Speaker Guidelines

Before the Meeting

Advanced registration is required to speak at Commission meetings. Deadlines vary according to the preliminary classification of items on the Tentative Agenda.

Action Items require a staff presentation and discussion at the Commission meeting before a vote is taken. Some proposed action items may be moved to the consent calendar if no speaker has registered by the deadline stated in the Tentative Agenda, usually 8 days before the Commission meeting. For projects that remain action items on the Final Agenda, you can sign up until noon on the day before the Commission meeting.

Delegated Items are not voted on by the Commission, and there is no public testimony or discussion of these projects at the Commission meeting. Decisions are instead delegated to the Chairman, Executive Committee, or Executive Director. Proposed delegated items may become action items if a member of the public registers to speak on that item by the published deadline, approximately 2 weeks before the meeting.

Consent Calendar Items are voted on as a group by the Commission without a staff presentation or public testimony at the meeting.

If your project is not classified as an Action Item on the Final Agenda, then you may submit a written statement before the meeting.

Learn more about how items are classified for the Tentative Agenda.

At the Meeting

• Arrive early. Estimated starting times are listed on the Final Agenda, but these are only approximations.
• When your name is called, please step up to the podium and state your name clearly into the microphone. Your comments will be recorded.
• Indicate whether you are speaking as an individual citizen or on behalf of an organization. If you are representing an organization, submit an official letter stating that your testimony is authorized.
• Typically, private citizens have 3 minutes to speak. Persons testifying for organizations have 5 minutes. Time limits are subject to change at the discretion of the Chairman.
• A buzzer will indicate when your time is up. Please complete your sentence and conclude your remarks quickly.
• You may cede your time to another person only if you are present at the meeting.

Written Statements

You may wish to submit a written statement

Up to 7 days before the meeting, you may submit electronically. Within 7 days, deliver 25 copies of your statement to

Office of the Secretariat
401 9th Street, NW
Suite 500-North
Washington, DC  20004

The Final Agenda is distributed to the Commission the Friday preceding the Commission meeting. If we have the written comments before it is sent out, then we will include them. Otherwise, commissioners will receive them on the day of the meeting.

The Final Agenda is available to the public the Monday before the Commission meeting. If Monday is a holiday, then it is available on Tuesday.