CRS Services to District and State Offices: Overview and Selected Resources
Updated July 8, 2024
CRS Services to District and State Offices:
Overview and Selected Resources
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves all
services to constituents, staff safety, casework practices,
congressional offices—those on Capitol Hill, as well as
and casework resources from several federal agencies (e.g.,
those in a Member’s home district or state office. This
Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service,
resource guide provides a brief overview of how CRS may
Department of State, Citizenship and Immigration Services,
assist all congressional offices with resources designed for
Department of Veterans Affairs). The program is typically
activities often undertaken by district and state offices.
offered at least a few times a year, sometimes virtually, and
sometimes in-person in Washington, DC.
CRS is Congress’s own nonpartisan think tank, reference
library, and information resource hub, housed within the
CRS holds many events for Members and congressional
Library of Congress. CRS can assist district and state
staff throughout the year, including seminars on
offices with any number of work-related needs. For
appropriations and budget processes, federal legal research,
example, staff frequently have questions about
legislative process, and policy and legal seminars. See
demographic characteristics or other information about their
“CRS Events” for a list of upcoming opportunities, or
district/state or a municipality, options for navigating
contact CRS to request information on planned future dates.
constituent casework, and assorted questions originating
CRS seminars may be offered in-person in Washington,
from local stakeholders. CRS works exclusively for
DC, or virtually. Since CRS offers customized assistance,
Congress and does not directly interface with the public.
district and state offices may also request custom virtual
CRS can assist with providing information to help offices
trainings and briefings.
respond to inquiries from constituents or other entities.
Resources on CRS.gov are accessible only to Members and
Casework
congressional staff; publicly available copies of CRS
Casework refers to the response or services that Members
reports can be accessed at https://crsreports.congress.gov/.
of Congress provide to constituents seeking assistance,
often when they are dealing with a federal agency to resolve
For additional discussion of constituent services topics, see
a specific problem. Common requests involve securing
CRS In Focus IF10503, Constituent Services: Overview and
federal benefits, obtaining a missing record or payment
Resources.
from a federal agency, or assistance with immigration
matters. Each Member office has considerable discretion in
Customized CRS Assistance: How To
how it defines and approaches casework, subject to House
Ask For Help
or Senate rules, ethics guidelines, and statute. An office’s
CRS assists all congressional offices, including staff in
casework portfolio may include other constituent services,
district and state offices. Offices may ask for assistance
including those that are discussed in more detail in select
with identifying resources or data, guidance on various
CRS products, including the following:
issues, general information, and briefings.
• CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a Congressional
Congressional offices can get in touch with CRS in a
Office
number of ways: by making direct contact with a CRS
subject matter expert, calling the CRS main line (202-707-
• CRS Resource Website, Casework & Other Constituent
5700) during business hours (Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m.
Services, at https://www.crs.gov/Resources/casework
to 8:00 p.m. eastern standard time; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00
pm; Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm if either chamber is in
• CRS Report R44696, Casework in Congressional
session), or placing a request online via the CRS Place a
Offices: Frequently Asked Questions
Request portal (accepted anytime and routed to experts
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern standard
• CRS Video WVB00093, Introduction to Congressional
time). Members and staff can also sign up for a MyCRS
Casework
account to make requests more quickly, save searches, and
receive notifications about new or updated CRS products on
Federal Agency Congressional Liaisons
topics of interest.
One challenge for caseworkers can be determining who to
talk to at a particular federal agency. CRS maintains a
CRS Events for District and State Staff
directory of about 200 congressional liaison offices,
CRS periodically provides a District/State Staff Institute, a
intended to help congressional offices with contacting
two-day seminar that offers discussions on a range of topics
federal government agencies. Resources on congressional
for staff in district and state offices. Topics typically
liaison offices include the following:
include an overview of CRS services, Congress.gov, grants
https://crsreports.congress.gov
CRS Services to District and State Offices: Overview and Selected Resources
• CRS Report 98-446, Congressional Liaison Offices of
can be embedded on Member sites. Offices can contact the
Selected Federal Agencies, and https://www.crs.gov/
House Web Services office (202-225-6002), or the Senate
Resources/LiaisonOffices
HelpDesk (202-228-HELP), to learn how to best integrate
the grants resources content onto the Member’s website.
