2021-22 Congressional Training Program Schedule
We’re excited to share the schedule with you for our Congressional Training Program for the 117th Congress. This curriculum covers all the essential aspects of Congressional oversight and investigations.
Sessions are open for RSVP typically two weeks prior to the event.
2022 Schedule
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Working with the Media on Oversight & Investigations
The media can bring attention and public outrage to your investigation. They can also ignore it. Learn how to work effectively with the news media during and after your investigation.
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How to: Conduct Oversight from a Minority Office
Trying to get answers when you don’t have a gavel can be hard. While "hard" formal investigative powers — such as subpoenas, depositions, hearings, and contempt proceedings may not be available — they are not the only tools at your disposal. Learn how to get creative with new partners and new approaches.
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How to: Conduct Oversight from a Personal Office
Trying to get answers when you don’t have a gavel can be hard. While "hard" formal investigative powers — such as subpoenas, depositions, hearings, and contempt proceedings may not be available — they are not the only tools at your disposal. Learn how to get creative with new partners and new approaches.
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Making the Most of Your Resources: Working with Inspectors General
Inspectors general (IGs) are independent watchdogs within federal agencies and are essential to a well-functioning federal government. They’re also great allies for your oversight work. Find out more about IGs, what they do, and how to leverage their expertise and mission for your oversight work.
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Federal misspending costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year—it’s an issue nearly every member (and voter) can appreciate. Learn how to spot potentially wasteful spending, get the facts, and call it out.
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Working with Agency & Industry Counsel on Oversight & Investigations (CANCELED)
The relationship between investigators and the subject of their scrutiny can be fraught and tense. But in some cases, they can help your effort. Learn how—and when—to work cooperatively with investigative subjects to achieve your goals.
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Understanding Agency Objections: From Deliberative Process to Legislative Purpose
Agencies can give many excuses for declining to cooperate with a congressional request. Which are valid and which aren’t? Learn when to listen and when to push back—and get the information your investigation needs.
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Apportionments set limits on how and when an agency may spend funds, what an agency may spend funds on, and any conditions an agency must meet before spending funds. Last year, for the first time, lawmakers required OMB to disclose apportionments to Congress and the public. In July, OMB met that requirement, unveiling a public apportionment website. Learn how to use this new resource, how to read apportionments, and how to find the apportionments associated with an appropriation or Treasury account relevant to your work.
Using OMB’s Apportionment Website: Resources for Congress -
Making the Most of Your Resources: Databases and Other Sources
Sometimes the information you need is just a few clicks away—if you only knew where to click. Learn about federal contracting databases and other tools to get the data you’re looking for quickly.
2021 Schedule
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The Confirmation Process (Virtual)
While the Senate alone approves presidential nominees, all committees and members have an interest in ensuring the administration’s top officials can serve the public with credibility and expertise, and minimal financial or ethical conflicts of interest.
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Oversight and Investigations: What it Means and How to Make it Work (Virtual)
An introduction to oversight, this session covers the constitutional basis for congressional oversight, how oversight is an essential part of legislating, and how to get started.
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Making the Most of Your Resources: Working with CRS (Virtual)
How to use the knowledge and resources of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), Congress’s shared research and analysis division, to boost your oversight and accountability efforts.
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How to: Write a Request Letter (NEW) (Virtual)
Correspondence from congressional offices asking for records or interviews are the building blocks of oversight. Learn how to write good request letters—and how to get them answered.
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Making the Most of Your Resources: Working with GAO (Virtual)
How to improve your oversight by calling on the experts and expertise of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent, nonpartisan agency that supports Congress.
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How to: Plan a Hearing (Virtual)
Hearings can be dramatic, high-profile events that drive change—or frustrating and pointless wastes of time. Learn how to make oversight hearings sharper, more efficient, and more effective.
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Given several committees' call for hearings on recent developments in Afghanistan, we are hosting a special training session with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) to help Congressional staff understand what went wrong and how to improve oversight investigations on Afghanistan.
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Working with Whistleblowers on Oversight and Investigations (Virtual)
Whistleblowers are vital information sources for congressional investigations, and they often risk major injury for coming forward: career implosion, retaliation, doxxing, online harassment, and worse. Learn how to work more safely and effectively with whistleblowers to advance your oversight efforts.
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Issue Focus: Overseeing Agency Cybersecurity
A data breach or hack can devastate an agency’s ability to succeed. Every agency grapples with cybersecurity—and few manage it well. Learn how to assess an agency’s cybersecurity and ask the right questions.