House of Representatives Staff Levels, 1977-
September 2, 2021
2021
R. Eric Petersen
The manner in which staff are deployed within an organization may reflect the mission and
Specialist in American
priorities of that organization. This report provides staffing levels in House Member, committee,
National Government
leadership, and other offices since 1977. Between 1977 and 2021, the number of House staff

grew from 8,831 to 9,034, or 2.30%. Since 2009, however, the number of staff working in the
House has decreased 14.00%.

These changes were characterized in part by increases in the number of staff working in chamber leadership offices, and
larger increases in the staffing of chamber officers and officials. House staff working for Members have shifted from
committee settings to the personal offices of Members. Some of these changes may be indicative of the change and evolution
of the House as an institution.
This report is one of several CRS products focusing on congressional staff. Links to others may be found in CRS Report
R44688, Congressional Staff: CRS Products on Size, Pay, Job Tenure, and Duties.

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he manner in which staff are deployed within an organization may reflect the mission and
priorities of that organization.
T In the House of Representatives, 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 House 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 individual y 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, the use of
congressional oversight, or deployment of staff; and the extent to which
specialized chamber administrative operations have grown over time.
This report provides staffing levels in House Member,1 committee, leadership, and other offices
since 1977. No House source appears to official y and authoritatively track the actual number of
staff working in the chambers by office or entity. Data presented here between 1977 and 2019 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. Data for 2020-2021
are taken from the House Telephone Directory website available to Members of the House and
their staff.
Table 1 in the “Data Tables” section below provides data for staff listed in House directories
through 2021. Data for House staff listed as joint committee employees on panels that organized
in the 117th Congress (2021-2022) are provided in Table 8.2
This report provides data based on a count of staff listed in House telephone directories published
since 1977. Like most sources of data, telephone directory listings have potential benefits and
potential drawbacks. Telephone directories were chosen for a number of reasons, including the
following:
 telephone directories published by the House are an official source of information
about that institution, and are widely available;
 presumably, the number of directory listings closely approximates the number of
staff working for the House;3

1 T hroughout this report, the terms “Member office,” “personal office,” and “House Member’s office” refer to the
office held by a Member of the House upon election to Congress. T hey do not refer to the number of facilities in which
that work is carried out. Discussions of how many staff are based in Washington, DC, and district facilities
distinguishes only between locations in Washingt on, DC, or in the district. It does not provide an office-by-office
accounting of staff working in multiple district facilities.
2 Joint committees that organized in the 117th Congress include the Joint Committees on T axation, Printing, and
Library, and the Joint Economic Committee. T he table excludes staff listed at various times since 1977 for the Joint
Committees on Inaugural Ceremonies, Atomic Energy, Defense Production, Internal Revenue Service, and
Organization of Congress. Staff data for those panels are available to congressional clients upon request.
3 T he actual moment printed telephone directories capture is the deadline that was set for the final collection of listings
prior to publication. T he exact date for each year is not known, but publication dates for the House directories were
generally in the spring of each year. Data taken from the online House T elephone Directory were collected on
September 15, 2020, and June 15, 2021.
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 while arguably not their intended purpose, the directories provide a consistent
breakdown of House staff by internal organization at a particular moment in
time; and
 the directories afford the opportunity to compare staff levels at similar moments
across a period of decades.4
At the same time, however, data presented below should be interpreted with care for a number of
reasons, including the following:
 There is no way to determine whether al staff working for the House were listed
in the chamber’s telephone directories or are included in the online House
Telephone Directory. If some staff are not listed, relying on telephone directories
is likely to lead to an undercount of staff.
 It is not possible to determine if those staff who are listed were actual y
employed by the House at the time the directories were published or data were
collected from the House Telephone Directory. If the directories list individuals
who are no longer employed by the House, then relying on them is likely to lead
to an overcount of staff.
 The extent to which the criteria for inclusion in the directories for the House have
changed over time cannot be fully determined. Some editions of the House’s
directories do not always list staff in various entities the same way.5 This may
raise questions regarding the reliability of telephone directory data as a means for
identifying congressional staff levels within the House over time.
 Some House staff may have more than one telephone number, or be listed in the
directory under more than one entity.6 As a consequence, they might be counted
more than once. This could lead to a more accurate count of staff in specific
entities within the House, but multiple listings may also lead to an overcount of
staff working in the chamber.
 Chamber directories may reflect different organizational arrangements over time
for some entities. This could lead to counting staff doing similar work in both
years in different categories,7 or in different offices.8
 Random samples of House Member offices used to develop an estimate of
Member office staff working in Washington, DC, and district offices in 1977-
2019, and discussed in greater detail below, may or may not be representative of

