T he manner in which staff are deployed within an organization may reflect the mission and priorities of that organization. In the House of Representatives, employing authorities hire staff to carry out duties in Member-office, committee, leadership, and other settings. This report provides staffing levels in House Member, committee, leadership, and other offices since 1977. Data for leadership offices include a full count of staff working for Members in leadership positions. House Staff Data

Between 1977 and 2016, the number of House staff grew from 8,831 to 9,420 or 6.67%. Figure 1 displays staff levels in five categories since 1977. In 2016, 41 staff worked for congressional commissions. Overall, there have been increases in the number of staff working in chamber leadership offices, and larger increases in the staffing of chamber officers and officials. Staff have shifted from committee settings to leadership settings or the personal offices of Members. Some of these changes may be indicative of the growth of the House as an institution, or the value the chamber places on its various activities. House committee staff has decreased.
The manner in which staff are deployed within an organization may reflect the mission and priorities of that organization. This report provides staffing levels in House Member, committee, leadership, and other offices since 1977. Between 1977 and 2016, the number of House staff grew from 8,831 to 9,420, or 6.67%. Since 2008, however, the number of staff working for the House of Representatives has decreased 5.84%. These changes were characterized in part by increases in the number of staff working in chamber leadership offices, and larger increases in the staffing of chamber officers and officials. House staff working for Members have shifted from committee settings to the personal offices of Members. Some of these changes may be indicative of the growth of the House as an institution.
This report is one of several CRS products focusing on congressional staff. Others include CRS Report RL34545, Congressional Staff: Duties and Functions of Selected Positions; CRS Report R43946, Senate Staff Levels in Member, Committee, Leadership, and Other Offices, 1977-2016; CRS Report R43774, Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in Senators' Offices, FY2009-FY2013; CRS Report R43775, Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in House Member Offices, 2009-2013; CRS Report R44322, Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in House Committees, 2001-2014; CRS Report R44325, Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in Senate Committees, FY2001-FY2014.