Have you ever found yourself wondering how people get invited to give testimony before Congress? If you believe you have something valuable to contribute to congressional policy discussions it is important to learn how the process works and what you can do to receive an invitation to testify. photo credit: A Gude First, witnesses must … Read more
As a witness at a Congressional hearing, you may find yourself in a position in which you will encounter members of the media either before or after the hearing. The likelihood of this will depend upon the nature of the hearing topic as well as the extent of the media and public interest in the … Read more
Special note to readers of Testifying Before Congress and anyone searching for information about congressional hearings, witnesses and testimony: The following information is made available to you as part of the author’s promise to provide periodic updates, revisions and additions to the content of the book (see Appendix Thirteen, page 398, “Keep Up-to-Date”), and especially … Read more
If you have been called to testify before a Congressional hearing or think that you might be called to do so in the future, it can be helpful to have a basic understanding of the various types of Congressional hearings and their purposes. photo credit: Tarter Time Photography The main purpose of any Congressional hearing … Read more
It is natural to experience some nervousness when you are called to testify before Congress. Understanding the best way to respond to committee questions when testifying can help alleviate some of your nervousness and also help you to prepare to deliver your testimony effectively. photo credit: familymwr When preparing to answer questions, it is important … Read more
Each year hundreds of hearings are conducted on every topic imaginable by the United States Congress. Possible topics include regulation of business and industry, public policy, governmental operations, and much more. Although testifying at a hearing can be intimidating, hearings serve an important part of the congressional process; providing information to Congress for carrying out … Read more
. . .it is not far from the truth to say that Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work. Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government, 1885. Most matters are accomplished by Congress in committees. Each chamber of Congress has committees that are established to perform very … Read more
Although the idea of testifying before Congress can naturally be daunting, there are many reasons why you might need to do so and not all of them would involve being in the “hot seat”. There are usually two types of witnesses who testify before Congress. They are primary witnesses and supporting witnesses. A primary witness … Read more
Giving testimony before Congress can be a daunting task, particularly if this is your first time to visit the Capitol and you do not have any prior experience in this type of situation. It is quite natural to feel somewhat apprehensive and nervous in this type of situation. Understanding what to expect and how to … Read more
When you must testify before Congress, it is a good idea to know what to expect and how to conduct yourself in order to obtain the best results. In most instances, you will only have a few minutes to make your case if you are going to be testifying in support or opposition to legislation. … Read more