Oversight Research
Our objective is to foster high-quality oversight investigations by elected officials at the federal, state, local and international levels. To support that objective, we facilitate and expand scholarly research into issues related to oversight investigations.
How we support oversight scholarship
Our academic activities include sponsoring panel discussions and academic gatherings, offering fellowships and other research opportunities, providing extensive research resources, and maintaining an oversight scholar listserve to promote academic exchange and discussion.
Sign-up to our oversight scholars listserv
We maintain a listserv for oversight scholars to distribute new research or research resources.
Oversight Case Law
Although the right of Congress to conduct investigations has been litigated in the courts for more than 200 years, the case law arises from a relatively small number of court decisions. In recent years, however, federal courts have seen an influx of new cases, which we have gathered on our oversight case law pages.
Congressional Oversight Records Database
The Congressional Oversight Records Database (CORD) is the first database of its kind gathering oversight materials including a collection of congressional oversight reports from the 102nd to the 117th congress. CORD is continuously expanding and we welcome academics’ ideas on new collections and materials.
Oversight Fellows
We launched our oversight fellowship program in 2021 and are awarding one or more non-resident fellowship every year to early career scholars to promote and advance research efforts in oversight.
Oversight Library
As a service to the academic community interested in oversight issues, we facilitate access to academic research papers, books, datasets and other materials on topics of interest. Search our extensive oversight library or submit new entries for us to add!
Portraits in Oversight
Scholars, educators, the public, and even legislators are not always sure about what is meant by the term “oversight.” To help explain, we’ve compiled short portraits of important congressional oversight investigations as well as Members of Congress who championed oversight. Join us for a quick history walk!
Oversight Research Award
Our yearly ‘Excellence in Oversight Research’ award recognizes an outstanding oversight research paper with a prize of $2,500. Submit a paper to be considered for this year’s award!
