    Congressional Directory for the 110th Congress (2007-2008), August 2008.
    [Pages 557-567]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                          CAPITOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

                              UNITED STATES CAPITOL

                    Overview of the Building and its Function

        The United States Capitol is among the most architecturally
    impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has
    housed the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for
    more than two centuries. Begun in 1793, the Capitol has been built,
    burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored; today, it stands as a monument
    not only to its builders but also to the American people and their
    government.
        As the focal point of the government's legislative branch, the
    Capitol is the centerpiece of the Capitol complex, which includes the
    six principal congressional office buildings and three Library of
    Congress buildings constructed on Capitol Hill in the 19th and 20th
    centuries.
        In addition to its active use by Congress, the Capitol is a museum
    of American art and history. Each year, it is visited by millions of
    people from around the world.
        A fine example of 19th-century neoclassical architecture, the
    Capitol combines function with aesthetics. Its design was derived from
    ancient Greece and Rome and evokes the ideals that guided the nation's
    founders as they framed their new republic. As the building was expanded
    from its original design, harmony with the existing portions was
    carefully maintained.
        Today, the Capitol covers a ground area of 175,170 square feet, or
    about 4 acres, and has a floor area of approximately 16\1/2\ acres. Its
    length, from north to south, is 751 feet 4 inches; its greatest width,
    including approaches, is 350 feet. Its height above the base line on the
    east front to the top of the Statue of Freedom is 288 feet; from the
    basement floor to the top of the dome is an ascent of 365 steps. The
    building contains approximately 540 rooms and has 658 windows (108 in
    the dome alone) and approximately 850 doorways.
        The building is divided into five levels. The first, or ground,
    floor is occupied chiefly by committee rooms and the spaces allocated to
    various congressional officers. The areas accessible to visitors on this
    level include the Hall of Columns, the Brumidi Corridor, the restored
    Old Supreme Court Chamber, and the Crypt beneath the Rotunda, where
    historical exhibits are presented.
        The second floor holds the chambers of the House of Representatives
    (in the south wing) and the Senate (in the north wing). This floor also
    contains three major public areas. In the center under the dome is the
    rotunda, a circular ceremonial space that also serves as a gallery of
    paintings and sculpture depicting significant people and events in the
    nation's history. The rotunda is 96 feet in diameter and rises 180 feet
    3 inches to the canopy. The semicircular chamber south of the rotunda
    served as the Hall of the House until 1857; now designated National
    Statuary Hall, it houses part of the Capitol's collection of statues
    donated by the states in commemoration of notable citizens. The Old
    Senate Chamber northeast of the rotunda, which was used by the Senate
    until 1859, has been returned to its mid-19th-century appearance.
        The third floor allows access to the galleries from which visitors
    to the Capitol may watch the proceedings of the House and the Senate
    when Congress is in session. The rest of this floor is occupied by
    offices, committee rooms, and press galleries.
        The fourth floor and the basement / terrace level of the Capitol are
    occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops, and other support
    areas.

                             Location of the Capitol

        The Capitol is located at the eastern end of the Mall on a plateau
    88 feet above the level of the Potomac River, commanding a westward view
    across the Capitol Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument 1.4 miles
    away and the Lincoln Memorial 2.2 miles away.
        Before 1791, the Federal Government had no permanent site. The early
    Congresses met in eight different cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore,
    Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton, and New York City. The
    subject of a permanent capital for the government of the United

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    States was first raised by Congress in 1783; it was ultimately addressed
    in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (1787), which gave the
    Congress legislative authority over ``such District (not exceeding ten
    Miles square) as may, by Cession of Particular States, and the
    Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United
    States. . . .''
        In 1788, the state of Maryland ceded to Congress ``any district in
    this State, not exceeding ten miles square,'' and in 1789 the State of
    Virginia ceded an equivalent amount of land. In accordance with the
    ``Residence Act'' passed by Congress in 1790, President Washington in
    1791 selected the area that is now the District of Columbia from the
    land ceded by Maryland (private landowners whose property fell within
    this area were compensated by a payment of 25 per acre);
    that ceded by Virginia was not used for the capital and was returned to
    Virginia in 1846. Also under the provisions of that Act, he selected
    three commissioners to survey the site and oversee the design and
    construction of the capital city and its government buildings. The
    commissioners, in turn, selected the French-American engineer Peter
    Charles L'Enfant to plan the new city of Washington. L'Enfant's plan,
    which was influenced by the gardens at Versailles, arranged the city's
    streets and avenues in a grid overlaid with baroque diagonals; the
    result is a functional and aesthetic whole in which government buildings
    are balanced against public lawns, gardens, squares, and paths. The
    Capitol itself was located at the elevated east end of the Mall, on the
    brow of what was then called Jenkins' Hill. The site was, in L'Enfant's
    words, ``a pedestal waiting for a monument.''