4 Other congressional documents list staff by organizational unit, most notably the quarterly Statement of
Disbursem ents issued by the House. At the same time, because they capture all paid staff activity for a three -month
period, those documents do not provide as clear a picture of staffing at one point in time as the tel ephone directories do.
5 In some instances, a listing for a House entity would not list staff. In other instances, there were significant changes in
the number of staff from year-to-year, and it could not be determined whether that was a consequence of changing
organizational practices, or differences in the manner in which staff were included in the directory.
6 For example, some staff may work on a part -time basis for more than one Member, or for a Member and a committee.
In the online version of the House T elephone Directory, some are listed as staff for a committee and one or more joint
committees.
7 For example, in 1977, House Information Systems (HIS) staff were listed with staff from the Committee on House
Administration (CHA). In 2009, House Information Resources, the successor entity to HIS, was listed as a component
of the Office of the Chief Administrat ive Officer. In this instance, HIS staff listed under CHA are counted as Officer
and Officials staff regardless of their initial listing.
8 For example, a number of administrative activities now carried out by staff of the Chief Administrative Officer were
previously overseen by the Committee on House Administration, House Clerk, or Sergeant at Arms.
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the entire population of House Member offices. The extent to which the sample is
representative of the population from which it is drawn wil determine the
accuracy of the estimated data for House Member offices. While it is unlikely
that a full count would yield significantly different results for those years, it is a
possibility.
House Staffing
House Data Collection
House staff data covering the period 1977-2019 were developed based on an estimate of staff
working in Member offices, and a full count of staff listed in al non-Member congressional
offices listed in each House telephone directory.9 In some years, the House published two
directories. When that happened, data were taken from the earlier publication.
A full count of House Member offices would have exceeded available resources, and would have
been unlikely to yield a significantly different result than that which would result from a count of
staff working in a random sampling of Members’ offices. Since 1975, the House has limited the
number of full-time staff working in a Member’s office to 18 permanent employees; in 1979 up to
four FTEs who may work part time were authorized.10 As a consequence, among al
congressional entities, House Member office staffing is the least likely to show a high degree of
variability. For each year, 1977-2019, a random sample of 45 Member offices was drawn in
proportion to the distribution of Member offices in the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House
office buildings in 2014.11 Staff telephone data from those offices were counted and assumed to
be in Washington, DC, if they were listed as working in the Cannon, Longworth, or Rayburn
buildings, and outside of Washington, DC, if they were not.12 The average number of staff
working in Washington, DC, and in district offices was computed. Those data were multiplied by
the number of Member offices13 to derive an estimate of the number of staff employed in personal
offices who work in House Member offices. Table 2 in the “Data Tables” section below provides
the computed averages from the sample data and the estimated House Member staff working in
Washington, DC, and district offices.
Member office data for 2020-2021 are based on a full count of al offices listed in the online
House Telephone Directory.
Committee data are based on a full count of al printed telephone directory listings for House
standing, special, and select committees as described in individual directory listings for 1977-
2019, and in the online House Telephone Directory for 2020-2021. The data also include
associate staff of the Committees on the Budget, Rules, and Ways and Means where applicable,
and joint committee staff housed in House facilities. In the “Data Tables” section below, four

