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Each member of Congress has staff to assist
him/her during a term in office. To be most
effective in communicating with Congress, it is
helpful to know the titles and principal
functions of key staff.
Commonly Used Titles:
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Administrative Assistant or Chief of
Staff:
The Administrative Assistant reports directly
to the member of Congress. He/she usually has
overall responsibility for evaluating the
political outcome of various legislative
proposals and constituent requests. The Admin.
Asst. is usually the person in charge of overall
office operations, including the assignment of
work and the supervision of key staff.
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Legislative Director, Senior
Legislative Assistant, or Legislative
Coordinator:
The Legislative Director is usually the staff
person who monitors the legislative schedule and
makes recommendations regarding the pros and cons
of particular issues. In some congressional
offices there are several Legislative Assistants
and responsibilities are assigned to staff with
particular expertise in specific areas. For
example, depending on the responsibilities and
interests of the member, an office may include a
different Legislative Assistant for health
issues, environmental matters, taxes, etc.
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Press Secretary or Communications
Director:
The Press Secretary's responsibility is to
build and maintain open and effective lines of
communication between the member, his/her
constituency, and the general public. The Press
Secretary is expected to know the benefits,
demands, and special requirements of both print
and electronic media, and how to most effectively
promote the member's views or position on
specific issues.
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Appointment Secretary, Personal
Secretary, or Scheduler:
The Appointment Secretary is usually
responsible for allocating a member's time among
the many demands that arise from congressional
responsibilities, staff requirements, and
constituent requests. The Appointment Secretary
may also be responsible for making necessary
travel arrangements, arranging speaking dates,
visits to the district, etc.
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Caseworker:
The Caseworker is the staff member usually
assigned to help with constituent requests by
preparing replies for the member's signature. The
Caseworker's responsibilities may also include
helping resolve problems constituents present in
relation to federal agencies, e.g., Social
Security and Medicare issues, veteran's benefits,
passports, etc. There are often several
Caseworkers in a congressional office.
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Other Staff Titles:
Other titles used in a congressional office
may include: Executive Assistant, Legislative
Correspondent, Executive Secretary, Office
Manager, and Receptionist.
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