Internships in Congressional Offices:
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated June 3, 2020
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R44491

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

Summary
Many interns serve in various congressional offices, assisting individual Members, committees,
and other offices or support services. Interns serve the House or Senate in a temporary capacity,
primarily for an educational benefit, although some interns may receive pay for their service. Like
many aspects of congressional operations, individual House or Senate offices can make many of
their own rules and guidelines for interns, if they choose to operate an internship program.
Additional institutional rules, however, may also apply. In the House, policies set by the
Committee on Ethics or the Committee on House Administration may also affect congressional
offices and interns, and in the Senate, additional relevant policies may be set by the Senate Select
Committee on Ethics or the Committee on Rules and Administration.
This report addresses frequently asked questions (FAQs) about congressional interns and
internships. It is intended to provide information to congressional offices about the role of interns
and to provide a summary of some of the policies and guidance provided by the House and the
Senate related to internships. It addresses the House and Senate rules that apply to congressional
internships, factors that may affect an office’s selection process and an individual’s eligibility to
serve in an internship, and some of the congressional resources and training opportunities
available for interns. For additional information about internship opportunities, refer to CRS
Report 98-654, Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in the
Federal Government.
Congressional Research Service

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an intern? How is an intern different from a volunteer,
fellow, or a page?
A number of opportunities exist for individuals who are not regular congressional employees to
provide assistance to congressional offices. The titles used to describe these positions are
sometimes used interchangeably, but there can also be some key differences.1
 An intern is an individual who provides assistance, paid or unpaid, to a
congressional office on a temporary basis. The internship experience is typical y
considered to provide an educational benefit for that individual.2 An intern’s role
does not substitute for or replace the duties of regular employees. If an intern is
paid, then some of the rules applicable to congressional employees may apply.
This report focuses on congressional interns, as described above, although their role can
sometimes seem similar to individuals in the following positions:
 A volunteer also provides assistance to a congressional office, and the
experience is general y considered to be of educational value for the volunteer. In
many cases, a volunteer’s role in a congressional office can be similar to that of
an unpaid intern. A volunteer cannot receive financial compensation for his or her
service. The volunteer’s assignments are not to replace the regular duties of paid
employees.
 A fellow is an individual who also performs services in a congressional office on
a temporary basis, but typical y through participation in an established, graduate-
level or mid-career education program. Fel ows often receive compensation from
a sponsoring employer, professional association, or other organization while
working in Congress during the course of the fel owships. Congressional offices
may try to recruit fel ows and work with existing programs, but a fel owship is
usual y not a position a congressional office creates on its own.
 A page is a high-school junior, at least 16 years old, who participates in a more
structured program for a semester or summer. Pages continue to serve in the
Senate, but the House program was discontinued in 2010. Although they are
appointed by individual Senators, the pages provide assistance as a group in the
Senate chamber, and receive housing, education, and a stipend from the Senate.3

1 T he four definitions in this section were primarily adapted from information from the House of Representatives,
provided in U.S. Congress, House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, House Ethics Manual, committee
print, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., January 1, 2008, p. 285 [hereinafter cited as House Ethics Manual, and also available at
https://ethics.house.gov/sites/ethics.house.gov/files/documents/2008_House_Ethics_Manual.pdf]; and U.S. Congress,
House Committee on House Administration, Mem bers’ Congressional Handbook, 116th Cong., updated May 5, 2020,
pp. 4-5 [hereinafter cited as Mem bers’ Congressional Handbook and also available at https://cha.house.gov/handbooks/
members-congressional-handbook]. Many of the same criteria for interns, volunteers, and fellows overlap with
descriptions from the Senate in U.S. Congress, Senate Select Committee on Ethics, Senate Ethics Manual, 108th Cong.,
1st sess., S. Pub. 108-1 (Washington: GPO, 2003), pp. 113 -114 [hereinafter cited as Senate Ethics Manual and also
available at http://www.ethics.senate.gov/downloads/pdffiles/manual.pdf].
2 For the purposes of compliance with Fair Labor Standards Act provisions, the Office of Congressional Workplace
Rights (formerly Office of Compliance) has previously noted that an intern performs services for an office as part of an
educational plan not to exceed a total of 12 months. See U.S. Congress Office of Compliance, CAA Handbook, 2005, p.
49 [hereinafter cited as CAA Handbook].
3 More information on pages is found in CRS Report 98-758, Pages of the United States Congress: History and
Program Adm inistration.
Congressional Research Service

