Administered by a joint committee of the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly and run by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC), the program provides the opportunity every year for 40 college students to experience a semester-long internship in an assigned congressional office of either chamber, in the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, or at Telemundo or Univision.
By law, placement preference is given to the offices of Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner, currently Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR), and of congressmen of Puerto Rican heritage, including Reps. José Serrano (D-NY), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Raúl Labrador (R-ID).
[1] Originally named in honor of former Resident Commissioners Félix Córdova Dávila, who served from 1917 to 1932, and his son, Jorge Luis Córdova-Díaz, who served from 1969 to 1972, the program was renamed as "Córdova & Fernós" to also honor former Resident Commissioner Antonio Fernós Isern.
By 2012, over 670 students from colleges and universities in Puerto Rico had enjoyed internships under the program, and the Spring 2009 class included a record 24 members.
The Center established in 2008 the McClintock Award to the State Legislator of the Year, honoring the Córdova & Fernós Congressional Internship Program founder Kenneth McClintock, who received the first annual award on December 17, 2008, days before the end of his 28-year legislative career, sixteen as a senator, and the beginning of his service as the U.S. territory's Secretary of State.