                               Selection of a Plan

        L'Enfant was expected to design the Capitol and to supervise its
    construction. However, he refused to produce any drawings for the
    building, claiming that he carried the design ``in his head''; this fact
    and his refusal to consider himself subject to the commissioners'
    authority led to his dismissal in 1792. In March of that year the
    commissioners announced a competition, suggested by Secretary of State
    Thomas Jefferson, that would award $500 and a city lot to whoever
    produced ``the most approved plan'' for the Capitol by mid-July. None of
    the 17 plans submitted, however, was wholly satisfactory. In October, a
    letter arrived from Dr. William Thornton, a Scottish-trained physician
    living in Tortola, British West Indies, requesting an opportunity to
    present a plan even though the competition had closed. The commissioners
    granted this request.
        Thornton's plan depicted a building composed of three sections. The
    central section, which was topped by a low dome, was to be flanked on
    the north and south by two rectangular wings (one for the Senate and one
    for the House of Representatives). President Washington commended the
    plan for its ``grandeur, simplicity and convenience,'' and on April 5,
    1793, it was accepted by the commissioners; Washington gave his formal
    approval on July 25.

                           Brief Construction History

                                    1793-1829

        The cornerstone was laid by President Washington in the building's
    southeast corner on September 18, 1793, with Masonic ceremonies. Work
    progressed under the direction of three architects in succession.
    Stephen H. Hallet (an entrant in the earlier competition) and George
    Hadfield were eventually dismissed by the commissioners because of
    inappropriate design changes that they tried to impose; James Hoban, the
    architect of the White House, saw the first phase of the project through
    to completion.
        Construction was a laborious and time-consuming process: the
    sandstone used for the building had to be ferried on boats from the
    quarries at Aquia, Virginia; workers had to be induced to leave their
    homes to come to the relative wilderness of Capitol Hill; and funding
    was inadequate. By August 1796 the commissioners were forced to focus
    the entire work effort on the building's north wing so that it at least
    could be ready for government occupancy as scheduled. Even so, some
    third-floor rooms were still unfinished when the Congress, the Supreme
    Court, the Library of Congress, and the courts of the District of
    Columbia occupied the Capitol in late 1800.
        In 1803, Congress allocated funds to resume construction. A year
    earlier, the office of the Commissioners had been abolished and replaced
    by a superintendent of the city of Washington. To oversee the renewed
    construction effort, B. Henry Latrobe was appointed surveyor of public
    buildings. The first professional architect and engineer to work in
    America, Latrobe modified Thornton's plan for the south wing to include
    space for offices and committee rooms; he also introduced alterations to
    simplify the construction work. Latrobe began work by removing a squat,
    oval, temporary building known as ``the Oven,'' which had been

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    erected in 1801 as a meeting place for the House of Representatives. By
    1807 construction on the south wing was sufficiently advanced that the
    House was able to occupy its new legislative chamber, and the wing was
    completed in 1811.
        In 1808, as work on the south wing progressed, Latrobe began the
    rebuilding of the north wing, which had fallen into disrepair. Rather
    than simply repair the wing, he redesigned the interior of the building
    to increase its usefulness and durability; among his changes was the
    addition of a chamber for the Supreme Court. By 1811, he had completed
    the eastern half of this wing, but funding was being increasingly
    diverted to preparations for a second war with Great Britain. By 1813,
    Latrobe had no further work in Washington and so he departed, leaving
    the north and south wings of the Capitol connected only by a temporary
    wooden passageway.
        The War of 1812 left the Capitol, in Latrobe's later words, ``a most
    magnificent ruin'': on August 24, 1814, British troops set fire to the
    building, and only a sudden rainstorm prevented its complete
    destruction. Immediately after the fire, Congress met for one session in
    Blodget's Hotel, which was at Seventh and E Streets, NW. From 1815 to
    1819, Congress occupied a building erected for it on First Street, NE,
    on part of the site now occupied by the Supreme Court Building. This
    building later came to be known as the Old Brick Capitol.
        Latrobe returned to Washington in 1815, when he was rehired to
    restore the Capitol. In addition to making repairs, he took advantage of
    this opportunity to make further changes in the building's interior
    design (for example, an enlargement of the Senate Chamber) and introduce
    new materials (for example, marble discovered along the upper Potomac).
    However, he came under increasing pressure because of construction
    delays (most of which were beyond his control) and cost overruns;
    finally, he resigned his post in November 1817.
        On January 8, 1818, Charles Bulfinch, a prominent Boston architect,
    was appointed Latrobe's successor. Continuing the restoration of the
    north and south wings, he was able to make the chambers for the Supreme
    Court, the House, and the Senate ready for use by 1819. Bulfinch also
    redesigned and supervised the construction of the Capitol's central
    section. The copper-covered wooden dome that topped this section was
    made higher than Bulfinch considered appropriate to the building's size
    (at the direction of President James Monroe and Secretary of State John
    Quincy Adams). After completing the last part of the building in 1826,
    Bulfinch spent the next few years on the Capitol's decoration and
    landscaping. In 1829, his work was done and his position with the
    government was terminated. In the 38 years following Bulfinch's tenure,
    the Capitol was entrusted to the care of the commissioner of public
    buildings.

