Pub. L. 117–103, div. I, title II, §214, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 527, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(c)
"(1)
"(2)
Suitable structures and railings shall be erected in the old hall of Representatives for the reception and protection of statuary, and the same shall be under the supervision and direction of the Architect of the Capitol. And the President is authorized to invite all the States to provide and furnish statues, in marble or bronze, not exceeding two in number for each State, of deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or military services, such as each State may deem to be worthy of this national commemoration; and when so furnished, the same shall be placed in the old hall of the House of Representatives, in the Capitol of the United States, which is set apart, or so much thereof as may be necessary, as a national statuary hall for the purpose herein indicated.
(R.S. §1814; Aug. 15, 1876, ch. 287, 19 Stat. 147.)
Section was classified to section 187 of former Title 40, prior to the enactment of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, by Pub. L. 107–217, §1, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062.
R.S. §1814 derived from act July 2, 1864, ch. 210, §2, 13 Stat. 347.
Section 2 of act July 2, 1864, gave the supervision and direction of the National Statuary Hall to the Commissioner of Public Buildings.
Change of name of Architect of the Capitol, functions abolished, transferred, etc., by prior acts, see Prior Provisions and Change of Name notes set out under section 1801 of this title.
No statue of any individual may be placed in National Statuary Hall until after the expiration of the 10-year period which begins on the date of the individual's death.
Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to—
(1) the statue obtained and placed in National Statuary Hall under this Act; or
(2) any statue provided and furnished by a State under section 2131 of this title or any replacement statue provided by a State under section 2132 of this title.
(Pub. L. 109–116, §2, Dec. 1, 2005, 119 Stat. 2524.)
This Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 109–116, Dec. 1, 2005, 119 Stat. 2524, which enacted this section and provisions set out as a note under this section. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
Pub. L. 109–116, §1, Dec. 1, 2005, 119 Stat. 2524, as amended by Pub. L. 110–120, §1(a), Nov. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1348, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
[Pub. L. 110–120, §1(b), Nov. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1348, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending section 1 of Pub. L. 109–116, set out above] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of Public Law 109–116."]
(1) Any State may request the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to approve the replacement of a statue the State has provided for display in Statuary Hall in the Capitol of the United States under section 2131 of this title.
(2) A request shall be considered under paragraph (1) only if—
(A) the request has been approved by a resolution adopted by the legislature of the State and the request has been approved by the Governor of the State, and
(B) the statue to be replaced has been displayed in the Capitol of the United States for at least 10 years as of the time the request is made, except that the Joint Committee may waive this requirement for cause at the request of a State.
If the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approves a request under subsection (a), the Architect of the Capitol shall enter into an agreement with the State to carry out the replacement in accordance with the request and any conditions the Joint Committee may require for its approval. Such agreement shall provide that—
(1) the new statue shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as apply to any statue provided by a State under section 2131 of this title, and
(2) the State shall pay any costs related to the replacement, including costs in connection with the design, construction, transportation, and placement of the new statue, the removal and transportation of the statue being replaced, and any unveiling ceremony.
Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to permit a State to have more than two statues on display in the Capitol of the United States.
(1) Subject to the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library, ownership of any statue replaced under this section shall be transferred to the State.
(2) If any statue is removed from the Capitol of the United States as part of a transfer of ownership under paragraph (1), then it may not be returned to the Capitol for display unless such display is specifically authorized by Federal law.
The Architect of the Capitol, upon the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library and with the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts as requested, is authorized and directed to relocate within the United States Capitol any of the statues received from the States under section 2131 of this title prior to December 21, 2000, and to provide for the reception, location, and relocation of the statues received on and after December 21, 2000, from the States under such section.
(Pub. L. 106–554, §1(a)(2) [title III, §311], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–119.)
Section was classified to section 187a of former Title 40, prior to the enactment of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, by Pub. L. 107–217, §1, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062.
House Concurrent Resolution 47, passed Feb. 24, 1933, 47 Stat. Part 2, 1784, provided: "That the Architect of the Capitol, upon the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library, with the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts, is hereby authorized and directed to relocate within the Capitol any of the statues already received and placed in Statuary Hall, and to provide for the reception and location of the statues received hereafter from the States."
The Joint Committee on the Library, whenever, in their judgment, it is expedient, are authorized to accept any work of the fine arts, on behalf of Congress, which may be offered, and to assign the same such place in the Capitol as they may deem suitable, and shall have the supervision of all works of art that may be placed in the Capitol.
(R.S. §1831.)
Section was classified to section 188 of former Title 40, prior to the enactment of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, by Pub. L. 107–217, §1, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062.
R.S. §1831 derived from act June 10, 1872, ch. 415, §1, 17 Stat. 362.
The following provisions relate to works of art accepted or removed by the Joint Committee on the Library:
Pub. L. 117–326, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4452.—Replacement of bust of Roger Brooke Taney with bust of Thurgood Marshall.
Pub. L. 117–111, Apr. 13, 2022, 136 Stat. 1166.—Statues of Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Pub. L. 112–174, Sept. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1311.—Statue of Frederick Douglass.
Pub. L. 109–427, Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2912.—Bust of Sojourner Truth.
No work of art or manufacture other than the property of the United States shall be exhibited in the National Statuary Hall, the Rotunda, Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, or the corridors of the Capitol.
(R.S. §1815; Mar. 3, 1875, ch. 130, 18 Stat. 376; Mar. 3, 1879, ch. 182, 20 Stat. 391; Pub. L. 110–437, title I, §101(f)(2), Oct. 20, 2008, 122 Stat. 4985.)
Section was classified to section 189 of former Title 40, prior to the enactment of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, by Pub. L. 107–217, §1, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062.
Section is based on act Mar. 3, 1879, popularly known as the "Sundry Civil Appropriation Act, fiscal year 1879".
R.S. §1815 derived from act July 20, 1868, ch. 176, §6, 15 Stat. 110.
2008—Pub. L. 110–437 inserted "Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center," after "Rotunda,".
No room in the Capitol shall be used for private studios or works of art, without permission from the Joint Committee on the Library, given in writing; and it shall be the duty of the Architect of the Capitol to carry this provision into effect.
(Mar. 3, 1875, ch. 130, 18 Stat. 376.)
Section was classified to section 190 of former Title 40, prior to the enactment of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, by Pub. L. 107–217, §1, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062.