1

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

2. What congressional rules specifically apply to interns?
Few statutes or standing rules of the House or Senate make specific references to congressional
interns. In many cases, the distinction between a paid internship and an unpaid internship affects
which formal rules apply to interns. Guidance and policies for House interns can be found in the
House Ethics Manual,4 in the Members’ Congressional Handbook,5 Congressional Committee
Handbook,6 from the House Committee on Ethics,7 and from the Committee on House
Administration.8 For Senate interns, guidance and policies are mainly found in the Senate Ethics
Manual,9 from the Senate Select Committee on Ethics,10 and from the Senate Committee on
Rules and Administration.11 Congressional offices can choose to set additional rules for their
interns to follow.
House or Senate rules that apply to paid congressional employees general y extend to paid interns
as wel .12 These might include, but are not limited to, the Code of Official Conduct for the
appropriate chamber,13 gift restrictions,14 ban on solicitations,15 and prohibition on payment for a
speech, appearance, or publication.16 Financial disclosure rules may also apply in the Senate if the
intern is receiving compensation from a source other than the U.S. government.17 Paid interns are
exempt from some provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act that otherwise apply to

4 House Ethics Manual, available at https://ethics.house.gov/sites/ethics.house.gov/files/documents/
2008_House_Ethics_Manual.pdf.
5 Members’ Congressional Handbook, available at https://cha.house.gov/handbooks/members-congressional-handbook.
6 U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on House Administration, Congressional Committee Handbook, available
at http://cha.house.gov/handbooks/committee-handbook [hereinafter cited as Congressional Com m ittee Handbook].
7 U.S. House of Representatives, House Committee on Ethics, available at https://ethics.house.gov.
8 U.S. House of Representatives, House Committee on House Administration, available at https://cha.house.gov/.
9 Senate Ethics Manual, available at http://www.ethics.senate.gov/downloads/pdffiles/manual.pdf.
10 U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Ethics, available at http://www.ethics.senate.gov/.
11 U.S. Senate, Committee on Rules and Administration, available at http://webster.senate.gov/rules/.
12 In the House, “[a]n individual who is serving as a paid intern or fellow must comply with all the laws, rules, and
standards of conduct applicable to House employees.” House Ethics Manual, p. 286. For the Senate, “[p]aid interns are
under the same rules as Senate staff.” U.S. Senate, Office of Education and T rainin g, “Intern Class Descriptions,” at
http://webster.senate.gov/interns/intern-class-descriptions. Elsewhere, the Senate Ethics Committee notes that this
applies to paid interns who work in a full-time capacity for at least 90 days; see Senate Ethics Manual, p. 115;
“Interpretative Ruling No. 111,” April 5, 1978, printed in U.S. Congress, Senate Select Committee on Ethics,
Interpretative Rulings of the Select Com m ittee on Ethics, committee print, 103rd Cong., 1st sess., February 1993, S. Prt.
103-21 (Washington: GPO, 1993), p. 48.
13 Rule XXIII in U.S. Congress, House, Rules of the House of Representatives, prepared by Karen L. Haas, Clerk of the
House of Representatives, 116th Cong., 1st sess., January 11, 2019, pp. 39-41 [hereinafter cited as House Rules and also
available at https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/116-1/116-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf; House
Ethics Manual, p. 286; U.S. Congress, Senate, The Senate Code of Official Conduct, prepared by the Senate Select
Committee on Ethics, March 2015 [hereinafter cited as Senate Code of Official Conduct and available at
http://www.ethics.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=efa7bf74-4a50-46a5-bb6f-b8d26b9755bf].
14 Rule XXV, cl. 5, House Rules, pp. 42-46; House Ethics Manual, pp. 33, 286; Rule XXXV, Senate Code of Official
Conduct, pp. 3-14; Senate Ethics Manual, ch. 2.
15 5 U.S.C. §7353; House Ethics Manual, p. 286; Rule XLI, Senate Code of Official Conduct, pp. 26-27.
16 5 U.S.C. app. 4 §501(b); Rule XXV, cl. 5, House Rules, p. 42; House Ethics Manual, p. 286; Rule XXXVI, Senate
Code of Official Conduct, p. 15; Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 98-100.
17 Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 114-115.
Congressional Research Service

