The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs and the Secretariat of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development and the International Republican Institute have co-hosted the “Training and Information for Members of Parliament: Oversight” virtual discussion today on February 2, 2021.

The opening remarks was delivered by Chair of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs, MP S.Byambatsogt. He stressed that the amendments to the Constitution of Mongolia made in 2019 have increased the parliamentary oversight functions. Accordingly, the Chairman of the State Great Hural issued a Decree No.62/2020 forming a working group to draft a law on Oversight of the State Great Hural. The importance of the draft legislation is focused on the long-term sustainability of the state policy by ensuring coherence between legislation and development policy documents as well as improving the quality of legislation and its practical implementation.

Also, First Secretary of the Secretariat N.Tsogtsaikhan briefed on the ongoing structural and organizational changes and capacity building activities of the Secretariat that aims to assist the State Great Hural to exercise its oversight functions.

Moreover, former member of the U.S. Congress Erik Paulsen, former Acting Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense, former Deputy Under Secretary of Intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security Todd Rosenblum, and former National Security Advisor to Senator Evan Bayh, Mark Epley have presented on the following topics: “Introduction to Oversight: A core tenet of a strong and independent legislature is the ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch”, “Committees as a Method for Oversight: Committees play a vital function for legislators to properly conduct oversight and have substantial jurisdiction when investigating” and “Hearings as a Method for Oversight and Holding the Executive Branch Accountable: The legislative branch can call the executive branch for hearings, even subpoenaing individuals, as well as request reports if the executive is not abiding by the limitations the legislature puts in place”.

Following the presentations, questions-and-answers continued on parliamentary decision-making processes on oversight, Oversight Committee’s functions and power, its prohibitions, as well as lobby groups and minorities' oversight over the Committee.

Press and Public Relations Department of the State Great Hural