9 Entities and staff that are not a part of the House, but were listed in the directory (including the Senate, other
legislative branch entities, executive branch agencies, and vendors) are excluded from these data.
10 See CRS Report RL30064, Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief, by Ida A. Brudnick for details.
11 Personal offices are not typically assigned in the Ford or O’Neill House Office Buildings. Since 2014, the Cannon
House Office Building has been undergoing a substantial renewal project that has displaced some Member offices. Due
to these dislocations, the proportion of Member offices sampled 2015 -2019 may not be directly comparable to samples
collected 1977-2014.
12 T he House telephone directory provides consistent five-digit listings for all House staff who work in Washington,
DC.
13 House Member offices includes Representatives, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner. T he number of House
Member offices was 439 in 1977-1978, 440 1979-2008, and 441, 2009-present.
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tables provide staff levels in various House committees. Joint committee staff data from the
House for panels that convened in the 117th Congress (2021-2022) are available in Table 8.
Data for leadership offices include a full count of staff working for Members in leadership
positions. In 2021, these listings included the following: Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority
Whip, Chief Deputy Majority Whip, Senior Chief Deputy Majority Whip, Assistant Speaker,
Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Democratic and Republican Cloakrooms. Other leadership
positions included House Republican Conference, House Republican Policy Committee, House
Republican Study Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, House Democratic
Caucus, House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, and House Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee.
Data for chamber officers and other House officials include a full count of staff working for
House officers and officials. In 2021, House officers included the Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, Chief
Administrative Officer, and Chaplain. Officials included staff in the offices of Parliamentarian,
Interparliamentary Affairs, Law Revision Counsel, Legislative Counsel, General Counsel,
Inspector General, and House Historian.
Commissions data comprise the smal est category of House data, and are based on a full count of
those entities. In 2021, commissions data included staff working for the House Communications
Standards Commission (HCSC; listed in the House Telephone Directory as the Commission on
Congressional Mailing Standards and commonly known as the Franking Commission; the entity
was renamed HCSC in 2020); the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (typical y
referred to as the Helsinki Commission); the Congressional-Executive Commission on the
People’s Republic of China; and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
House Staff Data
Between 1977 and 2021, the number of House staff overal grew from 8,831 to 9,034, or 2.30%.
Since 2009, however, the number of staff working in the House has decreased 14.00%. Staffing
levels have ranged from a low of 8,831 in 1977 to a peak of 10,004 in 2008. The number of
House staff across al categories has grown by an average of 5 individuals annual y,14 or 0.06%.
Change in House staff has been characterized by slight, but steady growth in two periods (1977-
1994, 12.01%; and 1996-2011, 14.89%), separated by a brief period of sharp decline (1994-1996,
-12.13%), and ending with another decrease (2011-2021, -9.53%).
Figure 1 displays staff levels in five categories since 1977. These categories include staff
working in the offices of
 Members,
 committees,
 leadership,
 officers and officials, and
 commissions.
Table 1, in the “Data Tables” section below, provides detailed staff levels in those categories.

14 Rounded to reflect a whole number.
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House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Figure 1. House Staff Levels by Category, 1977-2021

Source: Annual House telephone directories, online House Telephone Directory, CRS estimates and
calculations.
Notes: House Member office data are estimates developed from a sample of 45 Member offices for each year,
1977-2019, multiplied by the number of Member offices. Member office data for 2020-2021, and al other
categories, 1977-2021, are based on a ful count of directory listings.
House Member Offices
Staff levels in House Member offices have fal en slightly from 6,556 in 1977 to 6,329 in 2021, or
3.46%. The level of staffing grew steadily from 1977 until peaking at 7,284 in 1994, and fal ing
10.74%, to 6,502, in 1995. Member staff increased between 1997 and 2011 in an uneven, but
general y upward pattern before reaching its highest level, 7,360, in 2009. Since 2009, Member
staff have decreased to 6,329, a 14.0% decline.
Figure 2 displays the distribution of House Member staff between Washington, DC, and district
offices since 1977. From 1977 until 1994, more staff worked in Washington, DC, than in field
offices. Throughout that period, however, the number of staff assigned to district offices steadily
grew while Washington, DC-based staff moved in an uneven, but general y downward pattern.
Between 1994 and 2008, staff distribution between Washington, DC, facilities and district offices
varied narrowly, but staff were relatively evenly distributed in 2009-2011. Since 2011,
Washington-based staff growth has been relatively flat, while the number of district staff has
fal en, and the average number of staff per Member office has declined from 17 to 14.15 Table 2
in the “Data Tables” section below provides the estimated House Member staff working in
Washington, DC, and district offices since 1977-2019, the actual number for 2020-2021, and the
average number of staffers in a Member office.

15 Staff data are rounded to whole numbers.
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House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Figure 2. Distribution of House Member Office Staff Since 1977

