Insights from the 17th Oversight Boot Camp

Event Description:

On August 15-16, 2023, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, and the Lugar Center collectively hosted the 17th semi-annual Oversight Boot Camp. A host of congressional staffers, both Democratic and Republican, from House and Senate committees attended the intensive, two-day training on Capitol Hill. During the boot camp, staff gained insight into ways to successfully conduct a congressional oversight investigation.  

The Oversight Boot Camp has a goal of fostering bipartisanship while yielding in-depth, fact-based investigations. The training offered participants an opportunity to network across both chambers of Congress. Throughout the boot camp, staffers were given tools and constructive feedback to better effectuate robust oversight, thereby building a more accountable, more effective legislative branch.

Details 

The host:

• Tim Stretton, director of the Congressional Oversight Initiative at POGO   

The guest instructors: 

• Andy Wright, partner at K&L Gates LLP 
• Elliot Smith, director of oversight for the Committee on House Administration 
• Dave Rapallo, associate professor of law and director of the Legislation Clinic at Georgetown Law

Instructors on the panel were well-versed in oversight, and they had extensive experience with oversight investigations. They provided invaluable tips and real-life advice for conducting a successful investigation.  

Participants learned about the four sections of the investigation: the investigative plan, hearing plan, report outline, and follow-up plan. To demonstrate what they learned, participants were given a fictitious scandal. They split into four different teams where each decided on a congressional committee they would represent, and each committee was tasked with planning and conducting an investigation within its jurisdiction. Those committees were: House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, House Oversight Committee, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In this case, the scandal examined a city’s failed water infrastructure and how federal loans were or were not used to benefit the city.   

Each group was provided a hands-on, interactive learning opportunity where participants applied what they learned from the panel to work through their oversight investigation. The instructors critiqued the groups and gave them valuable feedback throughout the two-day session. One participant said, “The instructors were phenomenal because they could pull from the vast array of experiences. I liked the use of the real-world examples instead of too many hypotheticals.” Another said, “This was a very helpful overview of the process, and the real-world examples from instructors helped put everything in context.”  

The boot camp also included an exercise where the participants acted as congressional investigators, legal counsel, Justice Department legislative affairs liaisons, and lobbyists. This activity gave staffers techniques and strategies to implement during real oversight. One boot camper said, “I enjoyed the role play scenarios and the opportunity to see how target counsel can seize on certain statements in meetings to try and strong-arm investigators.” 

By the end of the boot camp, participants had worked through all the stages of an investigative plan and produced a list of findings, as well as a follow-up plan to hold all responsible parties accountable.  

Here are some more testimonials from boot camp attendees:

• “As a relatively new committee oversight staffer, the boot camp enhanced my understanding of the tactics and strategy of conducting oversight investigations.” 
• “This is a great opportunity to practice the fundamentals of oversight and gain a broad foundation for congressional oversight that will be useful on and off the Hill.” 
• “Super awesome. Learned a lot! Kept me engaged the entire time. For all the exercises, it was helpful to get practice actually applying it and getting feedback that was constructive. I had no issues with any of the exercise.” 
• “I feel better prepared to lead oversight for my office if ever asked.”
• “As someone new to the oversight committees, and a non-attorney, these last two days were tremendously helpful in learning all aspects of conducting an oversight investigation.” 
• “This is a wonderful experience that every investigation/oversight staffer should participate in. Even seasoned staff members will learn new tools to help strengthen investigations. All participants are very friendly and willing to help out other staff.”