[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 961 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 961

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the House 
 wing of the United States Capitol and House Office Buildings be open 
                     and accessible to the public.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 2022

 Mr. Steil (for himself, Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Scalise, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. 
 Rodney Davis of Illinois, and Mr. Loudermilk) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the House 
 wing of the United States Capitol and House Office Buildings be open 
                     and accessible to the public.

Whereas the United States Capitol has been closed to the public since March 12, 
        2020;
Whereas the Capitol is a symbol of democracy that millions of people visit each 
        year;
Whereas the Government of the United States derives its power from the consent 
        of the governed, and the American people have a constitutional right to 
        be heard;
Whereas the right of people to petition their Government is severely hindered by 
        the closure of the Capitol and the people's House;
Whereas the Capitol had only been closed briefly 3 times since the beginning of 
        the 20th century: during the Spanish flu pandemic, after the 
        assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and after the September 
        11 and anthrax attacks in 2001;
Whereas this is the longest closure of the Capitol in history, with no end in 
        sight;
Whereas, while the public is still unable to use the Capitol Visitor Center, the 
        vast majority of State capitols across the country are open to the 
        public;
Whereas schools are operating in person safely around the country; and
Whereas sporting events are being widely attended safely around the country: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives should--
            (1) expeditiously reopen the House wing of the United 
        States Capitol and House Office Buildings to the public;
            (2) remove any restrictions to the free and open access of 
        the public to the House wing of the United States Capitol and 
        House Office Buildings, such as visitor logs;
            (3) express to the United States Capitol Police that 
        reopening the House wing of the United States Capitol and House 
        Office Buildings to the American people should be prioritized; 
        and
            (4) take necessary measures to ensure that the House wing 
        of the United States Capitol and House Office Buildings remain 
        open and safe for the public.
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