Source: Annual House telephone directories, online House Telephone Directory, CRS estimates and
calculations.
Notes: House Member office data are estimates developed from a sample of 45 Member offices for each year,
1977-2019, multiplied by the number of Member offices. Member office data for 2020-2021 are based on a ful
count of directory listings. House Member staff comprise approximately three-quarters of al House staff. This
proportion of overal staffing has been relatively steady since 1977.
Committees
Committee staff levels have shown the greatest decline among House staff categories, decreasing
30.20% since 1977. Change among House committee staff was characterized by a moderate
decline in 1977-1981 (-9.04%), steady growth from 1981 until 1992 (29.83%), a period of sharp
decline in 1992-1997 (-42.81%), a period of slow, unsteady growth from 1997 to 2010 (18.09%),
and another decline from 2011 to present (-4.35%). The 2021 level of 1,320 is 571 (-30.20%)
fewer than 1977 levels, and 913 (-40.89%) fewer than the 1992 peak of 2,233 staff.
Since 1977, committee staff have comprised a decreasing proportion of House staff, fal ing from
21.41% of House staff in 1977 to 14.61% in 2021.
In the “Data Tables” section below, four tables provide staff levels in various House committees.
Table 3 provides House committee data for 2007-2016; data for 1997-2006 are available in Table
5. Table 6 provides data for 1987-1996, and data for 1977-1986 are available in Table 7. Totals
for each year, which include joint committee staff listed in the House directory found in Table 8,
are presented in Table 1.
Leadership Offices
The actual number of staff in House leadership offices grew from 62 in 1977 to 238 in 2021,
peaking in 2011 at 241. This growth was relatively steady over time. As a proportion of House
staff, leadership employees comprised 0.70% in 1977, and 2.63% in 2021.
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Officers and Officials
Staff working in the offices of House officers and officials has grown 314.02% since 1977. Staff
levels grew steadily from 1977 to 1991, and then showed a one-year drop of 33.15%, from 537 in
1992 to 359 in 1993. In 1994, staff levels returned to a level similar to 1992, and increased again
in 1995 to 818, a one-year increase of 57.01%. After dropping to 704 in 1996, levels began a
steady increase to a peak of 1,056 in 2008, an increase of 50.00%, before fal ing 8.96% to 946 in
2015. Since 2016, growth has been steady and peaked in 2021 at 1,122.
As a proportion of House staff, officers and officials staff grew from 3.07% in 1977 to 12.42% in
2021.
Commissions
Congressional commission staff levels are essential y flat, and have ranged from a high of 51 in
1977 to a low of 19 in a number of years, most recently in 2001. In 2021, 25 staff worked for
congressional commissions.16
Congressional commissions have consistently comprised less than one-half of one percent of al
House staff.
Discussion
Since 1977, the number of staff working for the House has grown, though there has been a
decrease in recent years. Overal , 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.
Staff have shifted from committee settings to leadership settings or the personal offices of
Members. Some of these changes may be indicative of the growth of the House as an institution,
increased reliance on central y provided technical services (including information technology,
legislative drafting, and physical and digital security), or the value the chamber places on its
various activities.
One example that may be an indication of institutional development arguably is found in the
growth of the number and percentage of staff working in leadership and officers and officials
offices, even though that growth has slowed recently. A potential explanation for these changes
may be found in what some might characterize as an ongoing professionalization and
institutionalization of congressional management and administration. Some note that as
organizations such as governing institutions develop, they identify needs for expertise and
develop specialized practices and processes.17 In Congress, some of those areas of specialization
arguably include supporting the legislative process through the drafting of measures; oversight
and support of floor activities; the management of legislation in a bicameral, partisan
environment; and increased demand to secure information and physical infrastructures that
support legislative activities.
Another potential explanation related to a more institutionalized, professionalized Congress could
be the demands for professional management and support. This could arise as a result of

16 For more information on congressional commissions, see CRS Report R40076, Congressional Commissions:
Overview and Considerations for Congress, by Jacob R. Straus; and CRS Report RL33313, Congressional
Mem bership and Appointm ent Authority to Advisory Com m issions, Boards, and Groups, by Jacob R. Straus.
17 See, for example, Nelson W. Polsby, “T he Institutionalization of the U.S. House of Representatives,” The American
Political Science Review, vol. 62, no. 1 (March 1968), pp. 144 -168.
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congressional use of communications technologies, and the deployment of systematic , centralized
professional human resources processes, business operations, and financial management.
Consequently, increased specialized support of congressional legislative and administrative
activities may explain increases among staff working for chamber leaders, and officers and
officials.18
In another example, the distribution of staff working directly for Members has shifted from
committee settings to personal office settings. House committee staff has decreased. This may
represent a shift from collective congressional activities typical y carried out in committees
(including legislative, oversight, and investigative work) to individualized activities typical y
carried out in Members’ personal offices (including direct representational activities, constituent
service and education, and political activity).19