                                    1830-1868

        The Capitol was by this point already an impressive structure. At
    ground level, its length was 351 feet 7\1/2\ inches and its width was
    282 feet 10\1/2\ inches. Up to the year 1827--records from later years
    being incomplete--the project cost was $2,432,851.34. Improvements to
    the building continued in the years to come (running water in 1832, gas
    lighting in the 1840s), but by 1850 its size could no longer accommodate
    the increasing numbers of senators and representatives from newly
    admitted states. The Senate therefore voted to hold another competition,
    offering a prize of $500 for the best plan to extend the Capitol.
    Several suitable plans were submitted, some proposing an eastward
    extension of the building and others proposing the addition of large
    north and south wings. However, Congress was unable to decide between
    these two approaches, and the prize money was divided among five
    architects. Thus, the tasks of selecting a plan and appointing an
    architect fell to President Millard Fillmore.
        Fillmore's choice was Thomas U. Walter, a Philadelphia architect who
    had entered the competition. On July 4, 1851, in a ceremony whose
    principal oration was delivered by Secretary of State Daniel Webster,
    the president laid the cornerstone in the northeast corner of the House
    wing. Over the next 14 years, Walter supervised the construction of the
    extension, ensuring their compatibility with the architectural style of
    the existing building. However, because the Aquia Creek sandstone used
    earlier had deteriorated noticeably, he chose to use marble for the
    exterior. For the veneer, Walter selected marble quarried at Lee, MA,
    and for the columns he used marble from Cockeysville, MD.
        Walter faced several significant challenges during the course of
    construction. Chief among these was the steady imposition by the
    government of additional tasks without additional pay. Aside from his
    work on the Capitol extension, Walter designed the wings of the Patent
    Office building, extensions to the Treasury and Post Office buildings,
    and the Marine barracks in Pensacola and Brooklyn. When the Library of
    Congress in the Capitol's west central section was gutted by a fire in
    1851, Walter was commissioned to restore it. He also encountered
    obstacles in his work on the Capitol extensions. His location of the
    legislative chambers was changed in 1853 at the direction of President
    Franklin Pierce, based on the

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    suggestions of the newly appointed supervising engineer, Captain
    Montgomery C. Meigs. In general, however, the project progressed
    rapidly: the House of Representatives was able to meet in its new
    chamber on December 16, 1857, and the Senate first met in its present
    chamber on January 4, 1859. The old House chamber was later designated
    National Statuary Hall. In 1861 most construction was suspended because
    of the Civil War, and the Capitol was used briefly as a military
    barracks, hospital, and bakery. In 1862 work on the entire building was
    resumed.
        As the new wings were constructed, more than doubling the length of
    the Capitol, it became apparent that the dome erected by Bulfinch no
    longer suited the building's proportions. In 1855 Congress voted for its
    replacement based on Walter's design for a new, fireproof cast-iron
    dome. The old dome was removed in 1856-56, and 5,000,000 pounds of new
    masonry was placed on the existing rotunda walls. Iron used in the dome
    construction had an aggregate weight of 8,909,200 pounds and was lifted
    into place by steam-powered derricks.
        In 1859, Thomas Crawford's plaster model for the Statue of Freedom,
    designed for the top of the dome, arrived from the sculptor's studio in
    Rome. With a height of 19 feet 6 inches, the statue was almost 3 feet
    taller than specified, and Walter was compelled to make revisions to his
    design for the dome. When cast in bronze by Clark Mills at his foundry
    on the outskirts of Washington, it weighed 14,985 pounds. The statue was
    lifted into place atop the dome in 1863, its final section being
    installed on December 2 to the accompaniment of gun salutes from the
    forts around the city.
        The work on the dome and the extension was completed under the
    direction of Edward Clark, who had served as Walter's assistant and was
    appointed Architect of the Capitol in 1865 after Walter's resignation.
    In 1866, the Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi finished the canopy
    fresco, a monumental painting entitled The Apotheosis of George
    Washington. The Capitol extension was completed in 1868.

                                    1869-1902

        Clark continued to hold the post of Architect of the Capitol until
    his death in 1902. During his tenure, the Capitol underwent considerable
    modernization. Steam heat was gradually installed in the old Capitol. In
    1874 the first elevator was installed, and in the 1880s electric
    lighting began to replace gas lights.
        Between 1884 and 1891, the marble terraces on the north, west, and
    south sides of the Capitol were constructed. As part of the landscape
    plan devised by Frederick Law Olmsted, these terraces not only added
    over 100 rooms to the Capitol but also provided a broader, more
    substantial visual base for the building.
        On November 6, 1898, a gas explosion and fire in the original north
    wing dramatically illustrated the need for fireproofing. The roofs over
    the Statuary Hall wing and the original north wing were reconstructed
    and fireproofed, the work being completed in 1902 by Clark's successor,
    Elliott Woods. In 1901 the space in the west central front vacated by
    the Library of Congress was converted to committee rooms.

