# Prepare testimony for a legislative or budget hearing

Written and oral testimony for a legislative committee, plus likely questions from members and safe, accurate answers.

- Topic: Presentations & Public Speaking
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Finance, Analyze, Code, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/prepare-testimony-for-a-legislative-or-budget-hearing

## Prompt

```text
Help me prepare to testify at a legislative or budget hearing.

**Committee and hearing type:** [e.g. "House appropriations subcommittee", "county budget hearing", "oversight hearing"]
**Topic or bill:** [BILL NUMBER or subject]
**Agency position:** [support / oppose / neutral / informational only, and whether it has been cleared]
**Time allowed:** [e.g. "3 minutes oral, written testimony unlimited"]
**Key facts and data:** [PROGRAM RESULTS, costs, caseloads, outcomes]
**Sensitive issues:** [audit findings, past problems, members' known concerns]
**Who else is testifying:** [if known]

Give me:
1. **Written testimony** (1-2 pages): who I am and my role, the agency position in one sentence, 3 supporting points with evidence, fiscal or operational impact, and a closing request.
2. **Oral remarks** timed to my limit (about 130 words per minute), opening with the position and ending with the ask.
3. **Likely member questions** (10-12), including hostile and off-topic ones, with short factual answers. Include how to say "I'll get that information to the committee" when I don't know, and log it for follow-up.
4. **Lines I should not cross**: commenting on pending litigation, speaking beyond the agency's cleared position, or speculating on numbers.

Rules: never invent data or quotes; mark gaps [ADD]. Respect the agency's chain of approval for positions; flag anything that looks like it needs clearance from our legislative affairs office.
```

## What to fill in

- BILL NUMBER or subject
- e.g. "3 minutes oral, written testimony unlimited"
- PROGRAM RESULTS, costs, caseloads, outcomes
- audit findings, past problems, members' known concerns
- if known
- ADD

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.