18 For background on leadership offices, see CRS Report RS20881, Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and
Responsibilities, by Valerie Heitshusen and CRS Report 97-780, The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party
Leader, and Representative, by Valerie Heitshusen; for background on support offices, see CRS Report RL33220,
Support Offices in the House of Representatives: Roles and Authorities, by Ida A. Brudnick.
19 See CRS Report RL33686, Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress: Brief Overview, by R. Eric Petersen; CRS
Report RL34035, Grants Work in a Congressional Office, by Maria Kreiser; and CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a
Congressional Office: Background, Rules, Laws, and Resources, by R. Eric Petersen and Sarah J. Eckman .
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Data Tables
Table 1. House of Representatives Staff Levels by Category, 1997-2021
Year
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
House Member Office
6,556
6,614
6,737
6,913
6,844
6,884
6,786
7,050
6,737
6,942
Committee
1,891
2,067
1,861
1,991
1,720
1,851
1,867
1,974
1,997
1,980
Leadership
62
69
65
79
58
71
64
65
66
63
Officers and Officials
271
329
357
337
434
437
436
444
445
424
Commissions
51
23
25
21
19
22
23
23
22
19
Totals
8,831
9,102
9,045
9,341
9,075
9,265
9,176
9,556
9,267
9,428
Year
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
House Member Office
6,512
6,864
6,786
6,717
6,825
6,932
7,040
7,284
6,502
6,532
Committee
2,025
2,062
2,062
2,088
2,098
2,233
1,950
1,947
1,258
1,306
Leadership
93
95
88
101
107
106
107
112
125
128
Officers and Officials
434
457
475
495
501
537
359
521
818
704
Commissions
19
22
36
35
29
28
28
27
21
22
Totals
9,083
9,500
9,447
9,436
9,560
9,836
9,484
9,891
8,724
8,692
Year
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
House Member Office
6,893
6,972
6,835
6,737
7,108
7,079
6,737
7,060
7,020
7,089
Committee
1,277
1,361
1,311
1,334
1,295
1,321
1,328
1,399
1,379
1,370
Leadership
132
160
159
165
177
173
179
203
192
190
Officers and Officials
733
737
723
738
750
787
832
861
896
884
Commissions
21
21
22
20
19
29
36
33
34
35
Totals
9,056
9,251
9,050
8,994
9,349
9,389
9,112
9,556
9,521
9,568
CRS-9

Year
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
House Member Office
7,011
7,226
7,360
7,213
7,330
7,272
6,782
6,713
6,674
6,880
Committee
1,426
1,472
1,362
1,508
1,380
1,381
1,309
1,262
1,255
1,298
Leadership
207
214
219
228
241
236
205
214
212
239
Officers and Officials
1,040
1,056
828
878
993
1,002
1,052
949
946
962
Commissions
34
36
39
40
41
41
38
37
40
41
Totals
9,718
10,004
9,808
9,867
9,985
9,932
9,386
9,175
9,127
9,420
Year
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

House Member Office
6,713
6,586
6,675
6,491
6,329

Committee
1,263
1,269
1,229
1,290
1,320

Leadership
224
236
230
223
238

Officers and Officials
1,007
997
1,057
1,085
1,122

Commissions
40
38
38
24
25

Totals
9,247
9,126
9,229
9,113
9,034

Source: House telephone directories, CRS estimates and calculations.
Notes: House Member office data, 1977-2019, are estimates developed from a sample of 45 Member offices for each year, multiplied by the number of Member offices.
Member office data for 2020-2021, and al other categories, 1977-2021, are based on a ful count of directory listings.

CRS-10

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 2. Staff Working in House Member Offices Since 1977
Estimated, 1977-2019, Ful Count, 2020-2021

Averages Per Office

Member Staff
District
Member
Member
District
All Member
Year
DC Staff
Staff
Staff
Offices
DC Staff
Staff
Staff
1977
9.49
5.44
14.93
439
4,166
2,390
6,556
1978
9.80
5.27
15.07
439
4,302
2,312
6,614
1979
9.18
6.13
15.31
440
4,038
2,699
6,737
1980
9.42
6.29
15.71
440
4,146
2,767
6,913
1981
8.76
6.80
15.56
440
3,852
2,992
6,844
1982
9.02
6.62
15.64
440
3,970
2,914
6,884
1983
9.09
6.33
15.42
440
3,999
2,787
6,786
1984
9.36
6.67
16.02
440
4,116
2,933
7,050
1985
8.40
6.91
15.31
440
3,696
3,041
6,737
1986
8.87
6.91
15.78
440
3,901
3,041
6,942
1987
7.98
6.82
14.80
440
3,510
3,002
6,512
1988
8.73
6.87
15.60
440
3,843
3,021
6,864
1989
8.40
7.02
15.42
440
3,696
3,090
6,786
1990
7.96
7.31
15.27
440
3,500
3,217
6,717
1991
8.16
7.36
15.51
440
3,588
3,236
6,825
1992
8.51
7.24
15.76
440
3,745
3,188
6,932
1993
8.40
7.60
16.00
440
3,696
3,344
7,040
1994
8.24
8.31
16.56
440
3,628
3,657
7,284
1995
7.60
7.18
14.78
440
3,344
3,158
6,502
1996
7.82
7.02
14.84
440
3,442
3,090
6,532
1997
8.51
7.16
15.67
440
3,745
3,148
6,893
1998
7.84
8.00
15.84
440
3,452
3,520
6,972
1999
7.82
7.71
15.53
440
3,442
3,393
6,835
2000
7.93
7.38
15.31
440
3,491
3,246
6,737
2001
7.98
8.18
16.16
440
3,510
3,598
7,108
2002
8.11
7.98
16.09
440
3,569
3,510
7,079
2003
7.98
7.33
15.31
440
3,510
3,227
6,737
2004
7.93
8.11
16.04
440
3,491
3,569
7,060
2005
8.09
7.87
15.96
440
3,559
3,461
7,020
2006
8.42
7.69
16.11
440
3,706
3,383
7,089
2007
8.33
7.60
15.93
440
3,667
3,344
7,011
2008
8.20
8.22
16.42
440
3,608
3,618
7,226
2009
8.44
8.24
16.69
441
3,724
3,636
7,360
Congressional Research Service