                                    1903-1970

        During the remainder of Woods's service, which ended with his death
    in 1923, no major structural work was required on the Capitol. The
    activities performed in the building were limited chiefly to cleaning
    and refurbishing the interior. David Lynn, the Architect of the Capitol
    from 1923 until his retirement in 1954, continued these tasks. Between
    July 1949 and January 1951, the corroded roofs and skylights of both
    wings and the connecting corridors were replaced with new roofs of
    concrete and steel, covered with copper. The cast-iron and glass
    ceilings of the House and Senate chambers were replaced with ceilings of
    stainless steel and plaster, with a laylight of carved glass and bronze
    in the middle of each. The House and Senate chambers were completely
    redecorated, modern lighting was added, and acoustical problems were
    solved. During this renovation program, the House and Senate vacated
    their chambers on several occasions so that the work could progress.
        The next significant modification made to the Capitol was the east
    front extension. This project was carried out under the supervision of
    Architect of the Capitol J. George Stewart, who served from 1954 until
    his death in 1970. Begun in 1958, it involved the construction of a new
    east front 32 feet 6 inches east of the old front, faithfully
    reproducing the sandstone structure in marble. The old sandstone walls
    were not destroyed; rather, they were left in place to become a part of
    the interior wall and are now buttressed by the addition. The marble
    columns of the connecting corridors were also moved and reused. Other
    elements of this project included repairing the dome, constructing a
    subway terminal under the Senate

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    steps, reconstructing those steps, cleaning both wings, birdproofing the
    building, providing furniture and furnishings for 90 new rooms created
    by the extension, and improving the lighting throughout the building.
    The project was completed in 1962.

                                  1971-Present

        During the nearly 25-year tenure (1971-1995) of Architect of the
    Capitol George M. White, FAIA, the building was both modernized and
    restored. Electronic voting equipment was installed in the House chamber
    in 1973; facilities were added to allow television coverage of the House
    and Senate debates in 1979 and 1986, respectively; and improved climate
    control, electronic surveillance systems, and new computer and
    communications facilities have been added to bring the Capitol up-to-
    date. The Old Senate Chamber, National Statuary Hall, and the Old
    Supreme Court Chamber, on the other hand, were restored to their mid-
    19th-century appearance in the 1970s.
        In 1983, work began on the strengthening, renovation, and
    preservation of the west front of the Capitol. Structural problems had
    developed over the years because of defects in the original foundations,
    deterioration of the sandstone facing material, alterations to the basic
    building fabric (a fourth-floor addition and channeling of the walls to
    install interior utilities), and damage from the fires of 1814 and 1851
    and the 1898 gas explosion
        To strengthen the structure, over one thousand stainless steel tie
    rods were set into the building's masonry. More than 30 layers of paint
    were removed, and damaged stonework was repaired or replicated.
    Ultimately, 40 percent of the sandstone blocks were replaced with
    limestone. The walls were treated with a special consolidant and then
    painted to match the marble wings. The entire project was completed in
    1987.
        A related project, completed in January 1993, effected the repair of
    the Olmsted terraces, which had been subject to damage from settling,
    and converted the terrace courtyards into several thousand square feet
    of meeting space.
        As the Capitol enters its third century, restoration and
    modernization work continues. Major projects completed in recent years
    include; repair and restoration of the House monumental stairs;
    conservation of the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol dome; completion
    of the murals in the first-floor House corridors; preparation and
    publication of a book on the artist Constantino Brumidi, whose paintings
    decorate much of the Capitol; installation of an improved Senate subway
    system; construction of the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary
    Building; construction of new House and Senate child care facilities and
    a new Senate Page school; and renovation, restoration, and modification
    of the interiors and exteriors of the Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
    Buildings of the Library of Congress.
        The most recent Architect of the Capitol, Alan M. Hantman, FAIA, was
    appointed in February 1997. New and ongoing projects under his direction
    included rehabilitation of the Capitol dome; conservation of murals;
    improvement of speech-reinforcement, electrical, and fire-protection
    systems in the Capitol and the Congressional office buildings; work on
    security improvements within the Capitol complex; restoration of the
    U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory; the design and construction of the
    National Garden adjacent to the Botanic Garden Conservatory; renovation
    of the building systems in the Dirksen Senate Office Building;
    preparation and publication of the first comprehensive history of the
    Capitol to appear in a century; and construction of a new Capitol
    Visitor Center. At the end of Mr. Hantman's term in February 2007, Mr.
    Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, assumed the position of Acting Architect of the
    Capitol.
        Work is now under way on the Capitol Visitor Center, which will make
    the U.S. Capitol more accessible, comfortable, secure, and informative
    for all visitors. Preparatory construction activities began in summer
    2002, including relocation of utilities and visitor screening
    facilities, and implementation of a comprehensive tree preservation
    program. It is scheduled to be completed in 2008.
        The CVC will be located underground on the East Front of the
    Capitol, so as to enhance rather than detract from the appearance of the
    Capitol and its historic Frederick Law Olmsted landscape. When
    completed, the CVC will contain 580,000 square feet on three levels,
    requiring a 196,000-square-foot excavation, or ``footprint,'' on the
    East Front of the Capitol. (For purposes of comparison, the Capitol
    itself encompasses 775,000 square feet.)
        The project will include space for exhibits, visitor comfort, food
    service, two orientation theaters, an auditorium, gift shops, security,
    a service tunnel for truck loading and deliveries, mechanical
    facilities, storage, and much needed space for the House and Senate.
    When completed, the CVC will preserve and maximize public access to the
    Capitol while greatly enhancing the experience for the millions who
    walks its historic corridors and experience its monumental spaces every
    year.
        All activities related to the Capitol Visitor Center take place
    under the direction of the Capitol Preservation Commission.

