IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 162
Providing for enclosing the galleries of the House of Representatives with
a transparent and substantial material.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 6, 1999
Mr. BURTON of Indiana submitted the following resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on House Administration
RESOLUTION
Providing for enclosing the galleries of the House of
Representatives with a transparent and substantial material.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The first bombing of the Capitol occurred
in the Senate Wing of the building in 1915 by a
man protesting United States involvement in World
War I.
(2) On March 1, 1954, 4 Puerto Rican nation-
alists armed with .38 caliber revolvers entered the
visitors’ gallery and fired a total of 19 shots at the
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Members and staff while the House of Representa-
tives was in session and conducting a vote. 5 mem-
bers of Congress were struck by the gunfire.
(3) In 1971, a group named the Weather Un-
derground planted an explosive device in a first-floor
restroom on the Senate side of the Capitol to protest
United States military involvement in the Vietnam
War. The device detonated early in the morning
when the building was closed, causing extensive
damages but no injuries.
(4) In 1983, a man carrying an improvised ex-
plosive device strapped to his body entered the
House gallery while the House was in session. He
was able to construct the device in such a manner
as to avoid detection during security screening. Dur-
ing a floor debate, the man attempted to detonate
the device until United States Capitol Police officers
restrained the man, removed him from the gallery,
and secured the device.
(5) In 1983, a group named the Armed Resist-
ance Unit planted an explosive device on the second
floor of the Senate wing of the Capitol, outside the
Senate Chamber. The group was protesting United
States military involvement in Central America. The
device detonated at 11:00 p.m. causing extensive
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damage to the area around the Chamber. At the
time, the Senate recessed early and no one was in
the area when the blast occurred.
(6) On July 24, 1998, a lone gunman entered
the Document Door of the Capitol and immediately
shot and killed the officer posted at that location.
The gunman then exchanged gunfire with another
officer before fleeing further into the building where
he engaged in another gunfight in which a second
officer was killed. The gunman was shot several
times during this incident.
(7) The House and Senate visitors galleries are
the frequent target of demonstrators. Whenever the
House or Senate is debating a subject which is con-
troversial or polarizing, it is not uncommon for dis-
turbances to occur in the galleries in the form of
civil disobedience.
(8) Since August 1996, the United States Cap-
itol Police have arrested 3 persons in the House gal-
leries and 15 persons in the Senate galleries for dis-
rupting Congress.
(9) 7,000,000 to 10,000,000 tourists visit the
Capitol complex annually.
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(10) In 1997, the Capitol hosted more than
2,000 American and foreign dignitaries, and was the
site for nearly 300 scheduled demonstrations.
(11) In addition to lawmakers and their staff,
a sizable number of journalists, lobbyists, and serv-
ice personnel also work within the Capitol complex.
(12) These incidents and the amount of visitors
and personnel present in the Capitol have prompted
increases in the level of security afforded the Capitol
complex.
SEC. 2. ENCLOSURE OF HOUSE GALLERY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Architect of the Capitol shall
enclose the galleries of the House of Representatives with
a transparent and substantial material, and shall install
equipment so that the proceedings on the floor of the
House will be clearly audible in the galleries.
(b) AUTHORIZATION.—There shall be paid out of the
applicable accounts of the House of Representatives such
sums as may be reasonably necessary to carry out this
resolution.
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