R44491 — Internships in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions
Reports · published 2026-04-29 · v15 · Active · crsreports.congress.gov ↗
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- Sarah J. Eckman
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R44491
Summary
Many interns serve in various congressional offices, assisting individual Members, committees, and other offices or support services. Interns serve the House or Senate in a temporary capacity, primarily for an educational benefit, although some interns may receive pay for their service. Like many aspects of congressional operations, individual House or Senate offices can make many of their own rules and guidelines for interns, if they choose to operate an internship program. Additional institutional rules, however, may also apply. In the House, policies set by the Committee on Ethics or the Committee on House Administration may also affect congressional offices and interns, and in the Senate, additional relevant policies may be set by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics or the Committee on Rules and Administration. In some limited circumstances, interns may also be covered by aspects of the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA). This report addresses frequently asked questions (FAQs) about congressional interns and internships. It is intended to provide information to congressional offices about the role of interns and to provide a summary of some of the policies and guidance provided by the House and the Senate related to internships. It addresses the House and Senate rules that apply to congressional internships, factors that may affect an office’s selection process and an individual’s eligibility to serve in an internship, and some of the congressional resources and training opportunities available for interns. For additional information about internship opportunities, refer to CRS Report 98-654, Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in the Federal Government.
Bills cited (1)
Curated by CRS — every bill listed in this report's relatedMaterials. Edge type cited_in_report, gold confidence.
- S 2302 — Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2024 · 118th Cong