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                             HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGS

                          Cannon House Office Building

        An increased membership of the Senate and House resulted in a demand
    for additional rooms for the accommodations of the Senators and
    Representatives. On March 3, 1903, the Congress authorized the erection
    of a fireproofed office building for the use of the House. It was
    designed by the firm of Carrere & Hastings of New York City in the Beaux
    Arts style. The first brick was laid July 5, 1905, in square No. 690,
    and formal exercises were held at the laying of the cornerstone on April
    14, 1906, in which President Theodore Roosevelt participated. The
    building was completed and occupied January 10, 1908. A subsequent
    change in the basis of congressional representation made necessary the
    building of an additional story in 1913-14. The total cost of the
    building, including site, furnishings, equipment, and the subway
    connecting it with the U.S. Capitol, amounted to $4,860,155. This office
    building contains about 500 rooms, and was considered at the time of its
    completion fully equipped for all the needs of a modern building for
    office purposes. A garage was added in the building's courtyard in the
    1960s.
        Pursuant to authority in the Second Supplemental Appropriations Act,
    1955, and subsequent action of the House Office Building Commission,
    remodeling of the Cannon Building began in 1966. The estimated cost of
    this work was $5,200,000. Pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 87-
    453, approved May 21, 1962, the building was named in honor of Joseph G.
    Cannon of Illinois, who was Speaker at the time the building was
    constructed.

                         Longworth House Office Building

        Under legislation contained in the authorization act of January 10,
    1929, and in the urgent deficiency bill of March 4, 1929, provisions
    were made for an additional House office building, to be located on the
    west side of New Jersey Avenue (opposite the first House office
    building). The building was designed by the Allied Architects of
    Washington in the Neoclassical Revival style.
        The cornerstone was laid June 24, 1932, and the building was
    completed on April 20, 1933. It contains 251 two-room suites and 16
    committee rooms. Each suite and committee room is provided with a
    storeroom. Eight floors are occupied by members. The basement and
    subbasement contain shops and mechanical areas needed for the
    maintenance of the building. A cafeteria was added in the building's
    courtyard in the 1960s. The cost of this building, including site,
    furnishings, and equipment, was $7,805,705. Pursuant to the provisions
    of Public Law 87-453, approved May 21, 1962, the building was named in
    honor of Nicholas Longworth of Ohio, who was Speaker when the second
    House office building was constructed.

    Rayburn House Office Building and Other Related Changes and Improvements

        Under legislation contained in the Second Supplemental
    Appropriations Act, 1955, provision was made for construction of a
    fireproof office building for the House of Representatives.
        All work was carried forward by the Architect of the Capitol under
    the direction of the House Office Building Commission at a cost totaling
    $135,279,000.
        The Rayburn Building is connected to the Capitol by a subway.
    Designs for the building were prepared by the firm of Harbeson, Hough,
    Livingston & Larson of Philadelphia, Associate Architects. The building
    contains 169 congressional suites; full-committee hearing rooms for 9
    standing committees, 16 subcommittee hearing rooms, committee staff
    rooms and other committee facilities; a large cafeteria and other
    restaurant facilities; an underground garage; and a variety of liaison
    offices, press and television facilities, maintenance and equipment
    shops or rooms, and storage areas. This building has nine stories and a
    penthouse for machinery.
        The cornerstone was laid May 24, 1962, by John W. McCormack, Speaker
    of the House of Representatives. President John F. Kennedy participated
    in the cornerstone laying and delivered the address.
        A portion of the basement floor was occupied beginning March 12,
    1964, by House of Representatives personnel moved from the George
    Washington Inn property. Full occupancy of the Rayburn Building, under
    the room-filing regulations, was begun February 23, 1965, and completed
    April 2, 1965. Pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 87-453, approved
    May 21, 1962, the building was named in honor of Sam Rayburn of Texas.

    [[Page 563]]

        House Office Building Annex No. 2, named the ``Gerald R. Ford House
    of Representatives Office Building'', was acquired in 1975 from the
    General Services Administration. The structure, located at Second and D
    Streets SW., was built in 1939 for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
    as a fingerprint file archives. This building has approximately 432,000
    square feet of space.

