Leveling Up: Congressional Oversight Boot Camp Experience

In August 2025, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, and Lugar Center partnered to host the 21st installment of the Oversight Boot Camp to train congressional staffers on how to conduct effective bipartisan oversight investigations. This two-day in-person training took place on Capitol Hill and brought together 25 congressional staffers representing both political parties and both chambers of Congress. Attendees came from 21 distinct committees and personal offices. The program was designed to provide participants with key tools and strategies for conducting strong and effective oversight investigations.

Hosted twice annually, the Oversight Boot Camp promotes bipartisan, fact-driven investigations and helps build trust and collaboration between House and Senate staff from both parties. The program provides a valuable platform for participants to form connections that can lead to cooperative, bipartisan efforts. Throughout the training, attendees sharpen their oversight skills, an important step toward reinforcing congressional authority and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the legislative branch.

Participants were split into teams, with each group acting as staff from one of four congressional committees: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Senate Committee on Appropriations. Their assignment was to investigate a fictional scandal involving flaws in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability claims system, focusing on why claims are disappearing, payments are delayed, and veterans are experiencing disruptions. The exercise challenged them to assess whether veterans have been harmed, evaluate the extent of existing oversight, and determine if additional safeguards are necessary to ensure veterans’ claims don’t get lost in the system and to prevent future IT failures.

Working within their assigned “committees,” teams collaborated to tackle the central issue and to formulate recommendations aimed at preventing further loss of claims and veterans’ benefits. Each group created an investigative plan, devised a hearing strategy, outlined a report, and developed a follow-up plan. This practical approach enabled participants to apply lessons from the lecture series while fostering effective teamwork. One participant said, “Really appreciated being teamed with my group. Appreciated meeting people I might not have spoken to otherwise and engaging and variety of ideas.” Additionally, the boot camp included role-playing exercises that gave participants the chance to practice handling real-world challenges faced by congressional investigators.

Throughout the investigative process, participants were able to ask questions and receive valuable, constructive feedback from instructors, further enhancing their learning experience.

Two new bonus sessions were added to this year’s boot camp, offering participants deeper insight into the resources and support available for their investigations. The first was a presentation by the House Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds, which explored best practices for working with whistleblowers. The second session introduced a range of AI tools designed to enhance investigative research.

The Hosts

• Tim Stretton, director of the Congressional Oversight Initiative at POGO
• Dave Rapallo, senior advisor and congressional scholar at the Levin Center; associate professor of law at Georgetown University; former staff director of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Guest Instructors

• Aubrey Wilson, director of government innovation at POPVOX Foundation; former deputy staff director for the Committee on House Administration
• Andy Wright, member of the Public Policy and Law practice group at K&L Gates; former staff director of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Testimonials from Boot Camp Attendees

• “The oversight boot camp gave a thorough understanding of how to conduct oversight from planning state to follow up procedures.” – House Republican Staffer
• “The boot camp is a great experience to really drill down on what good oversight looks like and learn best practices to make investigations thorough, comprehensive, and bipartisan. Despite working for a member office, I learned how best to coordinate my boss’ interest with what committees can do.” – House Democrat Staffer
• “The POGO boot camp equipped me with practical tools and creative strategies to strengthen my oversight work by emphasizing collaboration from a diverse group of staffers. It helps build towards a shared mission of effective, bipartisan investigations in Congress.” – Senate Democrat Staffer
• “POGO was informational even for someone that is not a lawyer. This course opened my eyes to more tools for oversight on the Hill while meeting more of my peers on both sides.” – House Staffer