Capitol Visitor Center Authorization Act of 1997

Summary: Capitol Visitor Center Authorization Act of 1997 - Authorizes the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), under the direction of the U.S. Capitol Preservation Commission (Commission), to:  (1) plan, construct, furnish and equip the Capitol Visitor Center (Center) under the East Plaza of the Capitol; and (2) reconstruct the East Plaza and its environs to enhance its attractiveness, safety, and security. 
Requires the design of the Center to be substantially in accordance with the Final Design Report dated November 10, 1995, submitted by the AOC to specified congressional committees. Specifies entities responsible for Center exhibits, security systems, and management.      Directs the Commission to:  (1) establish a special committee to implement and oversee the Center project; and (2) develop and submit to specified congressional committees a detailed plan for financing the project at the lowest net cost to the Government.  Establishes in the Treasury the United States Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund for the collection of deposits received under the financing plan.  Directs the Capitol Police Board to study and report to specified congressional committees on the security cost savings and other cost benefits associated with the construction and operation of the Center. 
Authorizes the AOC to establish competitive procedures for work to carry out the project by the use of prequalification standards, and to award contracts on the basis of contractor qualifications as well as price.  States that such procedures and contract awards shall be final and conclusive upon all officers of the Government. 
Directs the Capitol Visitor Center Board to:  (1) establish Center operations, tour, exhibit, and education policies; and (2) establish and operate the Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop. 
Amends the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act of 1988 to:  (1) direct the Commission to carry out functions assigned under this Act; (2) provide increased Commission staff support from specified congressional offices; (3) authorize the Commission to delegate any of its functions to one or more special committees as long as membership of such committees is drawn equally from both Houses of Congress; and (4) provide fund transfer authority.  Renames the Capitol Guide Board the Capitol Visitor Board. 
Repeals provisions of title III of the National Visitor Center Facilities Act of 1968 to the extent that such provisions are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Capitol Visitor Center Authorization 
Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER.

    (a) In General.--The Architect of the Capitol, under the direction 
of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission, is authorized--
            (1) to plan, construct, furnish, and equip the Capitol 
        Visitor Center under the East Plaza of the United States 
        Capitol with associated improvements to the Capitol to provide 
        access thereto; and
            (2) to reconstruct the East Plaza of the United States 
        Capitol and its environs to enhance its attractiveness, safety, 
        and security;
in a manner that preserves and maintains Olmstead's ``General Plan for 
the Improvement of the United States Capitol Grounds'', 1874.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Capitol Visitor Center shall 
include--
            (1) providing reception facilities, educational materials 
        and exhibits, information, amenities, a gift shop, and other 
        programs and facilities for members of the public visiting the 
        United States Capitol; and
            (2) enhancing the security of the Capitol.
    (c) Design.--Plans for construction of the Capitol Visitor Center 
shall be substantially in accordance with the Final Design Report dated 
November 10, 1995, submitted by the Architect of the Capitol to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
Senate, and the United States Capitol Preservation Commission, subject 
to modifications approved by the Commission.
    (d) Exhibits.--The informational and educational experience 
afforded visitors to the Capitol Visitor Center, including all 
exhibits, shall be the responsibility of the United States Capitol 
Visitor Board under the direction of the United States Capitol 
Preservation Commission, as approved by the House of Representatives 
and the Senate. The Architect of the Capitol, the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms of 
the House of Representatives, and the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper 
of the Senate shall provide staff, support, and resources for the 
installation, assembly, and maintenance of all exhibits and other 
informational and educational fixtures and equipment. Exhibits and all 
informational and educational materials shall be subject to section 
7(b).
    (e) Security Systems.--The design, installation, and maintenance of 
security systems for the Capitol Visitor Center shall be the 
responsibility of the Capitol Police Board in accordance with section 
308 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996 (40 U.S.C. 212a-
4) and section 308 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1997 
(40 U.S.C. 212a-4a).
    (f) Management.--After the opening of the Capitol Visitor Center to 
the public, the Architect of the Capitol shall administer, maintain, 
and improve the Capitol Visitor Center as part of the Capitol Building 
and Grounds, subject to this Act and the oversight of the appropriate 
officers and committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
    (g) Definition of Project.--In this Act, the term ``project'' means 
the activities and purposes set forth in subsections (a) through (f).

