Expand remote internships on Capitol Hill to create a more diverse and effective Congress

Congressional internships are a key gateway to careers in public service and government affairs on and off Capitol Hill. When the devastating COVID-19 pandemic shut down nearly all in-person internships, many students were shut out of these opportunities. That’s why Congress made the necessary decision to allow interns to telework during the pandemic and future emergency circumstances. For the first time, students who were traditionally barred from these opportunities due to the cost, time, or the physical requirements of moving to Washington, D.C. could access vital internships. But this increased access should not be limited to emergency situations. Interns should be permanently eligible for remote work so we can increase access to the halls of power.

We are proud partners in this effort to increase representation in Congress — from elected officials to their interns. College to Congress’s (C2C) main priority is to increase diversity in Congress and help students succeed on Capitol Hill by providing training, resources, and mentors for young leaders seeking a career in public service. We proudly work together — along with more than 70 additional Congressional Champions — to place interns from underrepresented and underserved communities with Hill offices. Congress should represent the American people and their interests, and to do this, congressional staff — including interns — must be truly reflective of the communities they serve.

However, staffers and interns are disproportionately white and from well-connected schools. A 2019 study by Rutgers University Assistant Professor James Jones found that Latinx individuals only make up five percent of interns and Black individuals make up 13 percent of interns in the House of Representatives. This compares to white individuals who make up 67 percent of interns.

That is why we teamed up and joined Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and 26 additional members of Congress in calling on the House Committee on Administration to make these opportunities more accessible by keeping remote internships available permanently. The costs of in-person internships on Capitol Hill prohibit many of our best and brightest students from interning. This also favors a group of applicants that can afford to live in D.C. just for congressional internships. Additionally, the cost of travel, rent, and wardrobe, coupled with low wages, hinder offices from finding the most qualified individuals to serve in their office. We have witnessed firsthand how expanding remote internship availability will increase access to these internships and support offices working to increase diversity on their teams.

Congress must ensure students from working-class backgrounds are awarded fair consideration and access based on their merit and qualifications, not their financial and family circumstances. We know that many college students take out additional student loans to cover the costs associated with a Capitol Hill internship, including housing, transportation, professional attire, and food. If remote internships were made permanent, they wouldn’t have to. Remote internships also improve accessibility for students who support family members, maintain part-time jobs near their campuses, or have health and disability needs that keep them close to home.

As a result of powerful organizing campaigns, the House created the House Paid Internship Program, giving each House office the option to pay their interns. This necessary step helped to alleviate some of the financial burdens. But we must go further. Making remote internships permanently available would build on this critical work to improve accessibility by reducing the cost of participating in an internship and removing the physical requirement that interns live in or temporarily move to D.C.

Restricting candidates to in-person internships stands in the way of creating a Congress that truly reflects the people it is supposed to serve. Remote internships have already expanded accessibility during COVID-19. This success underscores that we can and must make remote internships permanent. We look forward to working with our partners in Congress to make this a reality. Doing so will open up lifechanging opportunities for so many. That’s fair for students, good for offices, and great for the future of our country.

Jayapal represents Washington’s 7th District and Audrey Henson is CEO of College to Congress.