[20010315]98-304GOV_众议院委员会听证会：安排证人.pdf

Congressional Research Service ? The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code 98-304 GOVUpdated March 15, 2001House Committee Hearings:Arranging WitnessesThomas P. CarrAnalyst in American National GovernmentGovernment and Finance DivisionSelecting witnesses is often one of the most important issues in planning a Househearing. Committees and subcommittees pay careful attention to which viewpoints willbe represented, who should testify, and the order and format for presenting witnesses. Awitness must be invited by a committee or subcommittee in order to testify; committeesand subcommittees also may subpoena reluctant witnesses to appear at a hearing. Selecting and Inviting WitnessesTo testify, a witness must be invited by a committee. Before officially inviting awitness, committee staff identify and often interview prospective witnesses. Committeesconsider people from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from the executivebranch; state, local, or other regional governments; academia; business; and interestgroups, as well as other private citizens. A committee may invite as many witnesses as itchooses, and may schedule multiple days of hea