Architect Of The Capitol

The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. It is an agency of the legislative branch of the federal government and is accountable to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court. Both the agency and the head of the agency are called "Architect of the Capitol". The head of the agency is appointed by a vote of a congressional commission for a ten-year term. Prior to 2024, the president of the United States appointed the architect upon confirmation vote by the United States Senate, and was accountable to the president.

Overview

The agency had 2,444 employees and an annual budget of approximately $788 million as of September 2022.

The head of the agency sits on the Capitol Police Board, which has jurisdiction over the United States Capitol Police, and on the United States Capitol Guide Board, which has jurisdiction over the United States Capitol Guide Service. The head of the agency is a member of the Capitol Police Board and the Congressional Accessibility Services Board, as well as an ex officio member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission. Additionally, the architect of the Capitol is a member of the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the National Capital Memorial Commission, the Art Advisory Committee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the National Institute for Conservation of Cultural Property.

Until 1989, the architect of the Capitol was appointed by the president of the United States for an indefinite term. Legislation in 1989 provides that the president appoints the architect for a term of ten years, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from a list of three candidates recommended by a congressional commission composed of the speaker of the House, president pro tem of the Senate, the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, and the chair and ranking members of the House Committee on House Administration, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Beginning in 2024, the architect is appointed by a commission of the Senate and House and is eligible for reappointment after completion of a 10-year term.

Responsibility

The Architect of the Capitol is responsible to Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of of buildings and more than of land throughout Capitol Hill including: the House and Senate Office Buildings, Capitol Visitor Center, Library of Congress Buildings, U.S. Supreme Court Building, Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, and other facilities. The agency head is responsible for the care of all works of art in the U.S. Capitol as well as the maintenance and restoration of murals, outdoor sculpture and other architectural elements throughout the Capitol campus. The agency head also serves as Acting Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden.

The office is also responsible for the upkeep and improvement of the Capitol grounds, and the arrangement of inaugural ceremonies and other ceremonies held in the building or on the grounds. Legislation over the years has placed additional buildings and grounds under the Architect of the Capitol.

The Capitol Complex includes:
* the Capitol
* Capitol Visitor Center
* the eight congressional office buildings
** Cannon
** Ford
** Longworth
** O'Neill
** Rayburn
** Russell
** Dirksen
** Hart
* Library of Congress buildings
* United States Supreme Court Building
* United States Botanic Garden
* Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building
* Capitol Power Plant
* Juno Webster Senate Page Residence
* United States Capitol Police headquarters and K9 division facilities
* other facilities

Architects of the Capitol

See also

* Office of the Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury
* Architecture of Washington, D.C.

References

External links

*

Official blog

''The Architect's Virtual Capitol''
*

''Architect of the Capitol: Evolution and Implementation of the Appointment Procedure''
from the Congressional Research Service

{{Authority control

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1793 establishments in the United States
Agencies of the United States Congress
Capitol