Nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving congressional operations takes position on pending legislation for just second time in 41-year history

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June 14, 2018 – Following the passage of a bipartisan amendment to create funding for interns, the Congressional Management Foundation commended the U.S. Senate to move forward on a bill that would ensure that interns receive salaries. The Senate Appropriations Committee included $5 million in funding to pay Senate interns as part of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act passed by the Committee. This is only the second time that the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation has taken a position on legislation in its 41-year history.

"Internships in the Senate continue to provide one of the best 'pipelines' to attract new talent to eventual full employment in Congress," said Brad Fitch, President and CEO of the nonpartisan nonprofit Congressional Management Foundation. "Greater support for paid internships would increase the diversity of applicants, which would in turn enhance the diversity of the congressional workforce. Paid interns would be afforded greater workplace protections than unpaid interns. And lastly, CMF believes that paying interns would result in the interns being more accountable to the goals of each office, as the paid interns have more 'skin in the game' than unpaid ones."

The Congressional Management Foundation submitted a June 13 letter to the Committee on Senate Appropriations in support of funding to pay interns. As part of the letter, CMF cited its 2008 survey of House and Senate intern coordinators on the challenges they faced in their internship programs. Almost half of those interviewed (49 percent) cited compensation as one of the top reasons that applicants turned down their internship offers.

The amendment, submitted by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), creates a $5 million funding stream that Senate offices can use for the sole purpose of paying interns. The amendment was passed as part of the 2019 legislative branch appropriations bill. An omnibus appropriations bill is expected on the Senate floor next week and the amendment's sponsors have pledged to work to protect the funding as the bill moves through the legislative process.

About the Congressional Management Foundation

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and effectiveness in Congress. Since 1977 CMF has worked internally with Member, committee, leadership, and institutional offices in the House and Senate to identify and disseminate best practices for management, workplace environment, communications, and constituent services. CMF also is the leading researcher and trainer on citizen engagement, educating thousands of individuals and facilitating better understanding, relationships, and communications with Congress.