                             SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS

                 Richard Brevard Russell Senate Office Building

        In 1891 the Senate provided itself with office space by the purchase
    of the Maltby Building, then located on the northwest corner of B Street
    (now Constitution Avenue) and New Jersey Avenue, NW. When it was
    condemned as an unsafe structure, senators needed safer and more
    commodious office space. Under authorization of the Act of April 28,
    1904, square 686 on the northeast corner of Delaware Avenue and B Street
    NE. was purchased as a site for the Senate Office Building. The plans
    for the House Office Building were adapted for the Senate Office
    Building by the firm of Carrere & Hastings, with the exception that the
    side of the building fronting on First Street NE. was temporarily
    omitted. The cornerstone was laid without special exercises on July 31,
    1906, and the building was occupied March 5, 1909. In 1931, the
    completion of the fourth side of the building was commenced. In 1933 it
    was completed, together with alterations to the C Street facade, and the
    construction of terraces, balustrades, and approaches. The cost of the
    completed building, including the site, furnishings, equipment and the
    subway connecting it with the United States Capitol, was $8,390,892.
        The building was named the ``Richard Brevard Russell Senate Office
    Building'' by Senate Resolution 296, 92nd Congress, agreed to October
    11, 1972, as amended by Senate Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to
    December 3, 1979.

                 Everett McKinley Dirksen Senate Office Building

        Under legislation contained in the Second Deficiency Appropriations
    Act, 1948, Public Law 80-785, provision was made for an additional
    office building for the United States Senate with limits of cost of
    $1,100,000 for acquisition of the site and $20,600,000 for constructing
    and equipping the building.
        The construction cost limit was subsequently increased to $24,196.
    All work was carried forward by the Architect of the Capitol under the
    direction of the Senate Office Building Commission. The New York firm of
    Eggers & Higgins served as the consulting architect.
        The site was acquired and cleared in 1948-49 at a total cost of
    $1,011,492.
        A contract for excavation, concrete footings and mats for the new
    building was awarded in January 1955, in the amount of $747,200.
    Groundbreaking ceremonies were held January 26, 1955.
        A contract for the superstructure of the new building was awarded
    September 9, 1955, in the amount of $17,200,000. The cornerstone was
    laid July 13, 1956.
        As a part of this project, a new underground subway system was
    installed from the Capitol to both the Old and New Senate Office
    Buildings.
        An appropriation of $1,000,000 for furniture and furnishings for the
    new building was provided in 1958. The building was accepted for
    beneficial occupancy October 15, 1958.

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        The building was named the ``Everett McKinley Dirksen Senate Office
    Building'' by Senate Resolution 296, 92nd Congress, agreed to October
    11, 1972, and Senate Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to December
    3, 1979.

                      Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building

        Construction as an extension to the Dirksen Senate Office Building
    was authorized on October 31, 1972; legislation enacted in subsequent
    years increased the scope of the project and established a total cost
    ceiling of $137,700,400. The firm of John Carl Warnecke & Associates
    served as Associate Architect for the project.
        Senate Resolution 525, passed August 30, 1976, amended by Senate
    Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to December 3, 1979, provided that
    upon completion of the extension it would be named the ``Philip A. Hart
    Senate Office Building'' to honor the senator from Michigan.
        The contract for clearing of the site, piping for utilities,
    excavation, and construction of foundation was awarded in December 1975.
    Groundbreaking took place January 5, 1976. The contract for furnishing
    and delivery of the exterior stone was awarded in February 1977, and the
    contract for the superstructure, which included wall and roof systems
    and the erection of all exterior stonework, was awarded in October 1977.
    The contract for the first portion of the interior and related work was
    awarded in December 1978. A contract for interior finishing was awarded
    in July 1980. The first suite was occupied on November 22, 1982.
    Alexander Calder's mobile / stabile Mountains and Clouds was installed
    in the building's atrium in November 1986.

                               CAPITOL POWER PLANT

        During the development of the plans for the Cannon and Russell
    Buildings, the question of heat, light, and power was considered. The
    Senate and House wings of the Capitol were heated by separate heating
    plants. The Library of Congress also had a heating plant for that
    building. It was determined that needs for heating and lighting and
    electrical power could be met by a central power plant.
        A site was selected in Garfield Park. Since this park was a
    Government reservation, an appropriation was not required to secure
    title. The determining factors leading to the selection of this site
    were its proximity to the tracks of what is now the Penn Central
    Railroad and to the buildings to be served.
        The dimensions of the Capitol Power Plant, which was authorized on
    April 28, 1904, and completed in 1910, were 244 feet 8 inches by 117
    feet. There are two radial brick chimneys 174 feet in height (reduced
    from 212 feet to 174 feet in 1951-52) and 11 feet in diameter at the
    top.
        The buildings originally served by the Capitol Power Plant were
    connected to it by a reinforced-concrete steam tunnel.
        In September 1951, when the demand for electrical energy was
    reaching the maximum capacity of the Capitol Power Plant, arrangements
    were made to purchase electrical service from the local public utility
    company and to discontinue electrical generation. The heating and
    cooling functions of the Capitol Power Plant were expanded in 1935,
    1939, 1958, 1973, and 1980. A new modernization and expansion project is
    now underway.

