Joint Center Ranks Democratic Senators on 2024 Staff Diversity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2024

Contact:
Chandra Hayslett, chandra@jointcenter.org

Joint Center Ranks Democratic Senators on 2024 Staff Diversity

WASHINGTON — The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies commends the Senate Democrats for releasing their eighth annual survey on racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation/gender identity diversity of their staff. To date, Senate Republican offices have not released staff demographic data.

The Joint Center ranked the 2024 Senate Democratic diversity data and found that Senators Brian Schatz (HI), Mazie Hirono (HI), and Laphonza Butler (CA) have the most diverse staff and Senators Joe Manchin (WV), Jon Tester (MT), Angus King (ME), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Peter Welch (VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) have the least diverse staff.

Our analysis includes over 20 graphics detailing the rankings of the top personal and committee offices with the highest percentage of people of color, and shows the personal offices with the highest percentage of Black, Latina/o, Asian American/Pacific Islander, women, and LGBTQ staff. We found that Senators Schatz (HI) at 77 percent, Hirono (HI) at 73 percent, and Butler (CA) at 70 percent have the highest percentage of people of color.

Senators Manchin (WV) and Tester (MT) at 12 percent, Senators King (ME) and Shaheen (NH) at 20 percent, and Senators Welch (VT) and Whitehouse (RI) at 23 percent have the lowest percentages of people of color on their staff.

Senators Raphael Warnock (GA), Jon Ossoff (GA), and Ben Cardin (MD) have the highest percentage of Black staff at 42, 35, and 32 percent, respectively.

Of the 51 Democratic Senate personal offices, 50 were included in our analysis comparing this year’s data to the 2023 survey results. Senator Butler (CA) was not included in this part of the analysis since she was appointed in October 2023. Of these 50 personal offices, 27 reported an increase in the percentage of staff who identify as people of color, 20 reported a decrease, and three remained unchanged. Of the 27 Senate Democratic personal offices who observed an increase, only 26 percent observed an increase of more than five percentage points.

Senators Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Bernie Sanders (VT), King (ME), and Manchin (WV) are Independent party members, but still receive their committee assignments through the Democratic party.

Among majority committees, Senate Indian Affairs Committee (Chair Brian Schatz (HI)), Joint Economic Committee (Chair Martin Heinrich (NM)), Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee (Chair Shaheen (NH)), and Senate Judiciary Committee (Chair Dick Durbin (IL)) have the most diverse committee staff. Over half of the staff on these four committees identify as people of color.

Four Democratic committees have no Black staff. They are the Senate Aging Committee (Chair Bob Casey (PA)), Senate Budget Committee (Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)), Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair Joe Manchin (WV)), and Senate Indian Affairs Committee (Chair Schatz (HI)).

Senate Appropriations Committee (Chair Patty Murray (WA)), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chair Tom Carper (DE)), and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Chair Gary Peters (MI)) staff is only five percent Black. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (Chair Maria Cantwell (WA)) and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (Chair Tester (MT)) are only six percent Black.

See below for five of the 22 charts and click here for the full analysis by Joint Center Senior Researcher Dr. LaShonda Brenson and Research Associate Kimberly Victor.

“It remains encouraging to see Senate Democrats continue to show transparency in publishing the percentage of top staff of color in their offices and the increase of staff diversity in 27 offices. While I applaud Senators Schatz, Hirono, and Butler for having more than 70 percent people of color on their staff, other senators who have kept fewer people of color on their staff since last year still have ample opportunity for growth,” said Joint Center Senior Researcher Dr. LaShonda Brenson. “Senate Democrats should also disaggregate data by job title to show how many top staff positions are held by people of color, so existing disparities in representation can come to light. Disaggregating by job title also allows for a closer examination of potential systemic obstacles that might prevent people of color from obtaining higher-ranking positions. We applaud the Senate Democrats’ leadership on staff diversity, and look forward to working with them more on this issue.”

Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad said, “The Senate Democrats should continue to be applauded for their Senate Democratic Diversity Initiative and increased demographic staff representation. Their self reporting notes that there are three Democratic senators with zero to two percent Black representation, which is below their state’s African American population. This gap needs to be addressed as does the disparity of four committees having no African American staff. Having adequate representation of all Americans is a basic step in addressing the socio-economic bias that lies as the root of ongoing racial inequality.”

Background

Since 2015, the Joint Center’s Hill Diversity Program has researched and disseminated information on the importance of having a diverse congressional staff. Our findings can be found in our following reports and campaigns: “Racial Diversity Among Top Senate Staff” (2015); “Racial Diversity Among Top House Staff” (2018); “Racial Diversity Among Top Staff in Senate Personal Offices” (2020); “Racial Diversity Among Top Staff in the U.S. House of Representatives” (2022); “Racial Diversity Among U.S. Senate State Directors” (2022); “Digging Deeper: 2022 Senate Democratic Caucus Diversity Numbers” (2022); and Midterm Hiring Campaign/118th congressional tracker (2022); “Racial Diversity of the 118th Congress by Age” (2023); and “Pathway Staff Diversity in Senate Personal Offices” (2024).

Congress has since taken steps to improve transparency and staff diversity. For the past eight years, Senate Democrats led both chambers by releasing racial/ethnic data about the staff in Democratic senators’ personal and committee offices. Senate Democrats, however, have not disclosed the diversity of top staff. Additionally, Senate Republicans have yet to publicly release staff demographic data. Senate Republicans should immediately disclose this data and annually report their staff diversity data. Both Senate Republicans and Democrats should work together to develop a diversity plan that helps Senate offices in recruiting, hiring, training, promoting, and retaining a diverse Senate staff.

On March 25, 2024, the U.S. House Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) office was disbanded. The Joint Center is calling on the replacement office — the Office of Talent Management — to build on the great work of the ODI and create a central repository of data to help guide efforts to make the House of Representatives’ workforce more diverse. We also stand with the Tri-Caucus Staff Associations and will continue to play a pivotal role in advocating for a congressional workforce that mirrors the diversity of the American people within the U.S. House of Representatives.

About the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, provides compelling and actionable policy solutions to eradicate persistent and evolving barriers to the full freedom of Black people in America. We are the trusted forum for leading experts and scholars to participate in major public policy debates and promote ideas that advance Black communities. We use evidence-based research, analysis, convenings, and strategic communications to support Black communities and a network of allies.