2

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

congressional staff, like minimum wage and overtime pay requirements, as wel as employee
benefits, like insurance and retirement.18
Fewer House or Senate rules may apply to unpaid interns than to paid interns. To enhance
accountability for unpaid interns, the House or Senate ethics committees or individual
congressional offices can set standards for unpaid interns to abide by that mirror some of the
same rules that paid interns or congressional employees follow. A congressional office can
enforce the rules it sets as internal office policies for unpaid interns, whereas the House and
Senate institutional y may have fewer enforcement mechanisms affecting unpaid interns.
The House Committee on Ethics, for example, advises that offices obtain an agreement in writing
from unpaid interns at the outset of an internship. This agreement would acknowledge that the
intern agrees “to serve without compensation and to not make any future claim for payment, and
acknowledge that the voluntary service does not constitute House employment.”19 The committee
also suggests that unpaid interns refrain from actions that present themselves as congressional
officers or employees.20
The Senate Select Committee on Ethics requires that unpaid interns file a disclaimer with the
Financial Clerk of the Senate acknowledging that their service is voluntary, or gratuitous, in
nature. The committee also notes that the conflict-of-interest provisions in the Standing Rules of
the Senate “apply to any intern, fel ow, or volunteer providing Senate services,” even if the
individual is only working for a single day. Interns performing full-time services in the Senate for
over 90 days during a calendar year are also required to abide by the Senate Code of Conduct.21
Use of Official Email, Social Media, and Technology Resources
It may be useful for House and Senate interns to familiarize themselves with the broader
technology-use policies that apply to congressional offices.22 Computers, email accounts, internet
access, and other technology resources provided to interns by the congressional office primarily
should be used for official congressional business with any personal use limited and incidental.
Because information sent and received from a congressional computer or network may be traced
back to a particular office, an office may choose to implement additional standards for interns ’
incidental computer and internet usage. Offices may also develop guidelines for what is or is not
permissible for interns to post on social media or public websites about their work.

18 2 U.S.C. §1313(a)(2); 2 U.S.C. §5321(b).
19 House Ethics Manual, p. 405.
20 See House Ethics Manual, p. 406:
House Rule 23, clause 11, part of the Code of Official Conduct, provides that a Member of the
House of Representatives shall not authorize or otherwise allow a non -House individual or
organization to use the words “ Congress of the United States,” “ House of Representatives,” or
“official business” on any letterhead or envelope. T he intent of this provision is to prevent persons
who are not Members, officers, or employees of the House from rep resent that their activities are
officially sponsored or sanctioned.... Accordingly, individuals not paid by the House of
Representatives may not use or obtain business cards or other materials suggesting an employment
relationship with the House.
21 Senate Ethics Manual, p. 115.
22 For the House, see U.S. House, Committee on House Administration, House Information Security Policies, May 24,
2018, at https://housenet.house.gov/cha-policies; for the Senate, see U.S. Senate, Committee on Rules and
Administration, Internet Services and Technology Resources Usage Rules, November 9, 2015, at
http://webster.senate.gov/rules/internet-usage-policy.
Congressional Research Service

3

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

Giving and Receiving Gifts
Paid interns are required to follow the House or Senate gift rules that apply to regular
employees,23 and the House and Senate ethics committees advise that unpaid interns should also
abide by the gift rules.24 General y, these rules prohibit (1) receiving gifts from lobbyists or
foreign agents, (2) receiving any individual gift valued at over $50, and (3) receiving $100 or
more in gifts (each valued at $10 or more) from a single source. In most cases, it is typical y
permissible for a Member, staffer, or office to give an intern a smal gift in recognition of his or
her service.25 Federal law, however, prohibits supervisors from accepting gifts from interns.26
3. What other information might an office provide to interns?
Offices often provide additional information or guidance to interns about congressional
operations or resources.27 Offices, for example, might provide an overview of the House or
Senate rules that apply to interns, or clarify their own office policies regarding attendance,
technology use, phone etiquette, and other expectations. Information about emergency procedures
and contact information for the appropriate police or medical services is commonly provided.
Some offices may provide interns with a basic overview of the legislative process or how to
perform legislative research. Locations of buildings or offices within the Capitol Complex and
information on dining facilities and other on-site services may be useful for interns on Capitol
Hil , and similar information about the area surrounding a state or district office could be
provided to interns in those offices.
4. What is the selection process for interns?
House and Senate offices are able to set many of their own requirements for intern selection, just
as they are with general personnel decisions. Some offices, for example, may require that interns
are currently enrolled students, have reached a certain level of education, or that interns live in a
Member’s district or state. Many congressional offices post internship opportunities and
application procedures on their websites. House offices can use the House Vacancy
Announcement and Placement Service to post an internship announcement and may also request
resumes from its resume bank.28 Similarly, the Senate Placement Office can publish opportunities
for internships, collect applications, or provide resumes from its resume bank if a Senate office
chooses to use the service.29

