In the public realm, testimony given in hearings before U.S. Senate and House committees is among the best that can be obtained. Habitually the staffs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee recruit articulate and sensible practitioners and analysts. The aim is to provide legislators with informed and current understanding of the most complex domestic and foreign policy issues. The written testimony is generally provided in a downloadable text format; video testimony of the hearings is also archived, allowing one to work on one’s computer or iPad while listening to the testimony. An iPad or cellphone provides easy access to the testimony while on the move. The oral testimony is usually much shorter than the written testimony; the written testimony is organized with a table of contents. Searching for a particular person or representative of a government agency is made easier. On foreign policy matters, testimony is equally informative, particularly from those committees associated with homeland security, intelligence oversight and defense. Naturally, one will find remarks by individual senators and congressmen as well, but it is the testimony that is most comprehensive and current. Positions of an administration on a particularly high-profile issue are found here; the verbal exchanges with representatives and senators are especially enlightening. We suggest using the search engine at the top right corner of the House and Senate homepages. Search for a person, country, event or topic.
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