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Legislative template

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Hearing prep sheet

Questions, backup facts, and timing for a five-minute round.

What this template is

A single-page hearing sheet with sequenced questions, supporting facts, anticipated answers, and follow-ups.

When to use it

Use for every hearing where the Member has a question round, and for opening statements when Chair or Ranking.

The template

HEARING PREP — [Committee] — [Date]

HEARING: 
WITNESSES: 
SEAT ORDER / EXPECTED TIME: 
ROUND LENGTH: 

OUR GOAL (one sentence): 

QUESTION 1 (to [witness])
Q: 
Why we ask: 
Expected answer: 
Follow-up: 

QUESTION 2 (to [witness])
Q: 
Expected answer: 
Follow-up: 

QUESTION 3 — MOST IMPORTANT
Q: 

BACKUP FACTS
- [Fact — source, date]

IF TIME RUNS SHORT: ask Q3 first.

Annotated example

OUR GOAL: Get the agency on the record with a date for the delayed rural broadband obligations report.

QUESTION 1
Q: When will the obligations report required under Section 000 be delivered?
Expected answer: "Soon" or "We are working through interagency review."
Follow-up: Will you commit to a date in writing to this committee within two weeks?

What each section is for

  • Seat order: tells you whether your questions will already be asked.
  • Our goal: one sentence keeps the round from becoming a speech.
  • Question 3: mark the most important question so it survives a short round.
  • Backup facts: every number needs a source and a date.

Common mistakes

  • Writing more questions than the round allows
  • Not preparing for the non-answer
  • Facts without sources
  • Questions the Member has not read before the hearing