StaffLink is an open-source project from the nonpartisan nonprofit POPVOX Foundation, developed in partnership with POPVOX.com, a nonpartisan civic tech platform.
Unlike general-purpose AI tools, StaffLink is built specifically for the Congressional workplace. It provides practical answers about office protocols, constituent services, and Hill traditions — all based on resources created by staffers, for staffers.
StaffLink uses a retrieval augmented generation (RAG) system that grounds responses in factual information rather than guessing, along with the OpenAI API on the limited “creativity” setting, so the API only pulls directly from the documents it is referencing. This approach reduces AI “hallucinations” and ensures accurate answers tailored to Congressional operations. The knowledge base includes MSA guides for various junior staff positions plus practical resources on topics like District-area housing options, Congressional ethics, and salary negotiations. (Junior staff are staff assistants, legislative correspondents, press assistants, schedulers, committee clerks, intern coordinators, fellows, and drivers.)
The FAQ page (link) dynamically aggregates the most asked questions on the platform to junior help staffers learn from each other.
Beyond simply providing answers, StaffLink serves as a proof-of-concept for how Congress-tailored AI tools can improve information access for staffers. Using the tool offers hands-on experience with AI capabilities, building organizational expertise that supports more informed policymaking and oversight.
