There are a few options for viewing congressional hearings in the United States. The most common ways to view these hearings are through C-SPAN, committee websites, and webcasts on congress.gov. Keep reading to learn more about how to view congressional hearings.
Watching Hearings on C-SPAN
C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) is a private, non-profit company that provides access to government proceedings without editing or commentary. It was created in 1979 as a public service to allow citizens to observe the political process.
C-SPAN televises congressional hearings and meetings on its three television channels: C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, and C-SPAN3. The main C-SPAN channel focuses on live coverage of the House of Representatives. C-SPAN2 features the Senate, while C-SPAN3 has a variety of public policy events, hearings, and history programming.
All three C-SPAN channels are available nationwide on cable and satellite providers. Check your provider’s channel listings to find the C-SPAN channels. The stations are also offered through streaming services like Hulu Live, YouTube TV, and others.
When Congress is in session, C-SPAN will usually air complete, unedited coverage of high-profile hearings. This allows viewers to watch the proceedings in real-time as they happen. However, not every hearing happening on Capitol Hill will be shown on C-SPAN due to the limited number of channels.
C-SPAN has an online schedule at www.c-span.org/schedule that shows upcoming congressional hearings and other government events. You can check here to see if a hearing will be shown live or re-aired on C-SPAN.
Watching Hearings on Committee Websites
Many congressional committees and subcommittees provide livestreams or archived videos of their hearings on their official websites. The video access varies depending on the committee.
For example, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform has its own YouTube channel where it posts videos of hearings a few hours after their completion. The House Financial Services Committee provides livestreams of its hearings on its website homepage. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee website only has an audio archive for its hearings.
To find committee websites, you can visit the House of Representatives committee list at www.house.gov/committees and the Senate committee list at www.senate.gov/committees/committees_home.htm. Select the committee you are interested in and look for a “Hearings” section or similar on their website.
Committee websites are a good option for finding recordings of specific hearings related to the committee’s jurisdiction. However, live coverage may not always be available if the committee does not have budget and resources for web streaming.
Using Congress.gov to Find Webcasts
The Library of Congress runs a website called congress.gov that provides access to congressional documents and information. One feature of this website is its collection of video and audio webcasts of congressional hearings and meetings.
To find webcasts on congress.gov, use the following steps:
- Go to congress.gov
- Click on “Committees” at the top of the page
- On the committees page, select either the House or Senate
- Browse or search for the committee you want to find hearings for
- Click on the “Meetings & Hearings” tab on the committee page
- Select a specific hearing from the list to see webcast links if available
The webcasts on congress.gov come directly from the committees themselves. The availability of webcasts depends on whether the committee provides them. An advantage of using congress.gov is that it aggregates hearings from many different committees in one place for easier searching.
You can also find floor proceedings webcasts for the House and Senate on congress.gov by clicking on the “Floor Proceedings” links at the top of the committees page.
How to Find Replays of Hearings
If you miss a live hearing, there are still options for watching a replay:
- C-SPAN archives their hearing coverage online and makes replays available at c-span.org/video. Their video library dates back to 1987 with over 250,000 hours of content.
- Individual committee websites often provide archived videos as well. Check the committee site a day or two after the hearing for replay options.
- On congress.gov, previously webcasted hearings will be available in the Video Library after they occur. You can filter by date to find past hearings.
- Many members of Congress will upload opening statements and clips from hearings on YouTube or social media pages.
Searching online for news coverage of a hearing may also turn up video segments or clips from key moments.
Locating Unavailable Hearing Videos
In some instances, video or recordings of congressional hearings may not be made publicly accessible online. There are a few options in these cases:
- Make a request to the committee office for a copy of the hearing video.
- File a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the government for the hearing records.
- Visit the Center for Legislative Archives to access historical congressional hearing videos going back decades.
Unreleased videos may have restrictions due to national security, confidentiality, or lack of publication from the committee itself. But it still may be possible to obtain copies through formal requests or archives.
How to Understand Congressional Hearing Videos
Here are some tips for comprehending congressional hearing videos as you watch them:
- Know the committee hosting the hearing. The committee determines the topics and scope of the hearing.
- Look for opening statements. These lay out the positions of committee members and witnesses.
- Listen for the question-and-answer portion. This is when members really drill down on issues.
- Check witness names and positions. This provides context on their background and expertise.
- Watch for reactions. Facial expressions and body language add deeper meaning.
- Distinguish between facts presented and political spin. Both sides will push their points of view.
- Pay attention to tone. This can convey whether there is consensus or contentiousness.
It takes patience and effort to parse through rhetoric and theatrics. But close viewing will reveal key themes and significant moments from a congressional hearing.
Limitations of Congressional Hearing Videos
While video provides transparency into the hearing process, there are some limitations to bear in mind:
- Time constraints may limit how deep issues can be explored in questioning.
- Rules structure the debate, restricting spontaneous follow-ups.
- Political posturing for the cameras can occur on high-profile topics.
- Heavily partisan committees can tilt the discussion one way.
- Closed sessions may happen preventing public observation.
- Gaveling by the chairman controls the pace and who gets to speak.
- The absence of classified data or context can paint an incomplete picture.
Thus, videos should not be viewed as providing the complete, unfiltered truth. There are always political machinations behind open government hearings that shape their proceedings in ways both overt and subtle.
Conclusion
Congressional hearings allow for oversight of government operations, debate of policies, and creation of legislative records. And increasingly, technology allows citizens access to view the inner workings through video. While not perfect, these videos provide transparency and information to understand issues and actions that impact daily lives.
With C-SPAN’s comprehensive archives, committee webcasts, House and Senate floor coverage on congress.gov, and other online resources, it’s possible for voters to stay informed on congressional hearings addressing the topics they care about most. Watching and interpreting videos of these proceedings is an important civic responsibility.
By taking advantage of the various options available for viewing congressional hearings, citizens can see Congress at work conducting checks and balances, shaping national policy, and carrying out its constitutional duties. Staying engaged with these videos enables participation in the democratic process at the heart of American government.