II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 160

To authorize the Architect of the Capitol to develop and implement a plan

to improve the Capitol grounds through the elimination and modification

of space allocated for parking.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 19, 1999

Mr. MOYNIHAN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

A BILL

To authorize the Architect of the Capitol to develop and

implement a plan to improve the Capitol grounds

through the elimination and modification of space allocated for parking.

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 ‘‘Arc of Park Capitol

5 Grounds Improvement Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. CAPITOL GROUNDS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the

8 date of enactment of this Act, the Architect of the Capitol
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1 shall develop and begin implementation of a comprehen2 sive plan (referred to as the ‘‘comprehensive plan’’) for

3 the improvement of the grounds of the United States Cap4 itol as described in section 193a of title 40, United States

5 Code.

6 (b) ARC OF PARK.—The comprehensive plan shall—

7 (1) be consistent with the 1981 Report on the

8 ‘‘Master Plan for the Future Development of the

9 Capitol Grounds and Related Areas’’ prepared in ac10 cordance with Public Law 94–59 (July 25, 1975);

11 and

12 (2) result in an ‘‘arc of park’’ sweeping from

13 Second Street, Northeast to the Capitol Reflecting

14 Pool to First Street, Southeast, with the Capitol

15 Building as its approximate center.

16 (c) DETAILS.—The comprehensive plan shall provide

17 for, at a minimum—

18 (1) elimination of all current surface parking

19 areas, excepting those areas which provide on-street

20 parallel parking spaces;

21 (2) replacement of off-street surface parking

22 areas with public parks landscaped in a fashion ap23 propriate to the United States Capitol grounds;

24 (3) reconstruction of Delaware Avenue, North25 east, between Columbus Circle and Constitution Ave-
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1 nue as a thoroughfare available principally to pedes2 trians as contemplated by the Master Plan;

3 (4) elimination of all but parallel parking on

4 Pennsylvania Avenue, between First and Third

5 Streets, Northwest;

6 (5) to the greatest extent practical, continu7 ation of the Pennsylvania Avenue tree line onto

8 United States Capitol Grounds and implementation

9 of other appropriate landscaping measures necessary

10 to conform Pennsylvania Avenue between First and

11 Third Streets, Northwest, to the aesthetic guidelines

12 adopted by the Pennsylvania Avenue Development

13 Corporation;

14 (6) closure of Maryland Avenue to through traf15 fic between First and Third Streets, Southwest, con16 sistent with appropriate access to and visitor park17 ing for the United States Botanic Garden; and

18 (7) construction of additional underground

19 parking facilities, as needed, with—

20 (A) the cost of construction and operation

21 of such parking facilities defrayed to the great22 est extent practical by charging appropriate

23 usage fees, including time-of-day fees; and
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1 (B) the parking facilities being made avail2 able to the general public, with priority given to

3 employees of the Congress.

4 SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LOCAL LAW.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the con6 struction and operation of any improvements under this

7 Act shall not be subject to—

8 (1) any law of the District of Columbia or any

9 State or locality relating to taxes on sales, real es10 tate, personal property, special assessments, uses, or

11 any other interest or transaction (including Federal

12 law); or

13 (2) any law of the District of Columbia relating

14 to use, occupancy, or construction, including build15 ing costs, permits, or inspection requirements (in16 cluding Federal law).

17 (b) LIMITATION.—The Architect of the Capitol shall

18 comply with appropriate recognized national life safety

19 and building codes in undertaking such construction and

20 operation.

21 SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ARCHITECT OF THE

22 CAPITOL.

23 The Architect of the Capitol—

24 (1) shall be responsible for the structural, me25 chanical, and custodial care and maintenance of the
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1 facilities constructed under this Act and may dis2 charge such responsibilities directly or by contract;

3 and

4 (2) may permit the extension of steam and

5 chilled water from the Capitol Power Plant on a re6 imbursable basis to any facilities or improvements

7 constructed under this Act at a cost of such im8 provements.

9 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

10 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

11 as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this

12 Act.

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