                              U.S. CAPITOL GROUNDS

                          A Description of the Grounds

        Originally a wooded wilderness, the U.S. Capitol Grounds today
    provide a parklike setting for the Nation's Capitol, offering a
    picturesque counterpoint to the building's formal architecture. The
    grounds immediately surrounding the Capitol are bordered by a stone wall
    and cover an area of 58.8 acres. Their boundaries are Independence
    Avenue on the south, Constitution Avenue on the north, First Street NE.
    / SE. on the east, and First Street NW. / SW. on the west. Over 100
    varieties of trees and bushes are planted around the Capitol, and
    thousands of flowers are used in seasonal displays. In contrast to the
    building's straight, neoclassical lines, most of the walkways in the
    grounds are curved. Benches along the paths offer pleasant spots for
    visitors to appreciate the building, its landscape, and the surrounding
    areas, most notably the Mall to the west.

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        The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), who
    planned the landscaping of the area that was performed from 1874 to
    1892. Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park, is considered
    the greatest American landscape architect of his day. He was a pioneer
    in the development of public parks in America, and many of his designs
    were influenced by his studies of European parks, gardens, and estates.
    In describing his plan for the Capitol grounds, Olmsted noted that ``The
    ground is in design part of the Capitol, but in all respects subsidiary
    to the central structure.'' Therefore, he was careful not to group trees
    or other landscape features in any way that would distract the viewer
    from the Capitol. The use of sculpture and other ornamentation has also
    been kept to a minimum.

        Many of the trees on the Capitol grounds have historic or memorial
    associations. Over 30 states have made symbolic gifts of their state
    trees to the Capitol grounds. Many of the trees on the grounds bear
    plaques that identify their species and their historic significance.

        At the East Capitol Street entrance to the Capitol plaza are two
    large rectangular stone fountains. The bottom levels now contain
    plantings, but at times in the past they have been used to catch the
    spillover from the fountains. At other times, both levels have held
    plantings. Six massive red granite lamp piers topped with light fixtures
    in wrought-iron cages, and 16 smaller bronze light fixtures, line the
    paved plaza. Seats are placed at intervals along the sidewalks. Three
    sets of benches are enclosed with wrought-iron railings and grilles; the
    roofed bench was originally a shelter for streetcar passengers. This
    area was closed to the public for the construction of the Capitol
    Visitor Center.

        The northern part of the grounds offers a shaded walk among trees,
    flowers, and shrubbery. A small, hexagonal brick structure named the
    Summer House may be found in the northwest corner of the grounds. This
    structure contains shaded benches, a central ornamental fountain, and
    three public drinking fountains. In a small grotto on the eastern side
    of the Summer House, a stream of water flows and splashes over rocks to
    create a pleasing sound and cool the summer breezes.

                  A Brief History of the Grounds Before Olmsted

        The land on which the Capitol stands was first occupied by the
    Manahoacs and the Monacans, who were subtribes of the Algonquin Indians.
    Early settlers reported that these tribes occasionally held councils not
    far from the foot of the hill. This land eventually became a part of
    Cerne Abbey Manor, and at the time of its acquisition by the Federal
    Government it was owned by Daniel Carroll of Duddington.

        The ``Residence Act'' of 1790 provided that the federal government
    should be established in a permanent location by the year 1800. In early
    March 1791 the commissioners of the city of Washington, who had been
    appointed by President George Washington, selected the French engineer
    Peter Charles L'Enfant to plan the new federal city. L'Enfant decided to
    locate the Capitol at the elevated east end of the Mall (on what was
    then called Jenkins' Hill); he described the site as ``a pedestal
    waiting for a monument.''

        At this time the site of the Capitol was a relative wilderness
    partly overgrown with scrub oak. Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the
    Declaration of Independence, described the soil as an ``exceedingly
    stiff clay, becoming dust in dry and mortar in rainy weather.''

        In 1825, a plan was devised for imposing order on the Capitol
    grounds, and it was carried out for almost 15 years. The plan divided
    the area into flat, rectangular grassy areas bordered by trees, flower
    beds, and gravel walks. The growth of the trees, however, soon deprived
    the other plantings of nourishment, and the design became increasingly
    difficult to maintain in light of sporadic and small appropriations.
    John Foy, who had charge of the grounds during most of this period, was
    ``superseded for political reasons,'' and the area was then maintained
    with little care or forethought. Many rapidly growing but short-lived
    trees were introduced and soon depleted the soil; a lack of proper
    pruning and thinning left the majority of the area's vegetation ill-
    grown, feeble, or dead. Virtually all was removed by the early 1870's,
    either to make way for building operations during Thomas U. Walter's
    enlargement of the Capitol or as required by changes in grading to
    accommodate the new work on the building or the alterations to
    surrounding streets.

