress:
guided. Timed-entry tickets are required for some
History and Program Administration.
attractions, however, and there may be small service fees
Congressional App Challenge (House Only)
for advance reservations.
K-12 students from participating House districts can
Commemorations and Recognitions
compete in the annual Congressional App Challenge.
Students design their own software application, individually
Congressional Congratulations
or in groups of up to four. The students’ work may begin
Members of Congress may write letters recognizing
before the competition, but submissions are usually
constituents’ public distinctions or achievements (39 U.S.C.
accepted between July and November, with winners
§3210(a)(3)(F)), subject to House or Senate franking rules.
announced in early December. For more information, see
Some common reasons for recognition include public office
https://housenet.house.gov/serving-constituents/
appointments or elections; acts of heroism or citizenship; or
congressional-app-challenge-cac.
key awards or honors. Through local news and networks,
Congressional Art Competition (House Only)
Member offices can sometimes identify individuals they
wish to recognize. Member offices may also encourage
High school students from participating House districts are
constituents to notify them of possible recipients.
eligible for the Congressional Art Competition, also known
as An Artistic Discovery. A winning piece of visual artwork
Flag Requests
is chosen from each district and displayed for a year in the
Requests from constituents seeking a U.S. flag flown over
Capitol. Updated rules are usually released in January.
the Capitol must be submitted to the Architect of the
Winners chosen by House Member offices often must be
Capitol (AOC) by a Member of Congress. Flags must be
submitted by early May. For more information, see CRS
purchased by the constituent, along with a certificate fee if
Report R42487, The Congressional Arts Caucus and the
the flag is flown over the Capitol. Requests typically must
Congressional Art Competition: History and Current
be made at least two weeks in advance. Constituents can
Practice or visit https://housenet.house.gov/serving-
request that a flag be flown on a certain date, but no date
constituents/art-competition.
guarantees can be made, due to weather and a varying
Assisting with Washington, D.C. Visits
volume of requests. See http://www.aoc.gov/flags or
contact the AOC for more information on the flag program.
Capitol Tours and Gallery Passes
Presidential Greetings
Any visitor can receive a free guided tour from the Capitol
The White House Greetings Office has provided greetings
Visitor Center (CVC). Many Member offices also provide
to U.S. citizens commemorating certain occasions.
their own tours of the Capitol, which can be customized to
Member offices sometimes submit requests to the White
reflect local or other interests. Access to the Capitol Dome
House on behalf of constituents; these requests typically
is not permitted, unless a special tour is requested from
must be made at least six weeks in advance of an occasion.
CVC staff and a Member accompanies the group. The CVC
hosts tour training classes for congressional staff, and can
Sarah J. Eckman, Analyst in American National
provide routes, guidelines, and accessibility information.
Government
The CVC does not distribute gallery passes for the House or
IF10503
Senate chambers. Constituents usually receive these from a
Member office. An office can obtain passes by presenting a

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Constituent Services: Overview and Resources



Disclaimer
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