Editor's note: American voters elect 100 senators and 435 members of the House. The lawmakers give speeches and cast votes and we know many of their faces. But behind each member of Congress is a large staff that does the research, writing, scheduling, phoning, filing, in Washington and at home. How does the work get done? Lee Washington Bureau reporter Noelle Straub also looked at staffing for the Montana delegation. Here is her report.

A mourner visiting Miles City for a family funeral once accidentally left a computer logged on and drove up a huge long distance bill -- then turned to Sen. Max Baucus for help.

Baucus' office in Billings got the company to cut a break on the bill, his staff said. It was just one instance of the enormous variety of issues that the office handles.

The senator has an annual budget of about $3 million, eight offices and a staff of about 45, as well as another large staff he oversees as chairman of the Finance Committee.

Most of his seven state offices have between two and five employees who handle the casework. From getting Social Security benefits to a refund from an airline to a long-awaited service medal from the military, they help the Montanans who contact them with problems.

About 30 of his staff work in the Washington office, including eight who handle legislative issues, a few in the press shop and a variety of administrative aides. A constituent service representative rolls out the red carpet for visiting Montanans, booking tours of the White House, the Capitol and other attractions.

Another 30 or so aides work for the Finance Committee. Baucus has final say over their hiring, too. They are separate from Baucus' personal staff and their salaries are paid by the panel, not from his office budget. The aides also serve the other Democrats on the committee.

The roughly $3 million personal office budget covers the entire operation -- travel, state office space, administrative costs and employees. The amount is based on a formula determined by the Senate. If he goes over budget, Baucus would have to pay the extra out of his own pocket, but he never has.

Back in the state, he's allotted a set square footage that could be used for one giant office or many smaller ones. Baucus currently has seven state offices, but he and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., are jointly setting up a new office in Glendive.

The two senators also host a joint breakfast every Wednesday the Senate is in session with coffee, donuts and bagels for any Montanan who happens to be in Washington. Anywhere from 20 to 60 people usually pack the conference room. A Senate photographer takes their picture with Baucus, who signs them and has them sent out.

The Democratic staff of the Finance Committee, now in the majority, is in the process of moving into larger office space. Baucus' personal office is on two floors of the Hart Senate Office Building, a stacked suite like others in the building.

The two staffs work in tandem, with each Finance staffer having a counterpart on the personal staff. An aide who is helping a Montanan get a Social Security disability check is also in contact with the committee staffer who handles Social Security policy in Washington.

When the senator wants to introduce a bill on a specific issue, the legislative aide will gather as much information as possible, lay out the intent of the bill and then send it to the legislative counsel office.

That non-partisan office works for all lawmakers, taking the information and putting it in legislative language. Back in Baucus' office, the legislative aide analyzes the newborn bill, talks to Baucus to make sure it's what he wants, and gets it introduced.

When it comes time for re-election, a strict line separates the congressional and campaign offices. Staff employees are not allowed to do campaign work unless they take a leave of absence from their congressional jobs.

Jim Messina, chief of staff

Jim Messina, now Sen. Max Baucus' chief of staff, got his start working for the Montana Democratic Party during the 1992 and 1994 campaigns, becoming caucus director.

In 1993, while still at the University of Montana, he managed the re-election campaign of Missoula Mayor Daniel Kemmis. In the 1995 legislative session, he served as chief of staff to the state Senate Democratic leader.

An aide in Baucus' Washington office from 1995 through 1999, Messina also served as field director of Baucus' 1996 race and managed his 2002 re-election bid. In 2005, he managed Democratic opposition to President Bush's push for private Social Security accounts.

Messina was chief of staff to Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y, from 1999 to 2001 and to Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., from 2003 to 2005.