[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 148 (Thursday, September 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H7876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PAYING CONGRESSIONAL INTERNS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
congressional interns who serve in our offices here in Washington, 
D.C., in my State of Oregon, and around the country, and to ask all my 
colleagues to make internship opportunities available to more qualified 
applicants by paying interns for their work.
  Congressional internships are highly desirable. They provide students 
and recent graduates with valuable experience, learning firsthand how 
Congress and how our government works.
  Many current staff members and, in fact, many Members of Congress 
started their careers as congressional interns and were able to use the 
skills they learned and the connections they made to leverage future 
opportunities.
  The reality is, however, that most young people do not have the 
option of coming to work on Capitol Hill as an intern because most 
internships are still unpaid. Many bright and motivated people simply 
cannot afford to take an unpaid internship, no matter how prestigious 
it might be, because they need to earn money to continue paying for 
college or to support themselves or their families.
  No one who is qualified who wants to intern on Capitol Hill should be 
precluded because of financial barriers.
  I am proud that I offer paid internships in my office, so students 
and recent graduates have an opportunity to work and learn and gain 
experience.
  But paying interns doesn't just help them. It helps us, too. My staff 
and I benefit greatly from having interns from all backgrounds and all 
walks of life working in our office. The diversity of perspectives is 
critical as I consider legislation and think about how to best serve my 
constituents who are also from diverse backgrounds and all walks of 
life.
  Many of my colleagues understand the importance of equitable intern 
opportunities and, through the leadership of Representative Tim Ryan 
and others, are working to increase funding and cut red tape so that 
all our offices will be able to offer and support paid internships.

                              {time}  1030

  Capitol Hill is best served when our offices reflect the diversity of 
our districts and our country.
  I will continue to work with my colleagues to make sure that all 
qualified applicants can apply for internships and serve as interns 
regardless of their financial situation. It helps our offices, it helps 
the interns, and it helps the country.

                          ____________________