The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 initiative to remake the executive branch will likely have a strong tailwind given the considerable influence the think tank has in Congress.
Nearly 30% of Republican members of Congress employ at least one former Heritage staffer, and this likely understates the number since it is based on LegiStorm's sometimes incomplete work histories for staff. The conservative think tank is the second most frequent organization to appear in current congressional staffers' employment histories - exceeded only by the Republican National Committee.
The Heritage Foundation has made frequent headlines recently for its Project 2025: A collection of policy proposals that would place federal agencies under more direct White House control and classify many federal civil service employees as political appointees if the Republican nominee wins the 2024 presidential election.
Currently, there are more legislative assistants in Congress that are Heritage Foundation alumni than alumni of any other organization. Other key staffers that were previously employed by the foundation include numerous chiefs of staff, communications directors and press secretaries.
Current congressional staff have a combined 143 years of experience working for the Heritage Foundation in the past.
The foundation has also demonstrated influence within Republican offices by sponsoring nearly 400 staff to take out-of-town trips since 2016, often for training.