23 See House Ethics Manual, ch. 2; Senate Ethics Manual, ch. 2.
24 House Ethics Manual, pp. 32-33; U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct for Unpaid Interns,
[video], at http://webster.senate.gov/interns/training/intern-videos/senate-code-of-conduct -for-unpaid-interns.
25 House Rule XXV, cl. 5(a)(3)(F), House Rules, p. 42; Senate Rule XXXV, cl. 1, available in Senate Code of Official
Conduct, pp. 3-9.
26 5 U.S.C. §7351.
27 Although some of the information it contains is specific to House offices on Capitol Hill, the Committee on House
Administration created an intern manual that offices may provide to interns or use as an example for creating their own
intern guidance. See U.S. Congress, House, Committee on House Administration, Model Intern Handbook, 2019,
available at https://cha.house.gov/sites/democrats.cha.house.gov/files/documents/member_services_docs/
Model%20Intern%20Handbook.pdf.
28 See HouseNet, “Vacancy Announcement and Placement Service,” at https://housenet.house.gov/office-support/staff-
your-office/vacancy-announcement-and-placement-service.
29 T he Senate Placement Office’s website is available at http://www.senate.gov/employment.
Congressional Research Service

4

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

5. Do interns have to be U.S. citizens?
In many instances, Members of Congress have broad discretion to determine who works in their
offices, but different laws, rules, and considerations may apply to a noncitizen’s potential service,
based on the individual’s status, particularly if the individual receives pay.30 House offices may
wish to contact the Office of the General Counsel, Committee on Ethics, or the Committee on
House Administration before employing a noncitizen as an intern. In the Senate, offices may wish
to contact the Senate Disbursing Office, Office of Legal Counsel, Select Committee on Ethics, or
the Committee on Rules and Administration for guidance on employing noncitizen interns.
The House and Senate ethics manuals provide some general guidance for congressional offices on
working with foreign-national interns. Conflict-of-interest considerations may affect the
responsibilities an office chooses to assign to a foreign-national intern. Interns who are foreign-
nationals should not be assigned duties that might influence U.S. policy in a way that benefits the
intern’s home country. As with interns who are U.S. citizens or nationals, a foreign-national intern
who receives outside funding for an internship should not be assigned work responsibilities that
might affect the intern’s employer or other sponsoring organization.31
6. Can interns participate in campaign activities?
Member offices are to be careful not to mix official congressional resources with campaign
resources.32 Interns working in a congressional office may also work for a political campaign, but
the two responsibilities are to be carefully delineated and kept separate so that congressional time,
property, facilities, equipment, or other resources are not used for electoral campaigns. The
prohibitions against using congressional resources for political purposes extend broadly and
include any campaign activities within House or Senate offices, rooms, and buildings, even if
such activities are conducted online using a staffer’s personal account or device.
7. Can interns be related to Members or regular employees?
If an intern is paid, then the standard prohibitions regarding nepotism or employment of relatives
established in law and House or Senate rules apply.33 Because each congressional office is its own
hiring authority, an intern may be related to another Member or staff in a different office without
violating these rules. The House Ethics Committee also notes that a Member in the House can
accept volunteer services from immediate family.34

30 For example, noncitizens who are nationals from U.S. territories (8 U.S.C. §1408), refugees (8 U.S.C. §1157),
granted asylum (8 U.S.C. §1158), or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States (i.e., hold a green
card) (8 U.S.C. §1324b) may not be subject to the same rules as other foreign-nationals.
31 House Ethics Manual, p. 287; Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 114-115.
32 House Ethics Manual, ch. 4. For Senate guidance on campaign activities, see Dear Colleague Letter from U.S. Senate
Select Committee on Ethics, April 22, 2016, http://www.ethics.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/dearcolleagueletters?ID=
F3FCB4E7-3DFF-4AE6-88E7-0AEDD7E3D761.
33 5 U.S.C. §3110 lists the family members that Members of Congress, as public officials, are prohibited from
personally hiring or recommending to agencies under congressional control. See also House Rule XXIII, cl. 9, House
Rules, p. 39; House Ethics Manual, pp. 272-273, 288-289; Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 195-196.
34 House Ethics Manual, p. 288.
Congressional Research Service