• CRS Video WVB00389, Finding Congressional Liaison
Contacts
Other CRS Reports and Guides for
District/State Offices
Congressional offices can also reach out to CRS if
In addition to casework and grants assistance, district and
additional agency contacts are needed.
state offices engage in various other constituent service
activities, including U.S. service academy nominations and
Grants and Funding
administrative and budget process activities. The resources
Federal grants are intended to meet goals authorized by
below provide additional information on other constituent
Congress and often target community needs. Most federal
service activities, as well as resources that district and state
grant funds go to state and local governments, which, in
staff might find useful about congressional operations,
turn, may award funds as subawards to local entities, such
working in a congressional office, and the legislative work
as nonprofit organizations. The following resources can
of Congress.
help district and state staff obtain additional information
about grant programs and may be used by Member offices
Constituent Services Overview
to provide assistance to constituent grant seekers.
• CRS Report R44726, Constituent Services: Overview
Grants Resources for Congressional Staff
and Resources
Members of Congress frequently receive requests from
U.S. Service Academy Nominations
grant seekers needing funds for projects. Each office
handles grants requests in its own way, depending upon the
• CRS Report RL33213, Congressional Nominations to
Member’s legislative agenda and overall organization and
U.S. Service Academies: An Overview and Resources
workload of office staff. These CRS resources may be
for Outreach and Management
useful:
• CRS In Focus IF11788, Defense Primer: Military
• CRS Resource Website, Grants and Federal Assistance
Service Academies
at https://www.crs.gov/resources/grants
Administrative and Budget Resources
• CRS Report RL34035, Grants Work in a Congressional
• CRS Issue Area Website, Congressional Administration
Office
& Elections, at https://www.crs.gov/iap/congressional-
•
administration-and-elections. This page contains
CRS Report R42769, Federal Grants-in-Aid
resources on Member office operations, staffing, and
Administration: A Primer
funding; congressional ethics; commemorations; and
•
constituent service, among other topics.
CRS Video, Federal Grants Process
• CRS Issue Area Website, Legislative & Budget Process,
CRS is available on request to discuss the grants portfolio
at https://www.crs.gov/iap/legislative-and-budget-
of the district or state office, and to review possible
process. This page contains resources on the legislative
strategies for managing staff workload or developing
process, including committee rules and floor procedure,
strategies for constituent engagement related to grants.
as well as the federal budget and appropriations process,
Grants and Other Funding Resources
among other topics.
for Constituents
• CRS Report R40962, Members’ Representational
Some CRS resources contain information that may be
Allowance: History and Usage. The MRA provides
helpful for constituent grant seekers and businesses.
funding for House Members’ offices.
• CRS Report RL34012, Resources for Grantseekers
• CRS Report R44399, Senators’ Official Personnel and
Office Expense Account (SOPOEA): History and Usage.
• CRS Report RL32159, How to Develop and Write a
The SOPOEA provides funding for Senators’ offices.
Grant Proposal
• CRS Report R44688, Congressional Staff: CRS
• CRS In Focus IF12449, Connecting Constituents with
Products
Federal Assistance for Businesses
Sarah J. Eckman, Analyst in American National
Grants Content for Member Websites
Government
CRS also produces standard content for many Members’
Maria Kreiser, Senior Research Librarian
websites containing grants resources for the benefit of
constituent grant seekers. This CRS-written resource guide
IF12696
https://crsreports.congress.gov
CRS Services to District and State Offices: Overview and Selected 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
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.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12696 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED