The staff of the 118th Congress is short on diversity
The 118 Congress, which opened Monday, is falling short relative to staff diversity, according to the Joint Center for Political Economic Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank for Black elected officials.Â
The Joint Center noted there are 1,599 top positions, including chief of staff, legislative directors, and communications director for returning members of 118 Congress.
Of that number, Congress has filled 1,139 and 275 top staff positions U.S. and House and Senate members. Of those so far, 16.3 percent are people of color, and only 4.4 percent are African American.
Congress convened on January 3, 2023, and is scheduled to continue until January 3, 2025, during the final two years of President Joe Biden’s first term in office.