5

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

8. Is there a minimum or maximum age for interns?
Often, interns in congressional offices are college-age individuals or recent college graduates
between 18 and 24 years old.35 Historical y, individuals under 18 general y serve Congress as
pages. There is no minimum age for congressional interns.36 If working with interns who are
under 18, an office may want to consider the potential concerns related to working with minors
and carefully evaluate the job-related skil s and maturity of the prospective intern.
There is also no maximum age for interns. Older individuals returning to higher education,
considering a career change, or seeking a congressional internship for other reasons could also
receive an educational benefit from such service and may have useful experience to share with a
congressional office. In 1978, the Senate initiated a Senior Citizen Internship Program for
individuals over 60 years old; the program operated for a number of years, but is currently
inactive.37
9. How long does an internship last?
Internship lengths often reflect time periods designated by the academic calendar, occurring, for
example, over the course of the fal or spring semester, or during the summer. On their websites,
some congressional offices advertise three-week internships, whereas others expect interns to
serve for multiple months. Internship lengths within the same office can vary too, depending on
the intern’s availability and the office’s resource constraints.
There are no minimum lengths for House or Senate internships in statute, but c ertain
considerations may affect the parameters offices choose for how long an internship should last.
Congressional documents general y state that internships serve primarily as an educational
experience.38 To meet this expectation, a congressional office may determine a minimum length
for internships based on the amount of time it believes necessary to provide a sufficient learning
opportunity.
More detailed guidance is available for the maximum length of internships. Paid interns in the
House can serve no longer than 120 days during a 12-month period.39 For unpaid interns, House
guidance for Member offices suggests that “limitations should be imposed on ... the duration of

35 T he House website, for example, advertises “College Internships” at https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/
college-internships; the Senate Office of Education and T raining states that “ [t]he average age of Senate interns is
between 18 and 24; with the majority of interns currently attending college.” See U.S. Senate, Office of Education and
T raining, Best Practices for Creating and Managing A Senate Intern Program , February 19, 2014, p. 8.
36 T he Fair Labor Standards Act typically restricts employment of individuals under age 16, but 2 U.S.C. §1313(a)(2)
excludes interns meeting certain criteria from these provisions.
37 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, Containing the Standing Rules,
Orders, Laws, and Resolutions Affecting the Business of the United States Senate, 112 th Cong., 1st sess., January 1,
2011, S. Doc. 112-1 (Washington: GPO, 2011), pp. 102 -103; S.Res. 219, 95th Cong., 2nd sess., May 5, 1978; S.Res. 96,
102nd Cong., 1st sess., April 24, 1991.
38 House Ethics Manual, pp. 285, 405; Members’ Congressional Handbook, pp. 4-5; Senate Ethics Manual, p. 113;
“Interpretative Ruling No. 442,” April 12, 1992, printed in U.S. Congress, Senate Select Committee on Ethics,
Interpretative Rulings of the Select Com m ittee on Ethics, committee print, 103rd Cong., 1st sess., February 1993, S. Prt.
103-21 (Washington: GPO, 1993), p. 283; CAA Handbook, p. 49.
39 2 U.S.C. §5321(c)(2). Although the statutory language refers to “interns” generally in House Member offices, the
Committee on House Administration applies it to “paid interns.” See “Categories o f Staff,” Members’ Handbook, pp. 4-
5; “ House Paid Internship Program” at https://cha.house.gov/house-paid-internship-program; also “ Interns” in U.S.
House of Representatives, Committee on House Administration, Congressional Com m ittee Handbook, available at
https://cha.house.gov/handbooks/committee-handbook.
Congressional Research Service

6

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

services any one volunteer may provide,” to ensure “that such voluntary assistance does not
supplant the normal and regular duties of paid employees.”40 The Senate Handbook notes that an
internship should be for a total period not exceeding 12 months,41 and the Office of Workplace
Rights (formerly Office of Compliance) has previously suggested the same maximum length for
internships.42
10. Can interns receive congressional pay?
Interns may receive pay from the congressional office in which they work, if the office chooses to
provide it. FY2020 appropriations for the House provide some designated funding for internships
in Members’ personal offices and in House leadership offices.43 FY2020 appropriations provide
some designated funding for internships in Senators’ personal offices.44 Members may also use
their own office resources, such as from the Members’ Representational Al owance (MRA) in the
House45 and the Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA) in the
Senate,46 to provide compensation for interns. Committees or other congressional offices may
provide compensation for interns through their appropriate accounts designated for staff salaries.
In the House, the Committee on House Administration has set a gross annual rate of pay for
interns for Member and committee offices to follow.47
Paid interns working in Washington, DC, may also be eligible for transit subsidies.48 Paid
congressional interns are exempt from many of the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938, as amended, that otherwise apply to congressional staff, including minimum wage
requirements and overtime compensation.49
Previously, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Congressional Intern Program operated in the House from
1973 to 1994 and made two-month paid internships available for each Member office. Funds for
this program have not been appropriated since the 103rd Congress (1993-1994).50