SEC. 3. UNITED STATES CAPITOL PRESERVATION COMMISSION; FINANCING PLAN; 
              SECURITY STUDY.

    (a) Development of Project Implementation Capacity.--Not later than 
30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the United States 
Capitol Preservation Commission shall meet at the call of either co-
chairman for the purpose of establishing a special committee of the 
Commission to carry out the functions of the Commission in implementing 
and overseeing the project.
    (b) Financing Plan.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the United States Capitol Preservation 
Commission shall develop a detailed plan for financing the project at 
the lowest net cost to the Government. The financing plan shall provide 
for--
            (1) the acceptance of donations from public and private 
        sources to be used to minimize the use of or to repay any 
        appropriated or borrowed funds;
            (2) the use of any revenues generated by the Capitol 
        Visitor Center to minimize the use of or to repay any 
        appropriated or borrowed funds and, to the extent available, to 
        pay the operating costs of the Capitol Visitor Center;
            (3) the use of any other funds available for the 
        preservation and restoration of the Capitol; and
            (4) only to the extent necessary, the use of appropriated 
        or borrowed funds.
The plan shall be submitted to Committees on Appropriations and House 
Oversight of the House of Representatives and the Committees on 
Appropriations and Rules and Administration of the Senate.
    (c) Revolving Fund.--All funds described in subsection (b) shall be 
deposited in the United States Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund, 
which is hereby established in the Treasury. The Fund shall be managed 
as provided in section 9602 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
shall be available, without fiscal year limitation, to carry out the 
project, including--
            (1) the reimbursement of appropriations accounts of the 
        Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Architect of the 
        Capitol for all costs associated with the operation of the 
        Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop;
            (2) the payment of costs of the continued conservation and 
        preservation of the Capitol Building; and
            (3) the payment of costs of further acquisitions of fine 
        arts as approved by the Senate Commission on Art or the House 
        Fine Arts Board.
    (d) Security Study.--The Capitol Police Board shall conduct a study 
to assess security cost savings and other benefits resulting from the 
construction and operation of the Capitol Visitor Center and shall 
report the results of its study to the United States Capitol 
Preservation Commission and to the Committees on Appropriations and 
House Oversight of the House of Representatives and the Committees on 
Appropriations and Rules and Administration of the Senate.

SEC. 4. CONSTRUCTION.

    (a) Building Codes.--The project shall meet design standards 
applicable under nationally recognized building codes, as determined by 
the Architect of the Capitol. During construction, the Architect shall 
conduct periodic inspections for the purpose of ensuring that such 
standards are being met.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Laws.--The project shall not be 
subject to any Federal or State law (including law of the District of 
Columbia) relating to taxes, building codes, studies, reports, permits, 
or inspections.

SEC. 5. GIFTS.

    (a) In General.--For the purposes of carrying out the project, 
gifts or donations of services or property may be received, accepted, 
held, and disposed of, subject to the provisions of the plan 
promulgated under section 3.
    (b) Treatment Under Tax Laws.--Any gift accepted in accordance with 
the plan promulgated under section 3 shall be considered a gift to the 
United States for the purposes of income, estate, and gift tax laws of 
the United States.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Architect of the 
Capitol may establish competitive procedures for work on the project by 
the use of prequalification standards and may award contracts on the 
basis of contractor qualifications as well as price. Such procedures 
and contract awards shall be final and conclusive upon all officers of 
the Government.

