When preparing to give oral testimony before Congress , there are several rules and protocols you should be prepared to follow. One of these is the time limits for oral testimony.

photo credit: Jeffrey Beall

Time restrictions for witness testimony are often found in committee rules. The usual rule is five minutes, but in some cases committees allow for additional time, depending on the witness, the nature of the hearing and the issue. In most cases, the committee will allow up to ten minutes for additional testimony, but committee chairs do have some discretion regarding the allowance of more time based on the circumstances.

Generally, the committee staff will advise witnesses prior to the hearing of their time limit. However, it is the responsibility of witnesses to consult the committee rules and check with committee staff before the hearing to be certain they understand the time restraints. It is better to ask ahead of time and be sure you know how much time will be available than to prepare testimony that will be too lengthy and time consuming.

There is usually a clock on the witness to assist witnesses in keeping track of time. There may also be a light system that is used for signaling time: the green light indicates the witness should proceed, a yellow light announces that time is about to expire, and a red light means the specified amount of time has ended. A committee staff member operates the time keeping device from the dais.

In the event that additional time is needed, the witness can request an additional minute or two, but no more. Committee chairs can enforce time limits strictly or be lenient. In order to be fair to all witnesses most committee chairs try to strike a balance between strict enforcement and leniency.

For more information on giving testimony before Congress, consider TheCapitol.Net’s workshop Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony. We also offer custom on-site testifying training.

Reference: Testifying Before Congress, by William LaForge, Section 2.96 Time Limits for Oral Testimony

For more information about presentation and testifying training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Testifying Before Congress, by William LaForge
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Writing to Persuade: Hone your persuasive writing skills
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Writing Congressional Testimony
  • Preparing for Congressional Oversight and Investigation
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • Crisis Communications: Hoping That It Will Never Happen, But Glad You Planned For It
  • Keys to Effective Presentations: Invigorate Your Delivery and Increase Your Confidence