IN THE SPOTLIGHT: How to survive testifying on Capitol Hill

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June 2005; Vol. 1 No. 2

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: How to survive testifying on Capitol Hill

By Jason Miller

If you are a political appointee, member of the Senior Executive Service or some other kind of agency bigwig, it is not a matter of if you will be called to testify before Congress, but when.

You might go to support your secretary or administrator on an appropriations request. Or to update committee members on a program that falls within their oversight. Or, you might have to answer questions prompted by an unflattering Government Accountability Office report (are there ever flattering ones?).

No matter how many times you make the trip to the Hill, raise your right hand and swear to "tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," the nerves and anxiety go with you.

But your time in the spotlight can be valuable. Here are survival tips from experts who have spent time on both sides of the aisle, as witnesses and congressional staff members.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. Hill staff members have a pretty good idea of when the executive branch is trying to cover something up, so always tell the truth. Losing credibility is worse than not covering up for your boss. It is better to appear unable to answer a question than to take a guess that proves wrong. Offer to get back to members and then follow up.

SCHOOL'S IN SESSION. You probably know 10 times as much about your topic as the members of the committee, so think of the hearing as an opportunity to educate them.

KNOW YOUR ISSUES. Since members usually receive a GAO or inspector general report or other information before the hearing, you must take it one step further by confronting the issues with an action plan, or by having the documents that show why the situation is not as bad as it seems. Action plans and policy decisions must be done beforehand so there is no question how you are addressing the issues.

LET'S GET TO THE Q&A ALREADY. An executive should not read her full testimony-- that's why they have the record. Highlight three or four major points in five minutes or so, then move on to the question-and-answer session. That is where the important issues are raised and addressed.

YOU OWN THE ISLAND. Don't bring along assistants for guidance; having someone with you makes you look uninvolved and unprepared. High-level executives should know what's going on in their agencies or programs, and shouldn't have to ask for help.

WHO'S YOUR DADDY? Numerous people, from lawyers to a department secretary to the Office of Management and Budget, clear almost all testimony ahead of time. The key is to know the process and know whom you need to work with at OMB. Don't let others put you in a position to answer unanswerable questions or make promises you can't keep.

KNOW THY NEIGHBOR. Research the committee members, especially the chairman and the ranking member. Try to use examples in your oral and written testimony, and in answers to questions, that appeal to their special knowledge or parochial interest. In other words, try to bring the topic home to them in a way that will resonate.

HELLO, FRIEND. Members of the committee are human beings, too. Try to think of the hearing as a one-on-one conversation with individual members of the committee, and don't let yourself be intimidated by the formal setting. But remember that everything you say is on the record, so be careful in your choice of words.