Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced on Tuesday the appointment of Karen E. Donfried to lead the Congressional Research Service, effective Sept. 23.
Donfried will take the reins of CRS, sometimes known as Congress’ “think tank,” after years of concerns over high attrition and flagging morale. She most recently worked for the State Department as assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.
“She has a long and distinguished record of leadership in the making and execution of American foreign policy and is also a former staff member of the Congressional Research Service, where she served with distinction for 10 years. We are delighted to welcome her back and are excited for her future in this critical role,” Hayden said in a statement announcing the hiring.
Donfried replaces Robert Newlen, who had served as director of CRS in an interim role since July 2023.
During her first stint at CRS, Donfried was an analyst and specialist in the Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division, according to the Library of Congress announcement.
Later, she became the first female president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, supporting trans-Atlantic cooperation and promoting “democracy, human rights and international cooperation in Europe and around the world,” according to the announcement. Donfried also served on the National Security Council at the White House and as the national intelligence officer for Europe on the National Intelligence Council.
CRS works within the Library of Congress and provides policy and legal analysis to committees and members of Congress.
In recent years, concerns about leadership have dogged the agency, culminating in the resignation of former Director Mary B. Mazanec in June 2023. Mazanec, who had led the agency since 2011, came under fire during an April 2023 hearing of the House Administration Committee and after a May 2023 letter sent by the union representing CRS employees.
Employees cited “attrition and morale, a lack of a commitment to diversity and inclusion, poor communication by CRS leadership, and an overall lack of confidence and trust in CRS’s senior leaders,” as top issues, according to the letter.
House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., welcomed the hiring news in a joint statement with Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., who chairs the Modernization Subcommittee.
“We look forward to working with CRS Director Donfried on ways to continue strengthening and modernizing CRS to support Congress and thank Interim Director Robert Newlen for his exceptional work in leading CRS through this important transition,” the pair said.
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