11

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Averages Per Office

Member Staff
District
Member
Member
District
All Member
Year
DC Staff
Staff
Staff
Offices
DC Staff
Staff
Staff
2010
8.22
8.13
16.36
441
3,626
3,587
7,213
2011
8.33
8.29
16.62
441
3,675
3,655
7,330
2012
8.31
8.18
16.49
441
3,655
3,606
7,272
2013
8.29
7.09
15.38
441
3,655
3,126
6,782
2014
8.38
6.84
15.22
441
3,695
3,018
6,713
2015
8.18
6.96
15.13
441
3,606
3,067
6,674
2016
8.38
7.22
15.60
441
3,695
3,185
6,880
2017
8.07
7.16
15.22
441
3,557
3,156
6,713
2018
8.09
6.84
14.93
441
3,567
3,018
6,586
2019
8.34
6.80
15.14
441
3,678
2,997
6,675
2020
7.93
6.79
14.72
441
3,495
2,996
6,491
2021
7.64
6.71
14.35
441
3,368
2,961
6,329
Source: House telephone directories, various years, CRS calculations.
Notes: Data for 1977-2019 are based on a random sample of 45 Member offices drawn in proportion to the
distribution of Member offices in the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House Office Buildings. Staff telephone
data from those offices were counted and assumed to be in Washington, DC, if they were listed as working in
the Cannon, Longworth, or Rayburn Buildings, and outside of Washington, DC, if they were not. Averages data
were multiplied by the number of Member offices to derive an estimate of the number of staff employed in
personal offices. Data for 2020-2021 are based on a ful count of the online House Telephone Directory. Due to
rounding, rows might not sum.
Congressional Research Service

12

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 3. House Committee Staff, 2017-2021
Committee
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Agriculture
37
40
39
44
40
Appropriations
123
115
132
136
139
Armed Services
43
34
37
63
63
Budget
59
62
55
33
35
Education and Labor
60
62
66
66
65
Energy and Commerce
93
103
58
93
100
Ethics
24
27
27
27
21
Financial Services
72
65
55
60
63
Foreign Affairs
29
35
42
71
78
Homeland Security
60
57
50
50
61
House Administration
36
37
35
37
44
Judiciary
57
60
63
67
62
Natural Resources
57
61
58
67
60
Oversight and Reform
82
82
58
82
93
Rules
22
22
24
25
24
Science and Technology
51
35
54
43
44
Smal Business
23
24
23
25
23
Transportation and Infrastructure
72
65
51
66
67
Veterans’ Affairs
26
34
33
39
33
Ways and Means
68
64
77
77
80
Intel igence
29
35
42
39
32
Select Energy Independence & Global Warming
51
-
35
-
-
Climate Crisis
-
-
11
11
13
Select Modernization
-
-
-
-
7
Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Committees are listed by names used in the 117th Congress, or most recent year in which the
committee existed. “-” indicates that no staff were listed for that year. In some instances this was because the
committee did not exist. In other instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified but did not list any staff.

Congressional Research Service

13

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 4. House Committee Staff, 2007-2016
Committee
2007
2008
2009
2010 2011 2012
2013 2014 2015 2016
Agriculture
45
45
45
46
43
43
22
34
37
37
Appropriations
158
154
130
157
117
117
114
118
125
119
Armed Services
67
65
67
65
64
64
62
58
61
59
Budget
72
73
73
73
81
81
75
43
36
44
Education and Labor
72
78
76
74
55
55
61
58
58
63
Energy and Commerce
79
104
96
111
104
103
97
96
92
109
Ethics
16
16
14
20
16
16
24
24
25
27
Financial Services
62
63
62
74
64
64
59
55
54
57
Foreign Affairs
81
78
80
83
80
80
75
67
72
72
Homeland Security
63
62
62
67
64
64
63
62
56
59
House Administration
38
43
41
41
44
44
34
32
37
37
Judiciary
70
75
70
71
70
70
63
65
65
59
Natural Resources
67
71
61
57
53
53
58
57
60
60
Oversight and Reform
106
100
71
100
110
113
93
98
83
88
Rules
34
35
37
39
33
33
33
32
34
22
Science and Technology
50
50
54
52
50
50
55
48
52
51
Smal Business
28
25
26
30
26
26
24
24
21
21
Transportation and
76
77
82
85
67
67
67
64
69
71
Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs
33
32
32
30
26
26
25
26
27
33
Ways and Means
64
71
69
71
77
76
70
69
68
60
Intel igence
39
36
32
35
27
27
30
31
24
26
Select Energy
13
20
23
20
-
-
-
-
-
-
Independence & Global
Select Benghazi
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18
Warming
Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Committees are listed by names used in the 117th Congress, or the most recent year in which the
committee existed. “-” indicates that no staff were listed for that year. In some instances this was because the
committee did not exist. In other instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified but did not list any staff.
Congressional Research Service

