page_title: Architect of the Capitol
section_title: Responsibility
hierarchical_section_title: Architect of the Capitol / Responsibility
caption_attribution_description: English: The western front of the United States Capitol. The Neoclassical style building is located in Washington, D.C., on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall. The Capitol was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
context_page_description: The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is accountable to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court.
  President Trump nominated Brett Blanton as architect of the Capitol on December 9, 2019. On December 19, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. He was sworn in on January 16, 2020. Blanton replaced acting architect of the Capitol Thomas J. Carroll, who replaced former acting architect of the Capitol Christine A. Merdon. Prior to that, Stephen T. Ayers served as acting architect of the Capitol since February 2007, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on May 12, 2010, becoming the 11th architect of the Capitol. He retired on November 23, 2018.
context_section_description: The architect of the Capitol is responsible to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 17.4 million square feet of buildings and more than 553 acres (224 ha) of land throughout Capitol Hill. The architect's office is also responsible for the upkeep and improvement of the Capitol Grounds, and the arrangement of inaugural ceremonies and other ceremonies held in the building or on the grounds. Legislation over the years has placed additional buildings and grounds under the architect of the Capitol.
  The Capitol Complex includes the following facilities:
  the Capitol
  the Capitol Visitor Center
  the seven congressional office buildings
  Cannon
  Ford
  Longworth
  Rayburn
  Russell
  Dirksen
  Hart
  the Library of Congress buildings
  the United States Supreme Court Building
  the United States Botanic Garden
  the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building
  the Capitol Power Plant
  the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence
  the United States Capitol Police headquarters and K9 division facilities
  other facilities
caption: Western front of the U.S. Capitol
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