[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4347 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4347

   To authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish a Capitol 
 Visitor Center under the East Plaza of the United States Capitol, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 1998

  Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish a Capitol 
 Visitor Center under the East Plaza of the United States Capitol, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Jacob Joseph Chestnut-John Michael 
Gibson United States Capitol Visitor Center Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER.

    (a) In General.--The Architect of the Capitol is authorized--
            (1) to plan, construct, equip, administer, and maintain a 
        Capitol Visitor Center under the East Plaza of the United 
        States Capitol with associated improvements to the Capitol to 
        provide access thereto; and
            (2) to reconstruct the East Plaza of the United States 
        Capitol and its environs to enhance its attractiveness, safety, 
        and security.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the activities authorized under this 
section shall be primarily--
            (1) to enhance security at the perimeter of the Capitol 
        Grounds; and
            (2) to ensure the health and comfort of visitors to the 
        Capitol.
    (c) Gifts.--
            (1) In general.--For the purposes of carrying out this 
        section, the Architect of the Capitol is authorized to solicit, 
        accept, receive, and hold gifts or donations of money, 
        services, and property and to expend or otherwise utilize such 
        gifts or donations.
            (2) Treatment under tax laws.--Any gift or donation made 
        under paragraph (1) shall be considered a gift to the United 
        States for the purposes of income, estate, and gift tax laws of 
        the United States.
    (d) Plans and Designs.--
            (1) In general.--The Architect of the Capitol shall develop 
        plans and designs for carrying out the activities authorized 
        under this section.
            (2) Considerations.--In developing plans and designs under 
        paragraph (1), the Architect of the Capitol shall--
                    (A) give due consideration to the Final Design 
                Report of the Architect, dated November 10, 1995, 
                relating to construction of the Capitol Visitor Center; 
                and
                    (B) identify alternatives for construction of the 
                Capitol Visitor Center that will reduce the costs of 
                construction of the Center.
            (3) Transmittal.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Architect of the Capitol shall 
        transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
        of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and 
        Administration of the Senate a report containing the plans and 
        designs developed under paragraph (1).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF JACOB JOSEPH CHESTNUT-JOHN MICHAEL GIBSON UNITED 
              STATES CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER.

    (a) Designation.--To honor the memory of Private First Class Jacob 
Joseph Chestnut and Detective John Michael Gibson of the United States 
Capitol Police for the selfless acts of heroism they displayed on July 
24, 1998, in sacrificing their lives in the line of duty so that others 
might live, the Capitol Visitor Center authorized to be constructed 
under section 2 shall be known and designated as the ``Jacob Joseph 
Chestnut-John Michael Gibson United States Capitol Visitor Center''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States to the Capitol Visitor 
Center referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference 
to the ``Jacob Joseph Chestnut-John Michael Gibson United States 
Capitol Visitor Center''.
                                 <all>