Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
Updated November 22, 2022
Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
Introduction
federal agency; or assistance with immigration matters.
Each Member office has considerable discretion in how it
The priorities and activities of Member offices are varied.
defines and approaches casework, subject to House or
In addition to working on legislation and oversight, offices
Senate rules and statute. An office’s casework definition
are commonly expected to provide constituent services as
may include other constituent services, including those that
part of their representational duties. This expectation began
are listed separately here. For additional information, see
in the earliest Congresses. Following requests for assistance
CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a Congressional
with Revolutionary War pensions and other matters, the
Office: Back ground, Rules, Laws, and Resources.
House, in 1794, and the Senate, in 1816, established select
committees to address private claims. Today, many similar
Grants Work
matters would be considered constituent service.
Federal grants may be available for state or local
Each Member office chooses how to engage with
governments, nonprofit community organizations, research
constituents and how to allocate resources in support of
entities, and small businesses. Federal grants are not
these activities. Constituents often contact Member offices
provided directly to individuals; they often are awarded to
and initiate requests. Sometimes a Member office is one of
state or local governments, which may sub-award them to
several places a constituent can turn. Other programs,
other community organizations. Given the competition for,
opportunities, or services may require a Member office to
and limitations of, federal grants, Member offices
serve as an intermediary. Offices can also engage in
sometimes provide constituents with information about
outreach activities to promote available assistance.
developing grant proposals or identifying alternative
funding options. For more on federal grants, see CRS
The following sections provide a brief overview of many
Report RL34035, Grants Work in a Congressional Office.
common constituent services provided by congressional
offices. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or a
Opportunities for Students
prescriptive list. Information on additional resources is also
provided, when available.
Internships
Most Member offices offer internship opportunities, which
“You learn more about the job by doing constituent
must, under House and Senate rules, be primarily
service work than anything else. . It tel s you whether
educational in nature. As with all personnel decisions, each
or not the legislation is doing what it is supposed to
office has considerable discretion to determine, among
do. It is a valuable learning experience, and it keeps
other things, how many (if any) interns it has, length of
you in touch with the people.”
internships, office location in which interns will work,
—Anonymous former House Member, quoted in
qualifications, and compensation. For more information on
John R. Hibbing, “Voluntary Retirement from the U.S.
internships in Congress, see CRS Report R44491,
House,” Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 1
Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked
(February 1982), p. 62.
Questions; for information on other federal government
internships, see CRS Report 98-654, Internships,
Help with Government
Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in
the Federal Government.
Federal Government Resources
U.S. Service Academy Nominations
Sometimes constituents simply seek information about the
College-age students who want to apply to the U.S. Military
federal government. Small business owners, for example,
Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy,
may want to know about federal contracting opportunities
or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy must receive an
or the procurement process. Parents may have questions
official nomination, which can be obtained from a Member
about federal financial aid for college. Member offices
office. The number of nominations from each state,
commonly refer constituents to the appropriate government
territory, or district is set by statute; the number of
agencies, and sometimes provide website links or reference
nominations available to a Member office can be further
materials in their offices to assist with these inquiries.
affected by the number of currently enrolled students from
Casework
an area or nominations made by a preceding Member for
the current admissions cycle.
Casework refers to the response or services that Members
of Congress provide constituents seeking assistance, often
Nominations typically must be submitted to the service
with a federal agency. Common requests involve
academies by January 31 for the academic year that begins
applications for Social Security, veterans’, or other federal
the following July; an earlier deadline usually applies for
benefits; obtaining a missing record or payment from a
Members who are not returning for the next session of
Congress. Offices can largely establish their own criteria
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
and processes for making nominations, which may include
The CVC does not distribute gallery passes for the House or
additional deadlines, application materials, or interviews
Senate chambers. Constituents usually receive gallery
with candidates. For more information, see CRS Report
passes from a Member office when the galleries are open
RL33213, Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service
for public visits. An office can typically obtain passes by
Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and
presenting a written request, signed by the Member, to the
Management.
chamber’s Sergeant at Arms or appointments desk.
