I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8748 

To construct dog relief areas on the United States Capitol Grounds, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2024 

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Mr. MOSKOWITZ, Ms. WILD, Mr. CARSON, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, and Ms. NORTON) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To construct dog relief areas on the United States Capitol 

Grounds, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Capitol Dog Relief 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DOG RELIEF AREA. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Architect of the Capitol, in 

8 coordination with the House Office Buildings Commission, 

9 the Committee on House Administration of the House of 


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1 Representatives, and the Committee on Rules and Admin2 istration of the Senate, shall— 

3 (1) identify not less than 1 suitable location for 

4 a dog relief area on the United States Capitol 

5 Grounds; 

6 (2) approve a design for such area; 

7 (3) construct such area; and 

8 (4) construct any additional dog relief areas 

9 necessary to support the dogs on such Grounds or 

10 in Capitol Buildings. 

11 (b) DOG RELIEF AREA DESIGN.— 

12 (1) DESIGN REFERENCE.—The Architect may 

13 base the design referred to in subsection (a)(2) on 

14 a dog relief area not located on the United States 

15 Capitol Grounds. 

16 (2) DESIGN STANDARDS.—Each dog relief area 

17 constructed under subsection (a) shall adhere to 

18 standards— 

19 (A) described under the 2010 ADA Stand20 ards for Accessible Design adopted by the De21 partment of Justice (or any successor stand22 ards); and 

23 (B) developed by the Architectural Review 

24 Board of the Architect to preserve the historic 

25 character of the United States Capitol Grounds. 


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1 (c) DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL WASTE.— 

2 (1) SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL REQUIREMENT.— 

3 Each individual possessing a dog shall dispose of the 

4 solid waste produced by such dog on United States 

5 Capitol Grounds by placing such waste in a sealed 

6 plastic bag and placing such bag in a trash recep7 tacle. 

8 (2) VIOLATIONS.—An individual who violates 

9 paragraph (1) shall be fined— 

10 (A) in the case of a first violation, not 

11 more than $100; and 

12 (B) in the case of a violation following a 

13 first violation, not more than $500. 

14 (3) ENFORCEMENT.—The United States Cap15 itol Police may fine an individual under paragraph 

16 (2) for each violation under paragraph (1). 

17 (4) DISPOSITION OF FINES.—Fines collected 

18 pursuant to the authority provided under paragraph 

19 (2) shall be made available, without subsequent ap20 propriation, to the Architect for maintenance of the 

21 United States Capitol Grounds. 

22 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

23 (1) CAPITOL BUILDINGS.—The term ‘‘Capitol 

24 Buildings’’ has the meaning given such term in sec25 tion 5101 of title 40, United States Code. 


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1 (2) UNITED STATES CAPITOL GROUNDS.—The 

2 term ‘‘United States Capitol Grounds’’ has the 

3 meaning given such term in section 5102 of title 40, 

4 United States Code. 

5 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

6 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

7 necessary to carry out this section, to remain available 

8 until expended. 

Æ 


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