14

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 5. House Committee Staff, 1997-2006
Committee
1997 1998
1999 2000 2001 2002
2003 2004 2005 2006
Agriculture
55
54
53
51
56
56
53
55
50
53
Appropriations
151
151
138
150
152
161
122
133
133
134
Armed Services
53
53
55
52
48
49
55
52
56
60
Budget
68
78
87
86
79
84
91
87
87
80
Education and Labor
72
92
76
70
67
66
69
72
75
64
Energy and Commerce
82
86
83
84
86
93
92
90
89
82
Ethics
8
11
12
11
13
13
11
11
9
13
Financial Services
51
54
51
49
58
60
63
63
62
59
Foreign Affairs
63
65
64
63
67
67
69
73
76
80
Homeland Security
-
-
-
-
-
-
17
44
38
51
House Administration
29
27
28
32
37
35
38
41
38
38
Judiciary
54
62
61
70
68
70
77
73
73
73
Natural Resources
57
62
56
62
60
64
64
64
63
62
Oversight and Reform
94
132
116
105
107
101
94
110
100
96
Rules
36
41
34
36
31
33
36
36
36
37
Science and Technology
55
53
52
52
50
53
47
53
53
47
Smal Business
27
25
27
28
23
23
29
30
33
30
Transportation and
116
121
119
124
73
73
73
75
76
78
Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs
28
15
20
28
28
26
30
29
27
28
Ways and Means
64
60
66
64
69
70
69
71
74
72
Intel igence
23
24
24
22
28
31
26
32
29
36
Military and Commercial
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Concerns with China
Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Committees are listed by names used in the 117th Congress, or the most recent year in which the
committee existed. “-” indicates that no staff were listed for that year. In some instances this was because the
committee did not exist. In other instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified but did not list any staff.
Congressional Research Service

15

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 6. House Committee Staff, 1987-1996
Committee
1987 1988
1989 1990 1991
1992
1993
1994 1995
1996
Agriculture
55
59
54
63
59
61
55
55
57
58
Appropriations
205
207
206
205
217
223
219
215
148
149
Armed Services
62
62
64
70
73
87
66
75
46
50
Budget
104
103
106
97
92
97
90
93
72
72
Education and Labor
110
113
111
110
100
112
97
100
67
70
Energy and Commerce
135
147
142
135
139
162
143
140
69
67
Ethics
10
10
9
8
11
8
8
8
7
9
Financial Services
85
85
93
98
101
107
88
94
51
55
Foreign Affairs
93
97
99
98
102
102
104
100
60
64
House Administration
46
44
49
54
59
58
49
53
-
-
Judiciary
76
81
80
73
67
73
74
70
25
27
Natural Resources
103
100
100
100
107
121
101
89
50
56
Oversight and Reform
75
75
71
85
88
99
83
83
75
84
Rules
39
38
40
39
41
42
41
41
77
94
Science and Technology
76
79
77
92
93
102
93
92
36
36
Smal Business
56
52
47
49
41
45
32
36
51
54
Transportation and
109
126
139
132
142
150
144
137
27
27
Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs
36
39
33
34
37
39
44
40
119
119
Ways and Means
79
86
85
87
94
96
92
92
25
28
Intel igence
29
31
34
36
21
25
24
25
61
65
Aging
33
35
36
34
36
38
-
-
20
24
Children, Youth and Families
17
17
15
18
16
15
-
-
-
-
District of Columbia
39
38
38
39
38
34
23
34
13
-
Hunger
14
15
15
14
15
16
-
-
-
-
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
78
81
84
83
86
81
75
73
-
-
Narcotics
16
17
18
16
17
15
-
-
-
-
Organization of Congress
-
-
-
-
-
-
13
-
-
-
Post Office and Civil Service
92
97
92
92
85
92
68
80
-
-
Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Committees are listed by names used in the 117th Congress, or the most recent year in which the
committee existed. “-” indicates that no staff were listed for that year. In some instances this was because the
committee did not exist. In other instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified but did not list any staff.

