Career Programs for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses in the House and Senate

Career Programs for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses in the House and Senate

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Updated May 2, 2024
Career Programs for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-
Duty Spouses in the House and Senate
House Green & Gold Congressional Aide Aides were employed by Members and House Officers in
Program
both the D.C. and Member offices across the country. Of
the Aides departing the program [in 2023], more than a
Origin
third continued employment with the House of
Representatives. Since the program’s inception in 2008,
In 2008, the leadership of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on House Administration established a
more than 500 Aides have participated in the program.” The
House aide program designed to provide career
CAO report also stated that “the program implemented
opportunities for veterans. The program was originally
several programmatic changes, including adding active-
known as the House Wounded Warrior Program.
duty spouse participation in the program, allowing
Members to request up to a six-month extension for their
Another aide program, originally named the SFC Sean
Aides after completing two years of service, and expanding
Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton Congressional Gold
the eligibility for potential Gold Star family participants.”
Star Family Fellowship Program, was established pursuant
The G&G CAP currently has 160 authorized positions.
to H.Res. 107 (116th Congress), which was agreed to on
October 29, 2019. The resolution was amended by H.Res.
Funding History
812, 116th Congress, agreed to on February 5, 2020, which
The House Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program is
modified eligibility to include parents. The Committee on
funded in the “allowances and expenses” portion of the
House Administration promulgated regulations for the aide
appropriation for the House of Representatives in the
program (Committee Resolutions 116-15 and 116-17).
annual legislative branch appropriations acts.
The FY2022 legislative branch appropriations act included
Funding for the House G&G aides (including under former
a provision combining the veterans and families programs
program names) since FY2009 is listed in Figure 1.
and changing the name from the “Wounded Warrior and the
Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program” to
Figure 1. Appropriations for the House Green & Gold
the “Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program” (G&G
Congressional Aide Program by Fiscal Year
CAP, P.L. 117-103; 2 U.S.C. §5514).
in millions of dol ars
This G&G CAP program is facilitated by the House Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO). Aides may serve for two
years from the date of hire.
Operation
Green & Gold (G&G) congressional aides are employed by
the House CAO, although they are assigned to work for
Members, committees, or House officers. They may work
either in Washington, DC, or in district offices, with the
majority located in Member district offices. The specific

job duties may vary by office and are determined by the
Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts.
Member, although many aides serve as caseworkers in
Notes: Incudes funding provided under former names (the
district offices and focus on military and veterans’ issues.
Wounded Warrior and the Congressional Gold Star Family
Fellowship Programs). Includes any rescissions and sequestration. For
Funding for salaries for Green & Gold aides is separate
an explanation of the planned use in FY2010 of prior year unobligated
from office budgets provided to Members through the
funds, see the report accompanying the FY2010 legislative branch
Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA). The MRA
appropriations bil (H.Rept. 111-160).
can be used to cover otherwise allowable expenses or
The House request, the FY2024 House-passed legislative
bonuses for the G&G aides that are not covered by the
branch appropriations bill (H.R. 4364), and the FY2024 act
CAO. G&G aides do not count against the employment
(P.L. 118-47) all included $3.356 million for FY2024 for
ceiling for Member offices. Employment beyond the two-
the Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program.
year period is not guaranteed, although some aides have
transitioned to full-time employment with the House.
Additional support for the program may be provided
through other House accounts. For example, as with other
According to the House CAO’s semiannual report for July-
House employees, any government contributions for
December 2023, “By the end of December, more than 70
employee benefits are paid through the “Government
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Career Programs for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses in the House and Senate
Contributions” line in the “Allowances and Expenses”
Selection and Placement of House Green & Gold
portion of the appropriation for the House of
Congressional Aides
Representatives, and not through the line-item for the aide
Available positions are listed on https://www.usajobs.gov/.
program.
As stated in the Members’ Congressional Handbook,
All expenditures related to the House Green & Gold
positions are allocated equally between majority and
Congressional Aide Program are reported online in the
minority House Members.
quarterly Statement of Disbursements of the House.
Applicants do not need to be residents of the Member’s
Qualifications for Eligibility
district. Relocation expenses, however, cannot be
reimbursed.
Participants may qualify based on status as veterans, Gold
Star family members, or active-duty spouses.
Contact Information
Veteran applicant requirements include all of the following:
For additional information, see the House CAO’s
•
websitemailto:, email GreenAndGold@mail.house.gov, or
served on active duty in the last six (6) years;
call 202-226-1965.
• have a terminal rank of E5, O-3, or
W-2 and below (or have been promoted to E-6, O-4, or
U.S. Senate Stars of Valor Fellowships
W-3 within 6 months of separation from active duty and
Program
meet all other eligibility requirements); and
The Senate is in the process of implementing a fellowships
• received an honorable discharge.
program.
Additionally, the House has stated that veterans who are in
Regulations for the program were adopted by the Senate
receipt of a 20-year or temporary early retirement are not
Committee on Rules and Administration and printed in the
eligible for the program, and that no waivers will be
Congressional Record on March 7, 2024. The regulations
“describe the administration, eligibility criteria, selection,
granted.
and placement procedures of the programs.”
Gold Star family applicant requirements include the
following:
The Senate action follows agreement on November 4, 2021,
to two resolutions:
• Candidates must be the spouse, child/step-child,
•
parent/step-parent, or sibling/step-sibling of a veteran
S.Res. 442 (establishing the SFC Sean Cooley and SPC
who died
Christopher Horton Congressional Gold Star Family
Fellowship Program for the Senate) and
• in the line of duty while serving in the Armed
•
Forces; or
S.Res. 443 (establishing the McCain-Mansfield
Fellowship Program for the Senate).
• of a service-connected disability
Pursuant to the regulations adopted by the committee, the
Active-Duty spouse applicant requirements include the
Senate program will be collectively referred to as the Stars
following:
of Valor Fellowships Program. The program will be
•
administered by the Senate Sergeant at Arms, in
Being the spouse of an active-duty servicemember who
consultation with the Senate Committee on Rules and
works for the military full-time and is subject to
Administration.
permanent change of station, or permanent change of
assignment orders, upon completion of each tour of
Initial funding was provided in the FY2023 legislative
duty.
branch appropriations act (P.L. 117-328), which included a
provision establishing a “Sergeant at Arms Fellowships
• Those subject to Title 10 mobilization are not eligible.
Fund” to contain amounts for the fellowships programs (2
U.S.C. §6519). The act also provided $6.277 million for
Pay for House Green & Gold Congressional Aides
this account.
Salaries for G&G aides follow the House Employees
The Senate version of the FY2024 legislative branch
Schedule (HES), which is a classification system that
appropriations bill and the FY2024 act (P.L. 118-47) did
applies to many employees of officers of the House. The
not provide additional funding for the fellowships
HES, including revisions to the pay scale and position
programs. The report accompanying the Senate bill,
standards and descriptions, is subject to the oversight of the
however, expressed continued support and requires a
Committee on House Administration. The pay range for
briefing from the Senate Sergeant at Arms on
2024 is $54,000-$66,000 per year (HES 4-5).
implementation efforts (S. 2302, S.Rept. 118-60).
Ida A. Brudnick, Specialist on the Congress
IF10652

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Career Programs for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses in the House and Senate

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