(AURN News) — A new report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is raising fresh questions about who holds real influence behind the scenes on Capitol Hill. Despite years of pledges to build more inclusive offices, the number of Black top staffers in the U.S. House of Representatives has declined.
The report found that just 6% of House personal office top staffers were Black in 2025 — down from 6.7% in 2018. That drop stands in contrast to broader gains for people of color overall, who now hold 21.6% of top roles — up from 13.7% seven years ago.
“House personal office top staff occupy important roles that wield significant influence,” the Joint Center said in a statement. “Members of Congress, especially those who represent diverse districts, should hire a diverse top staff that is representative of all its citizens.”
Still, representation varies sharply by caucus. The Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus are the only groups whose share of Black top staffers meets or exceeds the Black share of the U.S. population — 11.8%.
Among House members who chair full committees, 60% of those in the Congressional Black Caucus have hired Black staff directors. But overall, just 56 of 377 House personal offices employed even one Black staffer in a top position — a sign, the report suggests, of persistent disparities in hiring.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