40 House Ethics Manual, p. 405.
41 T he 12 months of service do not have to be consecutive in the Senate. See U.S. Senate, Committee on Rules and
Administration, United States Senate Handbook, (October 2010), p. I-8.
42 CAA Handbook, p. 49.
43 P.L. 116-94, Division E. For more information on funding for House internships in the FY2020 legislative branch
appropriations bill, see H.Rept. 116-64, pp. 3, 7-8, 39, 45. For additional regulations and administrative information,
see Committee Resolution 116-19, Committee on House Administration, May 5, 2020, at https://cha.house.gov/sites/
democrats.cha.house.gov/files/documents/Resolution%20116-
19%20Paid%20Internship%20Regulations%20Adopted.pdf ; also see “ House Paid Internship Program,” at
https://cha.house.gov/house-paid-internship-program. Funding was first provided for FY2019; more information on
FY2019 House internship funding is available in P.L. 115-244, Division B; and H.Rept. 115-929, pp. 203-204.
44 P.L. 116-94, Division E. For more information on funding for Senate internships in the FY2020 legislative branch
appropriations bill, see S.Rept. 116-124, pp. 26-27. Funding was first provided for FY2019; more information on
FY2019 Senate internship funding is available in P.L. 115-244, Division B; and S.Rept. 115-274, pp. 25-26.
452 U.S.C. §§5321, 5322a.
46 According to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Senate interns may also be paid from the personal funds of the
employing Senator. See Senate Ethics Manual, p. 114.
47 For the current rate, contact the Committee on House Administration. Interns paid above this gross annual rate may
count against the office’s regular staff ceiling.
48 For the House, see U.S. House of Representatives, T ransit Benefits Administrator, “Transit Benefits,” February 14,
2020, at https://housenet.house.gov/for-staff/other-benefits/transit-benefits.
49 2 U.S.C. §1313(a)(2).
50 See U.S. Congress, House, Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives of the United
Congressional Research Service

7

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

11. Can an intern be paid by another organization?
Many educational institutions or other organizations sponsor congressional internships, and
interns may receive stipends from these groups for their internships. Some of these internship
opportunities are listed in CRS Report 98-654, Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work
Experience Opportunities in the Federal Government.51 Some of these organizations operate
internship programs in conjunction with congressional caucuses or other congressional entities to
place paid interns in congressional offices.52 This is permissible, as long as there is no conflict of
interest presented during the course of the internship.53 Additional y, the House and Senate ethics
committees note that Members or staff cannot raise funds for programs that place interns or
fel ows in their own offices.54 When an intern is sponsored by an outside entity, ethics guidance
says the intern should not be given responsibilities that could result in a direct or indirect benefit
to the sponsor.55 If an intern is paid by an outside organization, congressional offices might take
steps to ensure that the intern’s duties do not supplant the regular duties of official staff, as this
could be considered a violation of rules that prohibit House Members from using outside
resources to conduct their official duties.56
12. Can an intern receive school credit?
The House and Senate expect that a congressional internship provides an educational experience
but, institutional y, make no requirements that an intern receive school credit or be a currently
enrolled student. Some congressional offices may choose to select interns on the basis of whether
they wil receive, or wil not receive, academic credit for the experience. Each educational
institution sets its own requirements for granting academic credit, and while some schools or
academic departments encourage internships and grant academic credit for them, others do not
al ow students to receive academic credit for internships. School requirements may prevent a
student from receiving academic credit for an internship experience that the intern may have
personal y found to be highly educational. A short internship, for example, may not meet a
school’s requirement for the number of hours served to receive credit.

