Editing Architect of the Capitol

{{short description|Person and federal agency that maintain the United States Capitol complex}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Architect of the Capitol
| logo            = Logo of the United States Architect of the Capitol.svg
| logo_width      = 150px
| seal            = 
| seal_width      = 
| seal_caption    = 
| formed          = {{start date and age|1793}}
| date1           = 
| date1_name      = 
| date2           = 
| date2_name      = 
| preceding1      = 
| preceding2      = 
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| jurisdiction    = [[United States Capitol Complex]]
| headquarters    = {{Plainlist|
* [[United States Capitol]]
* [[Washington, D.C.]] 20515}}
| employees       = 2444
| budget          = $788 million (2022)
| chief1_name     = 
| chief1_position = Architect of the Capitol
| chief2_name     = Thomas Austin<ref>{{Cite web |last=Papp |first=Justin |date=2024-05-22 |title=Congress appoints Army veteran Thomas Austin as new architect of the Capitol |url=https://rollcall.com/2024/05/22/congress-appoints-army-veteran-thomas-austin-as-new-architect-of-the-capitol/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}}</ref>
| chief2_position = 
| parent_agency   = 
| child1_agency   = 
| child2_agency   = 
| website         = {{URL|https://www.aoc.gov/}}
| footnotes       = 
}}
The '''Architect of the Capitol''' is the [[Federal government of the United States|federal]] [[Government agency|agency]] responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the [[United States Capitol Complex]]. It is an agency of the [[Federal government of the United States#Legislative branch|legislative branch of the federal government]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aoc.gov/doing-business-aoc/overview|title=Overview of Doing Business with AOC|access-date=April 4, 2014}}</ref> and is accountable to the [[United States Congress]] and the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]].<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Both the agency and the head of the agency are called "Architect of the Capitol". The head of the agency is appointed by a vote of a congressional commission for a ten-year term.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tully-McManus |first=Katherine |date=December 14, 2023 |title=Congress claws back hiring and firing power for the Capitol building’s top manager |url=https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/12/14/congress/control-of-the-capitol-architect-ndaa-00131625 |work=Politico}}</ref><ref>H.R. 2670 (118th Congress, PL118-31), SEC. 5702 of the Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2024, FY24NDAA.</ref> Prior to 2024, the [[president of the United States]] appointed the Architect upon confirmation vote by the [[United States Senate]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=2 U.S. Code § 1801 - Appointment |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/2/1801 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en}}</ref> and was accountable to the president.<ref name=":0" />

[[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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/1324|title=PN1324 - Nomination of J. Brett Blanton for Congress of the United States, 116th Congress (2019-2020)|date=2019-12-19 |website=www.congress.gov |access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref> He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aoc.gov/news/12th-architect-capitol-sworn|title=12th Architect of the Capitol Sworn In|website=AOC.gov|access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> 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 from February 2007, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on May 12, 2010, becoming the 11th Architect of the Capitol.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aoc.gov/aoc/press-room/Stephen-Ayers-confirmed-by-Senate.cfm|title=Stephen T. Ayers Confirmed by United States Senate to Serve as 11th Architect of the Capitol|access-date=August 5, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315130836/http://www.aoc.gov/aoc/press-room/Stephen-Ayers-confirmed-by-Senate.cfm|archive-date=March 15, 2012}}</ref> He retired on November 23, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aoc.gov/architect-of-the-capitol/stephen-t-ayers-faia-ccm-leed-ap|title=Stephen T. Ayers|website=AOC.gov|access-date=February 8, 2019|archive-date=May 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511132755/https://aoc.gov/architect-of-the-capitol/stephen-t-ayers-faia-ccm-leed-ap|url-status=dead}}</ref> On November 1, 2022 [[Politico]] reported that the OIG had investigated and concluded that Blanton and his family had misused government resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/11-1-2022/watchdogs-architect-report/ |title=An internal watchdog report found that the Architect of the Capitol misused government vehicles and passed himself off as a law enforcement officer.| last=Wu | first=Nicholas| last2=Tully-McManus|first2=Katherine |website=Politico.com}}</ref> The OIG report confirms this report.<ref>[https://www.oversight.gov/sites/default/files/oig-reports/AOC/2021-0011-INVI-P-Oversight-Post-Final_0.pdf J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol, Abused His Authority, Misused Government Property and Wasted Taxpayer Money, Among Other Substantiated Violations]</ref>