SEC. 7. CAPITOL VISITOR BOARD.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Authority of capitol visitor board.--The Capitol 
        Visitor Board, under the direction of the United States Capitol 
        Preservation Commission and subject to prior approval of the 
        House of Representatives and the Senate, shall establish the 
        Capitol Visitor Center operations, tour, exhibit and education 
        policies, including--
                    (A) establishing hours of operation, tour content, 
                and tour schedules;
                    (B) producing or selecting films, videos, exhibits, 
                publications, and other items of an educational nature; 
                and
                    (C) approving items for sale by the Capitol Visitor 
                Center gift shop.
            (2) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Capitol Visitor Board shall consult with the Historians of the 
        Senate and House of Representatives, the Senate Commission on 
        Art, the House Fine Arts Board, and any advisory board of the 
        United States Capitol Preservation Commission designated for 
        this purpose by the Commission.
            (3) Other authorities not affected.--
                    (A) Security.--Nothing in this section affects the 
                authority of the Capitol Police Board with respect to 
security of the Capitol, the Capitol Visitor Center, or their environs.
                    (B) Senate commission on art.--Nothing in this 
                section affects the authority of the Senate Commission 
                on Art with respect to the Old Senate Chamber and the 
                Old Supreme Court Chamber.
    (b) Exhibits and Informational and Educational Material.--
            (1) Exhibits.--Exhibits, including any audio, video, or 
        demonstrative presentations, shall illustrate the history and 
        the Constitutional role of the United States Congress and the 
        history, including art and architectural history, of the 
        Capitol.
            (2) Informational and educational materials.--To assist 
        visitors, the Capitol Visitor Board shall publish or provide 
        for informational and educational materials for free 
        distribution to the public, in accordance with title 44, United 
        States Code. Materials provided for sale may be purchased 
        through approved procedures for the Capitol Visitor Center gift 
        shop and any revenues produced shall be deposited to the United 
        States Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund account as 
        approved by the United States Capitol Preservation Commission.
    (c) Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop.--
            (1) Purpose.--The Capitol Visitor Center Board shall 
        establish and operate the Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop in 
        accordance with policies approved by the United States Capitol 
        Preservation Commission and the appropriate oversight 
        committees of each House.
            (2) Proceeds of sales or services.--All monies received 
        from sales or services of the Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop 
        shall be deposited in the United States Capitol Visitor Center 
        Revolving Fund established by section 3(c) of this Act.

SEC. 8. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL PRESERVATION 
              COMMISSION.

    (a) Purposes.--Section 801(a) of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act 
of 1988 (40 U.S.C. 188a(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2); and
            (2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
            ``(3) carrying out functions assigned by the Capitol 
        Visitor Center Authorization Act of 1997; and
            ``(4) conducting other activities that directly facilitate, 
        encourage, or support the purposes specified in the preceding 
        paragraphs.''.
    (b) Staff Support.--Section 801(e) Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act 
of 1988 (40 U.S.C. 188a(e)) is amended by inserting ``Clerk of the 
House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at 
Arms of the House of Representatives, the Sergeant at Arms and 
Doorkeeper of the Senate, the'' after ``The''.
    (c) Delegation.--Section 801 of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act 
of 1988 (40 U.S.C. 188a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Delegation.--In addition to the special committee provided 
for by section 3(a), the United States Capitol Preservation Commission 
may delegate any functions to 1 or more special committees if the 
membership of each such committee is drawn equally from the House of 
Representatives and the Senate.''.
    (d) Fund Transfers.--Section 803 of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation 
Act of 1988 (40 U.S.C. 188a-2) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(f) Transfers.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the balance in the account in excess of $250,000 
shall be transferred to the fund established by section 3(c) of the 
Capitol Visitor Center Authorization Act of 1997.''.
    (e) Capitol Visitor Board.--
            (1) Renaming.--Section 441 of the Legislative 
        Reorganization Act of 1970 (40 U.S.C. 851) is amended by 
        striking ``Capitol Guide Board'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``Capitol Visitor Board''.
            (2) Information.--Section 441(a) of the Legislative 
        Reorganization Act of 1970 (40 U.S.C. 851(a)) is amended by 
        inserting after ``Architect of the Capitol,'' the following: 
        ``the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of 
        Representatives,''.

SEC. 9. REPEAL.

    (a) In General.--The provisions of title III of the National 
Visitor Center Facilities Act of 1968 (40 U.S.C. 831) shall be repealed 
to the extent that such provisions are inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 301 of the National Visitor 
Center Facilities Act of 1968 (40 U.S.C. 831) is amended by striking 
``the United States Capitol Historical Society,''.