With New Powers, House Oversight Chair Bolsters Subpoena Authority

In a move that could bring more agency employees under the spotlight on Capitol Hill, Democrats now leading the House Oversight and Reform Committee have restored old rules on subpoena power to allow interviews by congressional staff whether or not a lawmaker is present. Confirming a Tuesday news report, a staffer on that long-contentious panel told Government Executive that “committee staff has always been allowed to conduct transcribed interviews without Members present, and they have conducted dozens if not hundreds over the past several years.” But when it came to depositions (under oath), “when Republicans came into the majority in 2011, they put in place a new rule that required Members to be present.” This has “proved unnecessary, so Democrats are returning to the previous rule,” the staffer said.