Working On Capitol Hill

WORKING ON THE HILL: Why Do So Many Staffers Resign From The Staffs Of These Senators And Representatives?

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) had the highest rate of staff turnover in 2019, according to rankings calculated by Legistorm. But there may be more to their stories than first thought.

Senators and representatives tend to create their own unique staff universes that to some degree reflect themselves, so a lot of attention is paid to those with the highest and lowest turnover rates.

But a high turnover rate is not necessarily an indicator of a “bad boss” job seekers should avoid, especially in the cases of Harris and Granger. Harris made an unsuccessful bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Such campaigns almost always have a big impact on an incumbent’s staff and Harris ranked much lower in prior years. Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Why Do So Many Staffers Resign From The Staffs Of These Senators And Representatives?”

STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted On The Hill

Recent Staff Moves, As Reported By Legistorm:

The Problem-Solvers Caucus has added Jessica Gail to its ranks as communications director, working for Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). Now in her seventh year, this is Jessica’s fourth position on the Hill since first joining the staff of Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) in 2013. She is a 2007 graduate with a BA from the University of Indiana at Bloomington in broadcast journalism and religious studies.

Holly Reagan Hinjosa is now policy adviser for Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), covering environmental protection and public lands issues. Holly is a native Texan but earned her BA in international and global studies from the University of Wyoming in 2015 and her MA in natural resources management from the University of Idaho in 2019. Holly’s Hill career began in 2016 as an intern for Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). Continue reading “STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted On The Hill”

WORKPLACE ISSUES: There Are Multiple Staff-Related Provisions In The Congressional Reform Package

A path to bigger personal staffs for House Members could be cleared if the bipartisan recommendations from the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress are adopted.

All House staff members would be paid twice a month instead of the monthly compensation schedule they have worked on for decades, under the recommendations.

Modernization panel Chairman Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wa.) introduced the recommendations as a legislative package in December. The package is H. Res. 756. Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) is the committee’s vice-chairman and its ranking minority member. Continue reading “WORKPLACE ISSUES: There Are Multiple Staff-Related Provisions In The Congressional Reform Package”

WORKING ON THE HILL: Three GOP Senate Freshmen Among Top 10 For Staff Pay

Data compiled by Legistorm finds three Senate Republican freshmen among the top 10 best-paying solons in the upper chamber of Congress, according to a report published just before the Christmas break.

“Among the top ten highest paying Senate offices, three first-term senators made the list: Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) with a median office salary of $81,823, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) with a median of $75,728 and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) with a median of $75,275,” according to Legistorm.

Just outside the top 10 in the 11 spot came another GOP freshman, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), with a median average salary of $73,259.

Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Three GOP Senate Freshmen Among Top 10 For Staff Pay”

*Welcome Back! It’s A New Year, 2020

Here’s hoping you had an absolutely wonderful holiday and that you are revved up about being back on Capitol Hill “tanned, rested and ready” for the second session of the 116th Congress in 2020.

Here’s what you can expect to find on HillFaith in coming months:

First, what they didn’t tell you in college about Jesus Christ, including the intellectually challenging multitude of facts, evidence and logic from history, science, archeology, medicine and personal experience. Give it a fair hearing and then decide for yourself what it means for you. He changed my life and He can yours, too.

Second, when I say “been there, done that, let’s talk,” it’s a humbly sincere invitation. I’ve spent four great years on a congressional staff and another three decades covering Congress and the rest of the federal government as a journalist. I love the Hill and have profound respect for the people who work here. And I just might have some insights that haven’t occurred to you. And always off-the-record!

Finally, working on the Hill is tough, exciting, frustrating, rewarding and valuable. There are moves afoot aimed at making working for a senator, representative, committee or congressional agency more fulfilling, effective and perhaps even lucrative. You’ll find news about these developments, too, plus regular looks at who is moving up and who is moving out.

There’s no other web site in the world like HillFaith, so enjoy it and let’s all together work to make America a better place for everybody here.

If this post looks familiar, that’s because it appeared on the site a couple of days ago when yours truly forgot to change “2019” to “2020” on the WordPress publication scheduling function. Don’t worry, it’s still 2020, not 2021! 🙂

WORKING ON CAPITOL HILL: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

By Bret Bernhardt

No doubt this question has bounced around in the minds of nearly everyone who has worked on Capitol Hill, especially in the holidays, which is a time to reflect and take stock heading into a new year.

Bret Bernhardt, former chief of staff for senators Don Nickles and Jim DeMint.

The long hours, relatively low pay, and frustrations that accompany working on the Hill all contribute to this season of evaluating whether or not to move on.

Something else that might factor into the question of whether or not to move on from the Hill is that most staffers are transplants from somewhere else. Continue reading “WORKING ON CAPITOL HILL: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?”

How A Mint-Green Blazer Turned An Invisible Hill Aide Into A National Celebrity

There’s a maxim from the 60s that says “everybody gets 15 minutes of fame” and maybe that explains why Russell Dye made the Style pages of The New York Times earlier this week.

Whatever the reason, the reality is Dye, a Republican communications aide to Rep. Jim Jordan on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, wore a striking mint-green blazer and bow tie during one of the impeachment hearings and people noticed.

Dye is not alone, as another Jordan committee aide, Charli Huddleston, was seen on a stairway above a group of protesting Republican House members. The light was just right and it made her appear to either about to be beamed back to the USS Enterprise or taken up into heaven ala the prophet Elijah.

And don’t ask Janae Frazier, press secretary for Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) about that pizza incident that made Twitter and then a bunch of other places, too! “I was like, ‘WHAT? All this for being hungry?’” Frazier told the Times Katherine Rosman.

Rosman also talked to several former Hill aides who shared some revealing stories about themselves and their experiences working in Congress.

You can read Rosman’s excellent story on these Hill aides who suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves in the spotlight by clicking here. Enjoy!