[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12196]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RESTORATION OF THE U.S. CAPITOL DOME

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to draw attention to the 
excellent work that the Architect of the Capitol has been doing in 
repairing and restoring the dome of our Capitol Building. I was 
recently briefed with an update on the progress they are making about 
halfway through the project. I am very impressed so far with the work.
  Starting last June, they installed 52 miles worth of scaffolding at 
25 layers around the dome. It only touches the dome at three areas so 
that the weight-bearing structures do not affect and damage the dome.
  I am glad to know, also, that part of the repair devices come from 
California. In order to repair the cracks that they have in the iron 
structure that happens over the years, a company from Turlock, 
California, devised a drill and self-tapping mechanism here that 
requires no welding, no cornices, none of the complications you get 
with cast iron, therefore making repair of the dome effective and very 
good for the long term.
  They have removed 12 layers of paint and will put on three new good 
layers to make the dome gleam. We have some really excellent folks, 100 
people in construction at any one time, helping to make our dome gleam. 
That is something we can all be proud of in our country, which is what 
I think this Capitol symbolizes: the greatness of the United States of 
America.
  So my hat is off to the great work of the Architect of the Capitol in 
restoring our dome.

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