Congressional Rules and Oversight of Intelligence Activities
Oversight of Intelligence activities is under the jurisdiction of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Only a small portion of the Congress, commonly referred to as the Gang of 8, is briefed on classified intelligence matters. The Gang of 8 includes: the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders; the House Speaker and Minority Leader; and the Chair and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.
are frequently barred from having a staffer with expertise on issues accompany them to the briefing and are barred from discussing any issues covered during the briefing.
Members are sometimes even barred from carrying a pen and paper or any other recording device into the briefings. Congressional rules also act as a strong disincentive for any Member who has concerns about a program to reveal their concerns to the public.
http://www.openthegovernment.org/node/4048
Michele Backman is on the intelligence committee but I doubt here staff knows much anyway but other members need their staff familiar with technology and science to help them.... they are not there to help ask the questions.
Otherwise it is just a one way conversation.