Responsibilities of the Architect of the Capitol

The Architect of the Capitol is charged with the operation and maintenance of the buildings committed to his care by Congress. Permanent authority for the care and maintenance of the United States Capitol is established by the Act of August 15, 1876 (19 Stat. 147; 40 U.S.C. 162-163). The Architect's duties include the mechanical and structural maintenance of the building, the upkeep and improvement of the Capitol grounds, and the arrangement of inaugural ceremonies and other events and ceremonies held in the building or on the grounds. Legislation has been enacted from time to time to provide for additional buildings and grounds placed under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol.

Today, in addition to the Capitol, the Architect is responsible for the upkeep of all of the congressional office buildings, the Library of Congress buildings, the United States Supreme Court building, the Federal Judiciary Building, the Capitol Power Plant, the Capitol Police headquarters, and the Robert A. Taft Memorial.

The Architect performs his duties in connection with the Senate side of the Capitol, the Senate Office Buildings, and the operation of the Senate Restaurants subject to the approval of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

In matters of general policy in connection with the House Office Buildings and the Capitol Power Plant, his activities are subject to the approval and direction of the House Office Building Commission. The Architect is under the direction of the Speaker in matters concerning the House side of the Capitol.

He is responsible for the care and repair of all works of art in the Capitol under the direction of the Joint Committee on the Library, and he provides advice and assistance as requested by the House Fine Arts Board with respect to items in its Registry; in addition, he is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of murals and other architectural elements throughout the Capitol Complex.

In addition, the Architect of the Capitol serves as the Acting Director of the United States Botanic Garden under the Joint Committee on the Library.

Recent projects carried out by the Architect of the Capitol include

• restoration of the frescoed Capitol Rotunda canopy and frieze and the Statue of Freedom
• restoration of the west central front of the Capitol and the Olmsted terraces, including conversion of the courtyards into meeting rooms
• repair and restoration of the House monumental stairs
• installation of permanent television broadcasting facilities for the Senate Chamber
• completion of the murals in the first-floor House corridors
• installation of an improved Senate subway system
• oversight of design and construction of the new Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building
• renovation, restoration, and modification of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson and John Adams Buildings
• renovation of a recently acquired building to serve as the Senate Page School and Dormitory

Current projects under the direction of the Architect of the Capitol include

• replacement of worn Minton tile in the Senate corridors of the Capitol
• conservation in the Brumidi Corridors
• rehabilitation of the U.S. Capitol dome
• renovation of hearing rooms and other spaces and the improvement of speech-reinforcement, electrical, fire- protection, plumbing, and transportation systems in the Capitol and Congressional office buildings
• removal of architectural barriers throughout the Capitol Complex
• development of publications and exhibits for the bicentennial of the Capitol
• preparation of a telecommunications plan for the Legislative Branch agencies
• leasing of space in Postal Square for various Senate support services
• work on security improvements within the Capitol Complex
• management oversight of the Federal Judiciary Building
• renovation of the Botanic Garden Conservatory
• work with the National Fund for the U.S. Botanic Garden on the design and construction of the National Garden adjacent to the Botanic Garden Conservatory
• direction of the Master Plan for the future development of the Capitol Complex
• planning and development of a Capitol Visitor Center.

The Architect of the Capitol serves as a member of the following governing or advisory bodies: Capitol Police Board, Capitol Guide Board, District of Columbia Zoning Commission, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Capital Memorial Commission, and Art Advisory Committee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. He is also a member of Heritage Preservation and an ex-officio member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission and the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Capitol.