Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
For Agencies, Military, Businesses, NGOs, and Associations

How to Prepare to Testify at Oversight, Legislative, Celebrity, CEO, and Confirmation Hearings

This is the first course in our 2-course Testifying Workshop. The second course is Delivering Congressional Testimony: Advanced Practicum, offered the following day.

This course is designed to help anyone involved with preparing or delivering testimony before a congressional committee -- whether working in an agency, the military, business, an NGO, or an association -- to prepare and deliver that testimony more effectively at authorization hearings, budget and appropriations hearings, agency and business congressional oversight hearings, celebrity hearings, CEO hearings, and confirmation hearings.

Ready?

Our experienced faculty explore all aspects of testimony preparation including research, persuasion and the proper structure of both written and oral testimony. Participants learn delivery and listening techniques, ways to deal with anxiety and best practice techniques for addressing both Q&A sessions and challenging situations.

 

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Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony and Oral Presentations

- Course 1: Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Writing Congressional Testimony - Course 2: Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations - Course 3: Preparing for Congressional Oversight and Investigation - Course 4: Creating a Message That Resonates with Your Audience - Course 5: Keys to Effective Presentations

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More Information
Agenda	When	Where	Related Training	Policies

The leadership competencies for this course include:

• External Awareness
• Influencing
• Written Communication
• Political Savvy
  

This is a Congressional Fellows and Presidential Management Fellows Training course.
 

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This sponsored course is tailored for your group's specific needs.

The program fee for sponsored courses includes program development, faculty, and course materials, presented in the DC area at your location, for up to 20 attendees.  *  We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details.

See the FAQs About Sponsored Courses for more information.  

Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing.

TheCapitol.Net, Inc.
Contract GS02F0192X  

Bring this course to your location. This course and any combination of its topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We have tailored this course for attorneys, military officers including flag level, foreign service officers, SES, political appointees, engineers, scientists, and others in agencies, military, national and state associations, and law enforcement.  For more information about how this training can help your members and staff, please contact our client liaison. Not enough people for a sponsored or custom course? See these Capital Learning Audio CoursesTM Capitol Learning Audio Courses Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Writing Congressional Testimony Preparing for Congressional Oversight and Investigation Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer's Perspective Keys to Effective Presentations: Invigorate Your Delivery and Increase Your Confidence

Course Materials

Course materials include the Training Edition of Testifying Before Congress By William N. LaForge "This informative 'how-to' guide should be required reading for every new congressional staffer and for the congressional relations staff of every federal department and agency." -- Lawrence Baca, President, Federal Bar Association, and Deputy Director of the Office of Tribal Justice in the Department of Justice (Retired) More Reviews