==Overview==
The agency had 2,444 employees and an annual budget of approximately $788 million as of September 2022.<ref>Architect of the Capitol. [https://www.aoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/aoc-performance-and-accountability-report-fy-2022-508.pdf Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2022], Nov. 2022. Performance and accountability reports are at http://www.aoc.gov/par</ref>

The head of the agency sits on the [[Capitol Police Board]], which has jurisdiction over the [[United States Capitol Police]], and on the [[United States Capitol Guide Board]], which has jurisdiction over the [[United States Capitol Guide Service]].

Until 1989, the architect of the Capitol was appointed by the [[president of the United States]] for an indefinite term. Legislation in 1989 provides that the president appoints the architect for a term of ten years, with the [[advice and consent]] of the Senate, from a list of three candidates recommended by a congressional commission composed of the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the House]], [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|president pro tem of the Senate]], the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, and the chair and ranking members of the House Committee on House Administration, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.<ref name="appt-proc-2023">{{cite web|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R41074|url-status=live|date=2023-03-30|access-date=2023-05-11|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230511225025/https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R41074|archive-date=2023-05-11|publisher=Congressional Research Service|last=Brudnick|first=Ida|title=Architect of the Capitol: Evolution and Implementation of the Appointment Procedure|format=PDF}}</ref> On confirmation by the Senate, the architect becomes an official of the legislative branch as an officer and agent of Congress.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The architect is eligible for reappointment after completion of the term.

==Responsibility==
[[File:United States Capitol - west front tilt correct.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Western front of the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]]]]
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible to Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of {{convert|17.4|e6ft2|m2 acre ha}} of buildings and more than {{convert|553|acre|ha}} of land throughout Capitol Hill.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.aoc.gov/aoc/responsibilities/index.cfm|title=Responsibilities of the Architect {{!}} Architect of the Capitol|website=Aoc.gov|access-date=2013-02-12}}</ref>

The 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.{{fact|date=February 2023}}

{{stack|[[File:Washington, D.C. - 2007 aerial view.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Capitol Complex (in foreground) looking toward the National Mall (2007).]]}}
The Capitol Complex includes:<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
* the [[United States Capitol|Capitol]]
* [[United States Capitol Visitor Center|Capitol Visitor Center]]
* the eight [[congressional office buildings]]
** [[Cannon House Office Building|Cannon]]
** [[Ford House Office Building|Ford]]
** [[Longworth House Office Building|Longworth]]
** [[O'Neill House Office Building|O'Neill]]
** [[Rayburn House Office Building|Rayburn]]
** [[Russell Senate Office Building|Russell]]
** [[Dirksen Senate Office Building|Dirksen]]
** [[Hart Senate Office Building|Hart]]
* [[Library of Congress]] buildings
* [[United States Supreme Court Building]]
* [[United States Botanic Garden]]
* [[Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building]]
* [[Capitol Power Plant]]
* [[Juno Webster Senate Page Residence]]
* [[United States Capitol Police]] headquarters and [[Police dog|K9]] division facilities
* other facilities

==Architects of the Capitol==
{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-
! {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! Image
! Architect of the Capitol
! nowrap| Term of office
! nowrap| Deputy Architect
! nowrap| Assistant Architect
! nowrap|Appointed by
! class="unsortable" | Notes

|-
| 1
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Dr. William Thornton.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[William Thornton]]
| nowrap | 1793–1802
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[George Washington|Washington]]
| Honored as the "first architect" for his design of the U.S. Capitol.