                                The Olmsted Plan

        The mid-19th-century extension of the Capitol, in which the House
    and Senate wings and the new dome were added, required also that the
    Capitol grounds be enlarged, and in 1874 Frederick Law Olmsted was
    commissioned to plan and oversee the project. As

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    noted above, Olmsted was determined that the grounds should complement
    the building. In addition, he addressed an architectural problem that
    had persisted for some years: from the west (the growth of the city had
    nothing to do with the terraces)--the earthen terraces at the building's
    base made it seem inadequately supported at the top of the hill. The
    solution, Olmsted believed, was to construct marble terraces on the
    north, west, and south sides of the building, thereby causing it to
    ``gain greatly in the supreme qualities of stability, endurance, and
    repose.'' He submitted his design for these features in 1875, and after
    extensive study it was approved.
        Work on the grounds began in 1874, concentrating first on the east
    side and then progressing to the west, north, and south sides. First,
    the ground was reduced in elevation. Almost 300,000 cubic yards of earth
    and other material were eventually removed, and over 200 trees were
    removed. New sewer, gas, and water lines were installed. The soil was
    then enriched with fertilizers to provide a suitable growth medium for
    new plantings. Paths and roadways were graded and laid.
        By 1876, gas and water service was completed for the entire grounds,
    and electrical lamp-lighting apparatuses had been installed. Stables and
    workshops had been removed from the northwest and southwest corners. A
    streetcar system north and south of the west grounds had been relocated
    farther from the Capitol, and ornamental shelters were in place at the
    north and south car-track termini. The granite and bronze lamp piers and
    ornamental bronze lamps for the east plaza area were completed.
        Work accelerated in 1877. By this time, according to Olmsted's
    report, ``altogether 7,837 plants and trees [had] been set out.''
    However, not all had survived: hundreds were stolen or destroyed by
    vandals, and, as Olmsted explained, ``a large number of cattle [had]
    been caught trespassing.'' Other work met with less difficulty. Foot-
    walks were laid with artificial stone, a mixture of cement and sand, and
    approaches were paved with concrete. An ornamental iron trellis had been
    installed on the northern east-side walk, and another was under way on
    the southern walk.
        The 1878 appointment of watchmen to patrol the grounds was quite
    effective in preventing further vandalism, allowing the lawns to be
    completed and much shrubbery to be added. Also in that year, the roads
    throughout the grounds were paved.
        Most of the work required on the east side of the grounds was
    completed by 1879, and effort thus shifted largely to the west side. The
    Pennsylvania Avenue approach was virtually finished, and work on the
    Maryland Avenue approach had begun. The stone walls on the west side of
    the grounds were almost finished, and the red granite lamp piers were
    placed at the eastward entrance from Pennsylvania Avenue.
        In the years 1880-82, many features of the grounds were completed.
    These included the walls and coping around the entire perimeter, the
    approaches and entrances, and the Summer House. Work on the terraces
    began in 1882, and most work from this point until 1892 was concentrated
    on these structures.
        In 1885, Olmsted retired from superintendency of the terrace
    project; he continued to direct the work on the grounds until 1889.
    Landscaping work was performed to adapt the surrounding areas to the new
    construction, grading the ground and planting shrubs at the bases of the
    walls, as the progress of the masonry work allowed. Some trees and other
    types of vegetation were removed, either because they had decayed or as
    part of a careful thinning-out process.
        In 1888, the wrought-iron lamp frames and railings were placed at
    the Maryland Avenue entrance, making it the last to be completed. In
    1892, the streetcar track that had extended into grounds from
    Independence Avenue was removed.

                            The Grounds After Olmsted

        In the last years of the 19th century, work on the grounds consisted
    chiefly of maintenance and repairs as needed. Trees, lawns, and
    plantings were tended, pruned, and thinned to allow their best growth.
    This work was quite successful: by 1894, the grounds were so deeply
    shaded by trees and shrubs that Architect of the Capitol Edward Clark
    recommended an all-night patrol by watchmen to ensure public safety. A
    hurricane in September 1896 damaged or destroyed a number of trees,
    requiring extensive removals in the following year. Also in 1897,
    electric lighting replaced gas lighting in the grounds.
        Between 1910 and 1935, 61.4 acres north of Constitution Avenue were
    added to the grounds. Approximately 100 acres was added in subsequent
    years, bringing the total area to 274 acres.
        Since 1983, increased security measures have been put into effect,
    including the installation of barriers at vehicular entrances. However,
    the area still functions in many ways as a public park, and visitors are
    welcome to use the walks to tour the grounds. Demonstrations and
    ceremonies are often held on the grounds. In the summer, a series of
    evening concerts

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    by the bands of the Armed Forces is offered free of charge on the west
    front plaza. On various holidays, concerts by the National Symphony
    Orchestra are held on the west front lawn.