Senate Page Program (Senate Only)
White House Tours and Other Sites
Pages have served in Congress since the early 1800s,
Public requests for free, self-guided White House tours
typically working as messengers. The Senate Page Program
must be submitted through a Member of Congress. A “tour
(2 U.S.C. §49) is generally open to 16- or 17-year-old high
coordinator” for each office registers with the White House
school juniors and administered by the Senate Sergeant at
Visitors Office and submits constituent tour requests
Arms. Senators may sponsor interested high school
through an online portal. Requests must be received at least
students, who then compete for a limited number of
21 days in advance, but can be sent up to three months
positions. The page program typically runs four sessions
prior. More information is available at
each year—fall, spring, and two during summer. Lodging,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/visit/.
schooling, and meals are provided. For additional
Some Member offices provide additional information about
information, see https://pageprogram.senate.gov.
Washington, DC, attractions or tour itineraries. Most
Congressional App Challenge (House Only)
federal government sites are generally free of charge and
open to visitors; some provide tours and others are self-
K-12 students from participating House districts can
guided. Timed-entry tickets are required for some
compete in the annual Congressional App Challenge.
attractions, and there may be small service fees required for
Students design their own software application, individualy
or in groups of up to four. The students’ work may begin
advance reservations.
before the competition, but submissions are usually
Commemorations and Recognitions
accepted between July and November, with winners
announced in early December. For more information, see
Congressional Congratulations
https://housenet.house.gov/serving-constituents/
Members of Congress may write letters recognizing
congressional-app-challenge-cac.
constituents’ public distinctions or achievements (39 U.S.C.
Congressional Art Competition (House Only)
§3210(a)(3)(F)), subject to House or Senate franking rules
and communications standards. Some common reasons for
High school students from participating House districts are
recognition include public office appointments or elections;
eligible for the Congressional Art Competition, also known
acts of heroism or citizenship; or key awards or honors.
as An Artistic Discovery. A winning piece of visual artwork
Through local news and networks, Member offices can
is chosen from each district and displayed for a year in the
sometimes identify individuals they wish to recognize.
Capitol. Updated rules are usually released in January.
Member offices may also encourage constituents to notify
Winners chosen by House Member offices often must be
them of possible recipients.
submitted by early May. For more information, see CRS
Report R42487, The Congressional Arts Caucus and the
Flag Requests
Congressional Art Competition: History and Current
Requests from constituents seeking a U.S. flag flown over
Practice or visit https://housenet.house.gov/serving-
the Capitol must be submitted to the Architect of the
constituents/art-competition.
Capitol (AOC) by a Member of Congress. Flags must be
Assisting with Washington, DC, Visits
purchased by the constituent, along with a certificate fee if
the flag is flown over the Capitol. Requests typically must
Capitol Tours and Gal ery Passes
be made at least two weeks in advance. Constituents can
request that a flag be flown on a certain date, but no date
The Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) is open to visitors with
guarantees can be made, due to weather and a varying
guided tour reservations, which members of the public can
volume of requests. See http://www.aoc.gov/flags or
make for free at https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/visit/book-
contact the AOC for more information on the flag program.
a-tour. Many Member offices also often provide their own
tours of the Capitol, which can be customized to reflect
Presidential Greetings
local or other interests. A limited number of Member- and
The White House Greetings Office has provided greetings
staff-led tours are permitted in the Capitol with reservations
to U.S. citizens commemorating certain occasions; see
made at https://members.visitthecapitol.gov/. Capitol Dome
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-greeting/.
access is not permitted, unless a special tour is requested
Member offices sometimes submit requests to the White
from CVC staff and a Member accompanies the group.
House on behalf of constituents or provide information on
The CVC hosts tour training classes for congressional staff,
how constituents may request them; these requests typically
and can provide routes, guidelines, and accessibility
must be made at least six weeks in advance of an occasion.
information; virtual tours may also be offered upon request.
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) also provides virtual
Sarah J. Eckman, Analyst in American National
exhibits that may be of interest to constituents at
Government
https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/visitor-
IF10503
resources.
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Constituent Services: Overview and Resources
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 not 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
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