WASHINGTON, DC — Like most of the professional world, when the pandemic hit in 2020 and meeting in person became more difficult and dangerous, Congress began relying on remote technology to conduct some of its business. This included the holding of committee hearings where members of Congress would question government employees and learn about topics of interest.
Beginning in 2020 and continuing through December 2022, many of the witnesses at those hearing—and in the earliest days of the pandemic most of the committee members—joined remotely. This flexibility allowed for witnesses to testify and be questioned who might not otherwise have been able to come to Washington, DC, to appear in person.
Upon taking control of the House for the 118th Congress, one of the Republican leadership’s first acts was to roll back that flexibility. The new House rules package adopted on Jan, 9 has virtually eliminated remote witnesses. All federal employees testifying before a committee must appear in person. Nongovernmental witnesses can apply to appear remotely but that decision is at the discretion of the committee chair, who then must seek approval from the majority leader.
The new House rules also stipulates that those few witnesses appearing remotely must be visible onscreen until excused by the chair and must disclose to the chair or ranking member where any additional individuals are present off-screen.
When the rules package was released, Democrats pointed to this move as a de facto rolling back of the diversity of voices being heard during hearings. This included Democratic members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, which has hosted hundreds of virtual witnesses over the last two years, who spoke to the committee from the farthest reaches of the country on issues important to veterans’ health.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), who served as committee chair under the previous Congress and now serves as ranking Democrat, submitted an amendment to the committee’s rules last month that, while, unable to counter the House rules package as a whole, would have required greater transparency in how those nongovernmental remote witness waivers were decided on.
He also used the opportunity to deride the rollback and point out how much the committee has benefited through remote technology.
“For all the negatives of the pandemic, this committee was forced to modernize,” Takano declared. “We held the first virtual bipartisan proceeding in the history of Congress. We allowed witnesses to testify from their workplaces, homes and the areas where they deliver services for veterans. In fact, we had over 400 witnesses participate remotely between April 2020 and December 2022. We opened Washington to veterans and others and, in the process, elevated voices from traditionally underserved communities. There is no reason to roll back progress in what is serving veterans.”
He also noted that, while the Democrats might have controlled the committee schedule for the last four years, Republicans also benefited from allowing remote witnesses.
“We heard from a paralyzed veteran from Montana about the digital divide and rural technology challenges,” he said. “This veteran would have had to take a train then fly to DC, all while using a wheelchair to participate in a roundtable. We need more individuals just like this veteran to testify to this committee. … We need to make this place more accessible to veterans like this, not less.”
Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) opposed the amendment, saying, “I appreciate the spirit in which it was offered, but I believe it takes away my ability to comply with House regulations in regard to remote witnesses. It is up to the Chair to request a waiver to allow remote witnesses. … The minority has my commitment that I will review each request for remote witnesses with great care.”
The amendment was not passed.
The new rules regarding remote witnesses have been overshadowed by more dramatic components of the House rules package, most notably the creation of several new subcommittees. That includes the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic under the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The subcommittee’s mandate is to investigate: The origins of COVID-19; the efficiency of taxpayer-funded relief programs; the effectiveness of any federal law targeting the pandemic; the development of vaccines and implementation of vaccine policies for federal employees and members of the armed forces; and the societal impact of the pandemic in general.