There are a number of reasons for the growth of congressional staff. The workload of the Congress was increased to the urbanization projects.
They aren't appointed, but hired.
Well, to date, the size of congressional staff is approx. 24,000 Members in size.* Personal Staff- who work for individual Members of Congress--11,692 * Committee Staff- who work for either the majority or minority on congressional committees--2,492 * Leadership Staff- who work for the Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Majority Whip or Minority Whip--274 * Institutional Staff- majority or minority party floor staff, and non-partisan staff: police, legislative clerks, building, janitorial--5034 * Support Agency non-partisan Staff- Congressional Research Service [747], Congressional Budget Office [232], and General Accounting Office [3,500].
The staff at one of the congressional support agencies.
The congressional staff do have a lot of responsibilities. There main responsible is legislative details and controlling the polls.
Congressional staff members assist elected officials in various capacities, including legislative research, drafting bills, and managing constituent services. They help organize hearings, coordinate communication with the public and media, and provide administrative support to ensure the smooth operation of the office. Additionally, staff members may analyze policy issues, track legislation, and engage with stakeholders to inform their boss's decisions and priorities. Their work is essential for effective governance and representation.
In 2010, reports said Mrs. Obama had 24 staff members. Some of President Obama's political opponents claimed this is the most staff-members ever by a First Lady, but that is not true. President Bush's wife Laura had 26 staff members working for her during her husband's second term.
Responsibility for communicating the leader's wishes to members in Congress typically falls to senior staff members, particularly the Chief of Staff or legislative aides. These individuals play a crucial role in ensuring that the leader's priorities and strategies are effectively conveyed to congressional members. Additionally, party whips are often tasked with rallying support and keeping members informed about the leader's agenda.
Each member of Congress has staff to assist him or her during a term in office. To be most effective in communicating with Congress, it is helpful to know the titles and principal functions of key staff. (Citation-Cof.org)
staff and aides
The primary advantage of the White House staff not requiring congressional approval is the ability to quickly assemble a team that aligns with the President's vision and priorities, facilitating swift decision-making and policy implementation. Conversely, a disadvantage is the potential for a lack of checks and balances, which may lead to cronyism or insufficient scrutiny of staff qualifications, possibly resulting in ineffective governance or ethical concerns.
Personal staff members work directly for a member, and generally focus on local interests. Professional staff members (referred to as PSMs) work for a committee. The committee relies on the professional staff to conduct visits and report their findings to committee members. The interest of a PSM is typically focused on programs or systems for which the committee has oversight responsibility. PSMs on military oversight committees are often retired military officers. This is from a US Military site here http://www.tradoc.army.mil/cong/faqs.htm#4
Committees early in the 19th century were not provided with staff assistance. Committee chairmen handled the business of their committees personally. But, by the 1830s the volume of work grew, and it's only gotten worse since then.