Course Details

Sample Agenda	Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (networking lunch at noon)   The Committee Hearing Environment We review the role of committees, types of committees and subcommittees, the hearing process in Congress, types of committee hearings, role of the committee chairman in hearings, the role committee staff play in deciding hearing subject matter, selecting witnesses, and preparing questions. Congressional Hearings: A Staff Perspective A panel of committee staff members describe the work and organization of their committees, how these committees prepare for hearings, what staff and members expect from witnesses, and how witnesses from executive branch agencies and other organizations can build a good working relationship with committee staff before, during, and after hearings. The staffers will also discuss what they, and members of Congress, believe makes effective testimony, and provide suggestions for witnesses preparing for hearings. Testimony Preparation and Rehearsal The instructor reviews all aspects of testimony preparation, including research preparation, audience analysis and the process of persuasion, key documents to be prepared before the hearing and how to effectively use each one, and rehearsing and mock hearings. Testimony Delivery How to format and organize testimony in a way that improves oral delivery, review tone, body language, and gestures, and when and how to use visual aids during a hearing. Examples of Effective and Non-effective Testimony and Question-and-Answer Techniques Witness/member of Congress dynamics, the "art" of responding to questions, the importance of preparing written "Q-and-A modules" for all anticipated questions, and other important tools and techniques will be presented. Participants will view video footage of actual congressional hearings that illustrate key do's and don'ts.   Homework for Advanced Practicum Homework distributed for those attending the Advanced Practicum the following day.   This course and any of its topics are available as a custom 1-day or 2-day program with one-on-one feedback.   Do you need a training course we don't offer or coverage of an additional topic in this course? If you have suggestions for courses or topics you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our online suggestion form.
Suggested Prerequisites	None.  This course is designed for staff who prepare written testimony and for staff who actually testify on the Hill. This course is required for all attendees of Delivering Congressional Testimony: Advanced Practicum, offered the follwoing day. If you need help deciding which courses you should take based on your work experience or training, please contact us via email or phone: 202-678-1600.
Time and Dates	9:00 am to 4:30 pm This Sponsored Course Requires One (1) Day
Location	This course can be presented at your location in Washington, DC, or at a location in Washington, DC, that we provide.  * For a map with a brief list of hotels near the Capitol, click here. When we arrange space, we use these Washington, DC, locations.
Course Materials	Course manual included.
Certificate of Training and CEUs	A Certificate of Training is available for this course. To get a Certificate of Training, your registration fee must be paid in full, and you must attend the entire course. Approved for .6 CEUs from George Mason University. This is a Congressional Fellows and Presidential Management Fellows Training course.
Related Training	Delivering Congressional Testimony: Advanced Practicum Advanced Media Relations Workshop Effective Briefings Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill Speechwriting: Preparing Speeches and Oral Presentations Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing Writing to Persuade
Policies	See https://www.thecapitol.net/PublicPrograms/CoursePolicies_Sponsored.html All statements and discussion at all of our courses, workshops and seminars, public and custom, are off the record and not for attribution, unless specified otherwise. The resulting confidentiality ensures a frank and free exchange of views.
FAQs	FAQs about our sponsored courses including suggested attire.
Program Fee and Registration	$11,875 - for up to 20 attendees *  The program fee includes program development, faculty, and course materials and presentation at your DC-area location for up to 20 attendees (sponsor provides classroom space, AV, and any breaks and lunch). For an additional fee, we can also provide classroom space in the DC area for up to 20 attendees, AV, breaks and lunch. We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details.  Registration and payment at least 3 weeks before the course is required so the program can be customized for your specific needs. For more information see FAQs About Our Sponsored Courses. * = This course can be also presented outside the DC area. Contact us for details.    Fax or Mail: Print out and complete the registration form (in Adobe pdf). The completed form should include your method of payment.    Fax the completed form to us at 202-688-2424.    Mail the completed form to us at TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA  22313-5706
Available as custom, on-site training?	Yes.  This program can be tailored for on-site agency, association and corporate training.  Please call 202-678-1600 for information. Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing. TheCapitol.Net, Inc. Contract GS02F0192X
Need more information?	Phone: 202-678-1600 Email: registrar -at- TheCapitol.Net Complete our online information request.
Non-Partisan	TheCapitol.Net is a non-partisan firm, and the opinions of its faculty, authors, clients and the owners and operators of its vendors are their own and do not represent those of TheCapitol.Net.

URLs: www.TheCapitol.Net/PublicPrograms/testify.html
TCNPDCT.com
TCNTest.com
 

This Sponsored Course Requires One Day
9:00 am to 4:30 pm


   
Approved for .6 CEUs from George Mason University.

All of our courses and workshops include extensive interaction with our faculty, making our courses and workshops both educational and mini-consulting sessions with substantive experts.

Rave Reviews

"Would encourage people to do this earlier in their career when they start writing testimony.  All sessions very useful! Great course!"

"The course is good for people who do lots of presentations as well as Congressional testimony. Well done!"

"This will be extremely helpful in prepping and calming first-time witnesses and in drafting oral testimony.  I especially appreciated the research tips." 
-- Policy Analyst, federal agency

"This is one of the best public communication seminars I've ever attended."

"Good, practical advice and insights on how to prepare and deliver testimony to Congress.  Practical and worthwhile"

"Although I live on the Hill and know many staffers, this seminar really helped me to understand what they do and how hearings work."

See more testimonials about this course.

Faculty

Taught by faculty who have a minimum of 10 years' experience working with and helping agency and corporate staff prepare for testifying before congressional committees.

Select Previous Faculty

Steven Keller

Walter Oleszek

James Thurber

Our Clients

Congressional Offices

Federal Agencies

Military

NGOs and Nonprofits

Diplomatic Corps

Fortune 500

Law Firms

Lobbying Firms

Labor Unions

Associations

Also See

Capital Learning Audio Courses^TM