States One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, prepared by T homas J. Wickham, Parliamentarian, 112th Cong., 2nd sess.,
May 31, 2013, H.Doc. 112-161 (Washington: GPO, 2013), p. 43. T he LBJ Internship Program remains codified at 2
U.S.C. §5322.
51 Due to the number of outside groups who might be able to sponsor these internships, it is not possible to maintain a
fully comprehensive list.
52 One example of this type of internship is the Gregg and Livingston Harper Congressional Internship Program for
Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities; see https://republicans-cha.house.gov/congressional-internship-program-
individuals-intellectual-disabilities.
53 House Rule XXVII, House Rules, p. 46; House Ethics Manual, pp. 187-188; Senate Rule XXXVII, Senate Code of
Official Conduct, pp. 16-21; Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 66-69; “ Interpretative Ruling No. 385,” July 31, 1984, printed
in U.S. Congress, Senate Select Committee on Ethics, Interpretative Rulings of the Select Com m ittee on Ethics,
committee print, 103rd Cong., 1st sess., February 1993, S. Prt. 103-21 (Washington: GPO, 1993), pp. 226-228.
54 For the House, see “Advisory Opinion No. 6” in U.S. Congress, House Select Committee on Ethics, Final Report of
the Select Com m ittee on Ethics, 95th Cong., 2nd sess., May 9, 1977, H.Rept. 95-1837 (Washington: GPO, 1979), p. 65,
and http://ethics.house.gov/staff-rights-and-duties/volunteers-interns-fellows-and-detailees; House Ethics Manual, pp.
286, 363; for the Senate, see Senate Ethics Manual, p. 113.
55 House Ethics Manual, p. 286; Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 113-114.
56 House Ethics Manual, pp. 291, 402-406.
Congressional Research Service

8

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

13. How many interns can an office have?
There is no minimum required number of interns for each congressional office; offices are not
obligated to hire any interns unless they choose to. If interns are unpaid, there is no cap on the
maximum number of interns for either the House or Senate. Offices, however, may want to ensure
there is enough office space for interns to work in, and that there is enough work available to
provide interns with a sufficient educational experience. If interns are paid, there may be a
maximum number of interns an office can employ, based on applicable staff ceiling rules for the
office. Under 2 U.S.C. Section 5321, interns in House Member offices paid by the Members’
MRA count against the applicable staff ceiling for House personal offices.57 Interns in House
Member offices paid under the House intern program do not count against the staff ceiling for
House personal offices.58
The number of interns in offices can fluctuate from year to year and within seasons during the
year. During the summer, for example, offices commonly have more interns than during other
parts of the year. For Member offices, the location of an internship in Washington, DC, or in a
state or district office may also affect the number of interested and available interns.
14. Are there differences between district/state and DC internships?
The substance of the work performed in an internship may vary between district/state offices and
Washington, DC, offices if the roles assumed by those different Member offices vary. For
example, an intern’s tasks may involve more constituent service activities in a district or state
office than they would in a Washington, DC, office where the emphasis may be more on
legislative activities. The same House and Senate rules and policies general y apply to district or
state office interns and to Washington, DC, office interns. Due to the high concentration of
congressional interns on Capitol Hil , some training opportunities and congressional programs
may be available to Washington, DC, interns, but not to interns serving in district or state offices
further away.
House interns who are paid from the internship program funded in the FY2020 House
appropriations bil may work in Washington, DC, in the office of a Member or in a House
leadership office, or interns may work in a Member’s district office.59 The Committee on House
Administration has also stated that paid House interns are eligible for telework and offices may
purchase equipment (e.g., laptops, mobile phones, and tablets) for teleworking interns paid by the
House intern program, a Member office, or a committee.60 For security purposes, interns in
Washington, DC, offices can obtain a congressional ID badge, available from the Office of the

57 House Member offices, for example, may employ up to 18 permanent employees and 4 additional employees; if
interns are paid by the House Member office, they are considered part of those 4 additional employees, which can also
include part -time, shared, and temporary employees, as well as office employees on unpaid leave. See 2 U.S.C.
§5321(a); Mem bers Congressional Handbook, pp. 4-6.
58 Committee Resolution 116-19, Committee on House Administration, May 5, 2020, at https://cha.house.gov/sites/
democrats.cha.house.gov/files/documents/Resolution%20116-
19%20Paid%20Internship%20Regulations%20Adopted.pdf .; Mem bers Congressional Handbook, p. 5.
59 P.L. 116-94 §§112-113; Committee Resolution 116-19, Committee on House Administration, May 5, 2020, at
https://cha.house.gov/sites/democrats.cha.house.gov/files/documents/Resolution%20116-
19%20Paid%20Internship%20Regulations%20Adopted.pdf.
60 See Committee on House Administration, “Updated House Paid Internship Program Regulations and Intern
T elework Policy,” e-Dear Colleague letter, available at https://cha.house.gov/sites/democrats.cha.house.gov/files/
documents/EDC%20HPIPT elework.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

