 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1793; 232 years ago (1793) |
| Jurisdiction | United States Capitol Complex |
| Headquarters | |
| Employees | 2,444 |
| Annual budget | $788 million (2022) |
| Agency executives |
|
| Website | aoc |
TheArchitect of the Capitol is thefederalagency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of theUnited States Capitol Complex. It is an agency of thelegislative branch of the federal government[1] and is accountable to theUnited States Congress and theSupreme Court.[2] Both the agency and the head of the agency are called "Architect of the Capitol".[3] The head of the agency is appointed by a vote of a congressional commission for a ten-year term.[4][5] Prior to 2024, thepresident of the United States appointed the architect upon confirmation vote by theUnited States Senate,[6] and was accountable to the president.[7]
The agency had 2,444 employees and an annual budget of approximately $788 million as of September 2022.[8]
The head of the agency sits on theCapitol Police Board, which has jurisdiction over theUnited States Capitol Police, and on theUnited States Capitol Guide Board, which has jurisdiction over theUnited States Capitol Guide Service. The head of the agency is a member of the Capitol Police Board and the Congressional Accessibility Services Board, as well as an ex officio member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission. Additionally, the architect of the Capitol is a member of the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the National Capital Memorial Commission, the Art Advisory Committee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the National Institute for Conservation of Cultural Property.[9]
Until 1989, the architect of the Capitol was appointed by thepresident of the United States for an indefinite term. The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1990[10] provided that that the president appoints the architect for a term of ten years, with theadvice and consent of the Senate, from a list of three candidates recommended by a congressional commission composed of thespeaker of the House,president pro tem of the Senate, the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, and the chair and ranking members of the House Committee on House Administration, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.[11][12] Beginning in 2024, the architect is appointed by a commission of the Senate and House and is eligible for reappointment after completion of a 10-year term.[13]
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible to Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 18.4 million square feet (1,710,000 m2) of buildings and more than 570 acres (230 ha) of land throughout Capitol Hill including: the House and Senate Office Buildings, Capitol Visitor Center, Library of Congress Buildings, U.S. Supreme Court Building, Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, and other facilities. The agency head is responsible for the care of all works of art in the U.S. Capitol as well as the maintenance and restoration of murals, outdoor sculpture and other architectural elements throughout the Capitol campus. The agency head also serves as Acting Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden.[9][2]
The office is also responsible for the upkeep and improvement of the Capitol grounds, and the arrangement of inaugural ceremonies and other ceremonies held in the building or on the grounds. Legislation over the years has placed additional buildings and grounds under the Architect of the Capitol.[14]
The Capitol Complex includes:[2]
| No. | Image | Architect of the Capitol | Term of office | Deputy Architect | Assistant Architect | Appointed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | William Thornton | 1793–1802 | — | — | Washington | Honored as the "first architect" for his design of the U.S. Capitol. |
| 2 | .jpg) | Benjamin Henry Latrobe | March 6, 1803 – July 1, 1811 | — | — | Jefferson | Latrobe was appointed twice. President Jefferson appointed him to take over work on the building in 1803, and construction halted in 1811. During the War of 1812, British troops burned the Capitol, prompting President Madison to reappoint Latrobe as Architect of the Capitol to conduct repairs. |
| April 6, 1815 – November 20, 1817 | Madison | ||||||
| 3 | .jpg) | Charles Bulfinch | January 8, 1818 – June 25, 1829 | — | — | Monroe | |
| 4 |  | Thomas U. Walter (Engineer-in-charge: Montgomery C. Meigs) | June 11, 1851 – May 26, 1865 | — | Edward Clark | Fillmore | Walter and Meigs shared responsibility for the Capitol and the construction of its additions. |
| 5 | .jpg) | Edward Clark | August 30, 1865 – January 6, 1902 | — | Elliott Woods (1901–1902) | A. Johnson | |
| 6 |  | Elliott Woods | February 19, 1902 – May 22, 1923 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | Elliot Woods was not an architect, so the title during this time (from February 14 1902 to March 3 1921) was known asSuperintendent of the Capitol Building and Grounds.[15][16] |
| 7 | .jpg) | David Lynn | August 22, 1923 – September 30, 1954 | — | Horace Rouzer (1930–1946) Arthur Cook (1946–1959) | Coolidge | |
| 8 | .jpg) | J. George Stewart | October 1, 1954 – May 24, 1970 | — | Arthur Cook (1946–1959) Mario Campioli (1959–1980) | Eisenhower | |
| 9 |  | George Malcolm White | January 27, 1971 – November 21, 1995 | — | Mario Campioli (1959–1980) William L. Ensign (1980–1997) | Nixon | Ensign acted as Architect after White's retirement until a replacement was appointed |
| 10 |  | Alan M. Hantman | January 6, 1997 – February 2, 2007 | Richard A. McSeveney (Deputy: August 2003 - October 2005)Stephen T. Ayers | Michael G. Turnbull (June 1998 – August 2021) | Clinton | The first architect of the Capitol appointed under the legislation passed in 1989 providing for a fixed, renewable ten-year term for the architects of the Capitol. On August 1, 2006, Hantman announced he would not seek a second term when his term expired in 2007. |
| 11 |  | Stephen T. Ayers | May 12, 2010 – November 23, 2018 | Christine A. Merdon (Deputy: 2011 – November 23, 2018) (Acting architect: November 24, 2018 – 2020) | Obama | Ayers was appointed acting architect of the Capitol from February 2007 – May 2010, and unanimously confirmed as Architect of the Capitol May 12, 2010. | |
| 12 | .jpg) | Brett Blanton | January 16, 2020 – February 13, 2023 | — | Trump | Terminated by President Joe Biden following an inspector general's report found that he engaged in "administrative, ethical and policy violations"[7] | |
| 13 |  | Thomas E. Austin | June 24, 2024 – present | Joseph A. Campbell (October 1, 2024 – present) | Congressional commission | First architect appointed by congressional commission after changes passed in the2024 NDAA.[17][18] |
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