Congressional Research Service

16

Table 7. House Committee Staff, 1977-1986
Committee
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Agriculture
50
55
58
69
62
56
60
55
58
56
Appropriations
76
134
129
133
122
142
143
166
183
204
Armed Services
48
49
48
46
49
48
51
54
58
59
Budget
111
78
82
96
80
97
95
94
100
100
Education and Labor
103
106
102
119
105
112
109
113
102
106
Energy and Commerce
136
143
135
156
122
147
147
152
144
138
Ethics
35
35
11
17
9
9
7
10
9
9
Financial Services
102
106
102
94
77
81
92
88
89
84
Foreign Affairs
85
99
84
81
81
85
84
85
91
93
House Administration
41
47
50
60
44
46
48
50
47
49
Judiciary
86
83
83
80
76
72
78
84
85
81
Natural Resources
103
107
103
105
91
103
110
107
95
98
Oversight and Reform
125
80
73
82
78
80
79
85
87
84
Rules
24
25
34
47
48
43
44
44
41
37
Science and Technology
77
85
86
87
58
73
77
73
84
76
Smal Business
40
43
40
54
46
56
53
49
51
49
Transportation and Infrastructure
85
86
80
78
82
98
99
102
100
100
Veterans’ Affairs
33
37
33
33
32
34
30
32
31
32
Ways and Means
87
90
90
89
82
84
84
85
91
85
Intel igence
3
38
35
40
36
32
30
27
32
27
Aging
35
36
36
38
35
38
33
37
35
37
Assassinations
96
118
-
-
-
-
-
-
18
16
Children, Youth and Families
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
17
42
39
CRS-17

Committee
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Committees
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
14
15
Congressional Operations
34
33
-
-
-
-
-
-
84
75
Covert Arms Sales to Iran
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14
17
District of Columbia
44
45
33
50
38
38
39
42
-
-
Ethics
9
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
89
92
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
64
69
86
91
80
84
78
89
-
-
Narcotics
26
27
25
22
-
15
17
21
-
-
Outer Continental Shelf
20
-
17
17
-
-
-
-
-
-
Post Office and Civil Service
55
70
66
65
67
57
55
89
-
-
Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Committees are listed by names used in the 117th Congress, or the most recent year in which the committee existed. “-” indicates that no staff were listed for
that year. In some instances this was because the committee did not exist. In other instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified but did not list any staff.

CRS-18

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Table 8. Staff of Active Joint Committees Listed in House Directories, 1977-2021
Joint Committee
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Economic
4
50
55
62
44
44
42
44
40
36
Library
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
Printing
3
16
17
16
14
15
16
17
17
17
Taxation
28
65
63
62
60
60
60
60
66
66
Joint Committee
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Economic
34
44
46
42
38
40
32
33
33
30
Library
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
Printing
18
18
14
16
15
18
18
16
7
7
Taxation
60
64
63
67
66
73
72
71
61
59
Joint Committee
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Economic
24
25
22
31
34
29
34
36
31
33
Library
59
3
2
2
1
1
4
2
2
2
Printing
8
8
2
2
1
1
4
4
4
4
Taxation
-
59
61
60
59
62
61
63
65
58
Joint Committee
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Economic
29
32
7
35
34
34
29
32
30
33
Library
2
2
-
2
6
6
5
5
2
5
Printing
4
4
-
5
6
6
6
5
3
5
Taxation
58
61
52
65
63
63
65
69
64
63
Joint Committee
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Economic
39
33
25
5
2

Library
3
-
-
-
2

Printing
3
2
4
-
-

Taxation
67
62
60
65
67

Source: House telephone directories.
Notes: Individual staff members for the joint committees may appear in both House and Senate directories, as
they are considered neither solely House nor Senate staff. They are included where they appear in the directory.
Excludes staff listed at various times since 1977 for the Joint Committees on Inaugural Ceremonies, Atomic
Energy, Defense Production, Internal Revenue Service, and Organization of Congress. Staff data for those panels
are available to congressional clients from the author upon request. “-” indicates that no staff were listed in the
relevant chamber for that year. In some instances, a directory listing for a panel was identified, but did not list
any staff.

Congressional Research Service

19

House Staff Levels, 1977-2021

Author Information

R. Eric Petersen

Specialist in American National Government

Acknowledgments
Amber Hope Wilhelm, Visual Information Specialist, created the visualizations in a prior version of this
report. Lara Chausow, former Research Assistant, was a coauthor of this report and collected some of the
data provided.

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
R43947 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED
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