9

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

Sergeant at Arms for the appropriate chamber. District or state office interns are also eligible to
receive ID badges at the request of the employing Member office. ID badges are to be returned to
the Office of the Sergeant at Arms upon completion of an internship.
15. Are there mandatory trainings for interns?
If interns are paid by Congress, then they are to take many of the mandatory trainings discussed
below that new House or Senate employees are required to take. If interns are unpaid, however,
fewer House or Senate trainings are mandatory for them. Because interns may be working with
Congress or in a professional environment for the first time, congressional offices may want to
have their interns attend additional trainings to better ensure they are prepared for their work and
can represent the office appropriately.
Al interns in the House of Representatives are required to complete a training session on
workplace rights and responsibilities.61 Also in the House, any individual who has access to the
House network needs to complete an information security training online.62 A paid intern who is
employed for 60 days or more is to take a House ethics training, which is mandatory for new
House employees. Unpaid interns or paid interns with a shorter internship are not required to take
this ethics training.63 Other programs or courses offered by the House may be available to interns
and helpful for their work duties.
The Senate Office of Education and Training provides a number of courses specifical y designed
for interns.64 A few, including harassment prevention and an overview of the Senate Code of
Conduct,65 are listed as required courses, whereas others, like information security training, are
listed as recommended or optional. Many of these courses are online and can be accessed via the
Senate intranet in a state or Capitol Hil office. Other courses offered by the Senate Office of
Education and Training or the Senate Library may be open to interns if space permits.
Interns who are expected by their offices to use Congressional Research Service (CRS) resources
or place requests must attend the “Orientation Program for Interns and Volunteers” offered by
CRS.66 Interns who might need to use the Library of Congress resources more broadly can sign
up for a research orientation covering the Library’s collections, resources, and policies.67 If
interns are responsible for hosting tours of the U.S. Capitol, they may be advised to sign up for a
tour-leader training course offered by the Architect of the Capitol.68

61 H.Res. 630, agreed to November 29, 2017. See “Workplace Rights & Responsibilities Education” at
https://housenet.house.gov/campus/service-providers/workplace-rights-responsibilities-education.
62 See “Information Security T raining,” at https://housenet.house.gov/for-staff/responsibilities/information-security-
training.
63 Capitol Hill staff members are to complete an ethics training in-person, but an online training version is available for
district staff. See “Ethics T raining,” at https://housenet.house.gov/for-staff/responsibilities/ethics-training.
64 See U.S. Senate, Senate Office of Education and T raining, at http://webster.senate.gov/interns/intern-class-
descriptions/.
65 All new Senate personnel are required to complete Code of Conduct training within 60 days of the start of their
employment. Separate Code of Conduct courses are listed for paid and unpaid interns. Any unpaid individual working
with a Senator’s office on a full-time basis for more than 90 days must also agree to abide by the Code of Conduct,
Senate Ethics Manual, pp. 213-214.
66 Upcoming CRS orientation sessions are listed at http://www.crs.gov/events. More information on CRS services for
interns and volunteers can be found at http://www.crs.gov/resources/CRS-Services-to-Interns-Volunteers.
67 See “Classes for First-T ime Users,” at http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/inforeas/orient.html.
68 For more information, contact the Capitol Visitor Center. Capitol tour regulations are available at
https://housenet.house.gov/sites/housenet.house.gov/files/documents/cvc_tour_regulations.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

10

Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

16. What congressional programs are available for interns?
Some programs and courses offered by CRS are open to congressional interns, provided that they
have completed the CRS intern orientation. Current offerings are posted at http://www.crs.gov/
events, and can help enrich the educational component of an intern’s experience. Some video
versions of past CRS events are also available at https://www.crs.gov/reports/media/ and at
http://www.crs.gov/events/recordedevents, which may be helpful for district or state office
interns.
Most summers, the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration cosponsor the Congressional Summer Intern Lecture Series, providing
congressional interns with insights about politics and policymaking from Members of Congress,
other government officials, and journalists. The lectures are typical y scheduled from June
through August, and the days and times vary based on speaker availability.

Author Information

Sarah J. Eckman

Analyst in American National Government

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should n ot be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R44491 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED
11