2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 10 - Parks, Public Buildings, Grounds, and Space › Chapter 5 - Regulatory Provisions › Subchapter II - Capitol Grounds › Part B - General › § 10–503.11. Boundaries; jurisdiction of Architect; responsibilities of Mayor

§ 10–503.11. Boundaries; jurisdiction of Architect; responsibilities of Mayor.
The United States Capitol Grounds shall comprise all squares, reservations, streets, roadways, walks, and other areas as defined on a map entitled “Map showing areas comprising United States Capitol Grounds”, dated June 25, 1946, approved by the Architect of the Capitol and recorded in the Office of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia in Book 127, Page 8, including all additions added thereto by law subsequent to June 25, 1946, and the jurisdiction and control over the United States Capitol Grounds, vested prior to July 31, 1946 by law in the Architect of the Capitol, is extended to the entire area of the United States Capitol Grounds, and the Architect of the Capitol shall be responsible for the maintenance and improvement thereof, including those streets and roadways in said United States Capitol Grounds as shown on said map as being under the jurisdiction and control of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, except that the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall be responsible for the maintenance and improvement of those portions of the following streets which are situated between the curblines thereof: Constitution Avenue from Second Street Northeast to Third Street Northwest, First Street from D Street N.E. to D Street S.E., D Street from First Street S.E. to Canal Street S.W., and First Street from the north side of Louisiana Avenue to the intersection of C Street and Canal Street S.W., Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest from First Street Northwest to Third Street Northwest, Maryland Avenue Southwest from First Street Southwest to Third Street Southwest, Second Street Northeast from F Street Northeast to C Street Southeast; C Street Southeast from Second Street Southeast to First Street Southeast; that portion of Maryland Avenue Northeast from Second Street Northeast to First Street Northeast; that portion of New Jersey Avenue Northwest from D Street Northwest to Louisiana Avenue; that portion of Second Street Southwest from the north curb of D Street to the south curb of Virginia Avenue Southwest; that portion of Virginia Avenue Southwest from the east curb of Second Street Southwest to the west curb of Third Street Southwest; that portion of Third Street Southwest from the south curb of Virginia Avenue Southwest to the north curb of D Street Southwest; that portion of D Street Southwest from the west curb of Third Street Southwest to the east curb of Second Street Southwest; that portion of Canal Street Southwest, including sidewalks and traffic islands, from the south curb of Independence Avenue Southwest to the west curb of South Capitol Street; provided, that the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall be permitted to enter any part of said United States Capitol Grounds for the purpose of repairing or maintaining or, subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, for the purpose of constructing or altering, any utility service of the District of Columbia government.
(July 31, 1946, 60 Stat. 718, ch. 707, § 1; Oct. 20, 1967, 81 Stat. 275, Pub. L. 90-108, § 1(a); Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 829, Pub. L. 93-198, title VII, § 739(g)(7); Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1852, Pub. L. 96-432, § 2.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 9-106.
1973 Ed., § 9-118.
Section References
This section is referenced in § 1-204.23, § 1-207.39, and § 2-1002.
Cross References
District planning, powers and duties of mayor, see § 1-204.23.
National Capital Planning Commission, see § 2-1002.
Editor's Notes
Extension of United States Capitol Grounds: Section 739(g)(3) of the Act of December 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 828, Pub. L. 93-198, provided that § 1 of the Act of July 31, 1946, 60 Stat. 718, as amended, is amended to include within the definition of the United States Capitol Grounds the streets as set forth in the Act of December 24, 1973.
Section 1 of the Act of October 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1852, Pub. L. 96-432, and the Act of December 22, 1982, 96 Stat. 1935, Pub. L. 97-379, provided that § 1 of the Act of July 31, 1946, 60 Stat. 718, as amended, is amended to include within the definition of the United States Capitol Grounds the areas as set forth in the Act of December 22, 1982.
Law Enforcement Authority of Capitol Police: Title I of Act of October 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1949, Pub. L. 102-397, provided that “An Act to define the area of the United States Capitol Grounds, to regulate the use thereof, and for other purposes” is amended to expand the jurisdiction of the Capitol Police.
Order of House Office Building Commission: By order, dated October 17, 1967, the House Office Building Commission ordered that the Rayburn House Office Building, the subway connecting such building to the Capitol Building, the pedestrian tunnels connecting such building to the Longworth House Office Building, the underground garages in squares 637 and 691 and the tunnels connecting these garages to the House Office Buildings, are declared to be House Office Buildings and, as such, are made subject to the provisions of the Act of July 31, 1946, including any amendments to such Act, which are applicable to the Capitol Buildings.
Change in Government
This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.