Behind the Scenes of a Congressional District Office

Contributed by: Owen Griswold ’27, Political Science & Criminal Justice

This summer, I am interning in the New Haven District Office of United States Representative Rosa DeLauro, who represents Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District. This experience has allowed me to see firsthand how a congressional office serves its constituents and addresses issues affecting communities across the district. 

I met Congresswoman DeLauro at Albertus Magnus College back in March when she awarded Albertus with $900,000 in Community Project Funding to enhance our cybersecurity program. In my brief conversation with Congresswoman DeLauro, I mentioned how I applied to intern at her New Haven office and I would love the opportunity. 

Shortly after, I had a phone interview with the office manager, and I was offered the internship on the spot. I started my internship at the end of May, and I am slated to complete my internship by the end of July. 

My main responsibility is answering the phone. Being in a somewhat large district office, we get many calls a day. Some people call with legislative opinions, such as their thoughts on a Bill in Congress or on a current issue affecting them or members of our community. These opinions get logged in our system and are sent to the office and Washington, D.C. From theere, a staff member compiles up all of the opinions and keeps Congresswoman DeLauro up to date on the opinions of her constituents 

Many people also call to open cases with our office about matters that they are having with a federal agency. Because of the current political climate, many of these cases are about immigration matters. 

When calling for the first time, we take down their information and send them a privacy release form to fill out. Once we have their signed form, we then assign it to a case worker who will contact the appropriate agency.

One of my favorite tasks is putting together the daily news clips. I search the websites of local news outlets for any articles that mention Congresswoman DeLauro directly or articles that mention other members of the Connecticut delegation, issues in Connecticut, or in the greater New Haven area. Once I assemble all of these articles, they are sent out to all the staff members, not just in the New Haven office, but also in the D.C. office, including Congresswoman DeLauro. 

As a double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice with double minors in Pre-Law and Sociology, this internship has allowed me to see many of the concepts I’ve studied in the classroom unfold in real time. Watching public policy directly affect individuals and communities has reinforced my interest in public service while strengthening my communication, research, and professional skills. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a dedicated team and gain valuable experience serving the people of Connecticut.