Capitol Corner
Members of Congress: a Job Description
What do Members of Congress actually do besides vote? What are their specific duties?
That’s an important question given the fact that we expect many new men and women to assume the role of Member of Congress when the new Congress convenes in January.
There is no formal job description for a Member of Congress. Each is free to define his or her own priorities. The Constitution only sets forth the qualifications necessary for election. House and Senate rules only require that Members be present and vote. Ultimately, the voters decide if a Member of Congress is living up to their expectations for the job at the next election.
However, there are many distinct “hats” most Members end up wearing as part of their job. Each Member decides differently how much time to spend on any one role, but here is a job description that will fit most Members once they settle into their jobs and begin to perform their duties.
- Local Representation
- Reflecting the opinions on issues of about 650,000 constituents for a House Member and an average of 2 million inhabitants of a state for a Senator.
- Analyzing national issues and legislation for their impact on the district or state.
- Keeping in touch with local and state government officials to learn of the area’s problems and needs.
- Promoting the industries and economic needs of the district or state in Washington, D.C.
- Help local/state economic development and infrastructure apply for grant money from the federal government.
- Constituency Service
- Answer correspondence, e-mails, phone calls from citizens.
- Hold town meetings and open office hours to hear the local views on issues, and the concerns and problems of citizens.
- Have meetings with as many citizens who request appointments as possible.
- Help get information from all parts of the federal government for citizens.
- Help solve problems citizens have with government agencies.
- Making National Policy
- Participate in debate on national and international issues. Contribute the perspective of the district or state to the debate.
- Decide how to vote on national legislation to benefit the whole nation.
- Meet with national goverment officials to bring local perspectives to their attention and to negotiate solutions.
- Spend time with experts to keep current on complex national issues.
- Committee Work
- Be a member of committees and subcommittees doing preliminary work on issues for the full House or Senate.
- Study and become an expert on the issues assigned to the committee.
- Question expert witnesses to find ways to improve legislation.
- Offer amendments to change language of bills before the committee to improve them.
- Vote on which bills to send to the full House or Senate and which to kill.
- Floor Debate
- Give statements on the House or Senate floor for the public record.
- Participate in debate giving arguments for or against a bill.
- Offer amendments to change language of bills to improve them before the House or Senate vote on them.
- Talk to fellow Members about the issue to try and persuade them to vote their way.
- Decide how to vote: whether to pass a bill or to kill it.
- Leadership Inside Congress
- Some, not all, Members rise to leadership positions within their party in Congress.
- Leaders meet with the President to discuss the legislative agenda of the nation and what priorities he and Congress can agree on.
- Leaders speak to the national press to explain what the House or the Senate has done or is planning to do.
- Leaders coordinate discussions among party Members to reach a unified position.
- Leaders count votes and try to encourage Members to vote with the party.
- Leaders negotiate (or struggle) with the other party on questions of procedure: when and whether to bring up a bill and how long to spend on it.
- Political Leadership Outside Congress
- All Members who run for re-election must maintain a campaign staff and office separate from their congressional office and staff.
- Members must raise money to find their election and campaign expenses. This means going to a lot of receptions, banquets, and conferences to give speeches and ask for contributions.
Members must make important campaign decisions: about TV ads, about pollsters, about telephone campaigns, about transportation for voters. - Members of Congress are considered the top official of their party back home in their district or state.
- They must maintain relationships and cooperation with local political party officials.
- They must provide leadership to encourage candidates from their party to run for local office.
- Educator
- Members of Congress let their constituents know about national issues that have become important.
- They hold public town meetings.
- They give speeches at banquets, rallies, parades, and other events.
- They appear on local TV and radio shows.
- They publish newsletters.
- They write columns for the local newspapers.
- Members are seen as civic leaders and try to encourage all voting age citizens to register, vote, and participate in the political process.
- They visit schools and speak to students to try to get young people interested in the process.
- Office Manager
- Representatives in the House are allowed up to 22 staff people for all of their offices, in Washington, D.C. and back home; Senators have no limit, but average about 38 spread among their D.C. and state offices. This means managing people to be sure they do a good job.
- Members must decide on how many local offices to have: depending on the size of their district or state.
- They are responsible for finding office space that is affordable and convenient for citizens to visit.
- Members of Congress receive official money for office equipment and expenses and for staff payroll. They must account for the money and keep a balanced budget and spend it efficiently.
- For Senators Only: Constitutional Role of Advice and Consent
- The Senate must approve [“confirm”] the nominations the President makes to high level offices such as the Supreme Court.
- Senate committees hold hearings, read background information, study history, hear from expert witnesses and try to decide if the nominee will do a good job in that office.
- The full Senate must decide how to vote and each Senator must explain their vote on each nominee.
- The Senate must approve [“ratify”] each formal agreement the President makes with a foreign nation.
- Senate committees examine each agreement, or treaty, to see if it serves our nation well.
- Sometimes they ask the President for changes or put limitations on how the agreement can be carried out.
- The Senate must vote to approve the treaty before it can take effect.