Casework Wins in FY 2025 Appropriations Bill
BY TAYLOR J. SWIFT & ANNE MEEKER
On July 11, 2024, the full Senate Appropriations Committee favorably reported (27-0) the FY 2025 Senate Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. The bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $7 billion, which is $250 million (3.6%) above the FY 2024 enacted level and over $255 million below the FY 2025 request.
While the numbers above will probably make most caseworkers’ eyes glaze over, this bill included several exciting requests that — with the usual appropriations caveat, if passed and enacted — would make some elements of casework dramatically easier.
Below, we round up the most relevant items from the bill, and a few notes on how they may impact casework.
Final bill text, as amended, is available here.
Final bill report, as amended, is available here.
Adopted amendments are available here.
Congressional Staff Directory
“The Committee notes the unavailability or insufficiency of currently-provided congressional staff contact information. The absence of a congressional staff directory that covers the Senate, House, support offices, and support agencies makes it difficult for congressional staff to identify and connect with relevant staff. The Committee directs the SAA to continue to explore the creation of a centrally-managed staff directory for Congress and congressional support agencies to enhance the exchange of information and improve collaboration across the legislative branch. The SAA shall brief the Committee on the efforts to create a centralized congressional staff directory, including inherit challenges with creating such a directory, associated costs and directory information features and access.” p. 22-23
Why it’s relevant for casework
POPVOX Foundation has previously recommended that casework staff information be available to the relevant Congressional liaisons at the major casework-focused agencies to facilitate agencies proactively sharing timely updates with casework staff. This represents a major step toward developing that directory, which is a necessary first step before negotiating access to limited Executive branch staff.
Casework Contact Information for Agency Liaisons
“The CRS is directed to provide a report to the Committee on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of the act on the feasibility of making casework related executive and legislative branch agency liaison contact information, including issue areas where applicable, for use by the congressional community. This information should include the name, office phone number, email address, and issue areas for each identified liaison. The information should also be established in an accessible format that is filterable by each individual data set for each liaison, as well as routinely updated.” p. 54
Why it’s relevant for casework
POPVOX Foundation has also previously recommended that CRS expand its invaluable list of agency liaisons to include not only central liaisons but also regional office, processing center, embassy, and other major casework points of contact. This language would provide formal direction to CRS to make this expanded list happen.
GAO Study on Agency Responsiveness to Congressional Casework Requests
“The Committee directs the Government Accountability Office, within 180 days of passage of this Act, to study the current status of the responsiveness of executive branch agencies to Member office inquiries on behalf of constituents seeking assistance. Among other things, the study should provide detailed findings and make recommendations for minimum response standards, as well as standard agency personnel and technology needs to provide accurate and timely responses to Congressional inquiries.” p. 59
Why it’s relevant for casework
All caseworkers, especially new staff or new teams, struggle to navigate the fragmented landscape of different agency responsiveness to casework inquiries. As POPVOX Foundation previously recommended, this language would be a first step toward auditing that landscape and providing some starting points for Congress to act to ensure that all casework requests are handled timely and competently on the agency side.
Senate Intern Compensation
“The Committee continues to believe that Senate internships should be available to the broadest possible pool of candidates who have the ability and interest to serve. Unfortunately, unpaid internships exclude those who cannot independently afford to work without pay, hindering students’ future career opportunities and making it more difficult for Senators to attract and hire the most qualified interns, regardless of socioeconomic status. Providing interns financial compensation provides an avenue for more students to have the opportunity to serve their country and gain experience toward a career in public service. In addition to funding allocated in the table above for Senators’ office allowances and for agency contribution costs, the bill includes $7,000,000 for the sole purpose of providing financial compensation to interns. This will allow offices to continue to diversify their intern hires and, if an office chooses to do so, provide stipends to better help interns with travel and housing costs. Any intern compensation funding that remains unspent by any office will be returned to the Treasury in accordance with section 101 of the bill. Such funding is directed to be allocated among Senators’ offices in relative proportion to funds allocated for each office’s administrative and clerical assistance allowance for fiscal year 2025 shown in the table above, which reflect natural variables including State populations, with a small additional amount for non-contiguous States. On average, each office will be allocated an estimated $70,000 for intern compensation.” p 30-31
Why it’s relevant for casework
While it may seem slightly disconnected from casework itself, we’ve previously covered how integrating interns and fellows into casework operations is vital for casework teams to make full use of the capacity available to them, and can help casework teams unlock time and energy for above-and-beyond casework or proactive casework outreach. While the House has previously expanded funding for internships, expanding this opportunity to the Senate as well will help Senate offices recruit and hire outstanding interns who can support casework operations and one day help fill open casework roles.
