I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5521 
To amend title 40, United States Code, to permit commercial filmmaking 
and photography on the United States Capitol grounds, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 19, 2019 
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 40, United States Code, to permit commercial 
filmmaking and photography on the United States Cap-
itol grounds, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. PERMITTING COMMERCIAL FILMMAKING AND 
PHOTOGRAPHY ON UNITED STATES CAPITOL 
GROUNDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5106 of title 40, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
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‘‘(d) COMMERCIAL
FILMMAKING
AND
PHOTOG-
RAPHY.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION
BY
CAPITOL
POLICE.— 
Notwithstanding section 5104(c) or any other provi-
sion of this chapter which restricts commercial activ-
ity on the United States Capitol Grounds, the Chief 
of the United States Capitol Police (hereafter in this 
subsection referred to as the ‘Chief’)— 
‘‘(A) may issue a permit authorizing a per-
son to engage in appropriate commercial 
filmmaking and photography activity on the 
United States Capitol Grounds (other than any 
Capitol Buildings described in section 5101), so 
long as the person only engages in such activity 
on a day on which neither House of Congress 
is in session; and 
‘‘(B) under the terms and conditions of 
such a permit, may require the person to whom 
the permit is issued to pay an appropriate fee 
to cover any costs incurred by the Architect of 
the Capitol as a result of the issuance of the 
permit. 
‘‘(2) TYPES
OF
ACTIVITIES
AND
FEES
PER-
MITTED.—For purposes of paragraph (1)— 
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‘‘(A) commercial filmmaking and photog-
raphy activity shall be considered appropriate 
only if the activity is similar to the types of 
commercial activity permitted in Union Square 
prior to the transfer of jurisdiction and control 
of Union Square to the Architect of the Capitol 
under section 1202 of the Legislative Branch 
Appropriations Act, 2012 (2 U.S.C. 1811 note); 
and 
‘‘(B) a fee shall be considered appropriate 
only if the fee is similar to the fee collected by 
the Director of the National Park Service for 
commercial activity permitted in Union Square 
prior to such transfer of jurisdiction and con-
trol. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FEES.—Immediately upon receiv-
ing any fees collected under paragraph (1)(B), the 
Chief shall transfer the fees to the Capitol Trust Ac-
count established under section 213(c) of the Legis-
lative Branch Appropriations Act, 2014 (40 U.S.C. 
5102 note). 
‘‘(4) REGULATIONS.—The Chief shall carry out 
this subsection in accordance with such regulations 
as the Capitol Police Board may promulgate pursu-
ant to the Board’s authority under section 14 of the 
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Act of July 31, 1946 (2 U.S.C. 1969), except that 
the Board shall promulgate the regulations in con-
sultation with the Committee on House Administra-
tion of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. 
‘‘(5) UNION SQUARE DEFINED.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘Union Square’ means the area for 
which jurisdiction and control was transferred to the 
Architect of the Capitol under section 1202 of the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2012 (2 
U.S.C. 1811 note).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT RELATING TO CAP-
ITOL TRUST ACCOUNT.—Section 213(c) of the Legislative 
Branch Appropriations Act, 2014 (40 U.S.C. 5102 note) 
is amended by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(2) or section 
5106(d) of title 40, United States Code’’. 
Æ 
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