Documents

If there’s one thing government does well, it’s generate paperwork. Many of the documents from committees can be found online — one of the few valuable functions of their generally poorly designed websites, particularly for reporters working outside Washington.

The committees generally provide witness lists, written testimonies and webcasts, which you can stream live at your computer or watch later from archived footage.

Some also offer their committee mark-ups and reports on approved legislation online. As always, contact the press office if you can’t locate a report.

But congressional committee websites tend to be unreliable when it comes to providing hearing transcripts. Most of the press offices recommend using CQ Roll Call’s transcript service, so invest in a subscription to make sure you can access that resource in a timely way.