|-
| rowspan=2 | 2
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap rowspan=2 | [[Benjamin Henry Latrobe]]
| nowrap | March 6, 1803 –<br/>July 1, 1811
| rowspan=2 data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| rowspan=2 data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]]
| rowspan=2 | Latrobe was appointed twice. President Jefferson appointed him to take over work on the building in 1803, and construction halted in 1811. During the War of 1812, British troops burned the Capitol, prompting President Madison to reappoint Latrobe as Architect of the Capitol to conduct repairs.

|-
| nowrap | April 6, 1815 –<br/>November 20, 1817
| [[James Madison|Madison]]

|-
| 3
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Charles Bulfinch (1).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Charles Bulfinch]]
| nowrap | January 8, 1818 –<br/>June 25, 1829
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[James Monroe|Monroe]]
|
|-
| 4
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Thomas Ustick Walter.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Thomas U. Walter]]<br/>(Engineer-in-charge:<br/>[[Montgomery C. Meigs (1816–1892)|Montgomery C. Meigs]])
| nowrap | June 11, 1851 –<br/>May 26, 1865
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[Edward Clark (architect)|Edward Clark]]
| [[Millard Fillmore|Fillmore]]
| Walter and Meigs shared responsibility for the Capitol and the construction of its additions.

|-
| 5
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Edward Clark (1).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Edward Clark (architect)|Edward Clark]]
| nowrap | August 30, 1865 –<br/>January 6, 1902
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[Elliott Woods]]<br> (1901–1902)
| [[Andrew Johnson|A. Johnson]]
|
|-
| 6
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Elliot Woods.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Elliott Woods]]
| nowrap | February 19, 1902 –<br/>May 22, 1923
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[Theodore Roosevelt|T. Roosevelt]]
|
|-
| 7
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - David Lynn (1).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[David Lynn (architect)|David Lynn]]
| nowrap | August 22, 1923 –<br/>September 30, 1954
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| Horace Rouzer<br> (1930–1946)<br/>Arthur Cook<br> (1946–1959)
| [[Calvin Coolidge|Coolidge]]
|
|-
| 8
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - J. George Stewart (1).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[J. George Stewart]]
| nowrap | October 1, 1954 –<br/>May 24, 1970
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| Arthur Cook<br> (1946–1959)<br/>Mario Campioli<br> (1959–1980)
| [[Dwight Eisenhower|Eisenhower]]
|
|-
| 9
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - George M. White, FAIA.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[George M. White]]
| nowrap | January 27, 1971 –<br/>November 21, 1995
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| Mario Campioli<br> (1959–1980)<br/>[[William L. Ensign]]<br> (1980–1997)
| [[Richard M. Nixon|Nixon]]
| Ensign acted as Architect after White's retirement until a replacement was appointed

|-
| 10
| [[File:Flickr - USCapitol - Alan M. Hantman, FAIA.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Alan M. Hantman]]
| nowrap | January 6, 1997 –<br/>February 2, 2007
| Richard A. McSeveney
(Deputy: August 2003 - October 2005)
[[Stephen T. Ayers]]<br/>(Deputy: October 2005 – February 2007)<br/>(Acting architect: February 2, 2007 – May 11, 2010)
| rowspan=3 | [[Michael G. Turnbull]]<br>(June 1998 – August 2021)
| [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]
| The first architect of the Capitol appointed under the legislation passed in 1989 providing for a fixed, renewable ten-year term for the architects of the Capitol. On August 1, 2006, Hantman announced he would not seek a second term when his term expired in 2007.

|-
| 11
| [[File:Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, CCM, LEED AP.jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Stephen T. Ayers]]
| May 12, 2010  – November 23, 2018
| [[Christine A. Merdon]]<br/>(Deputy: 2011 – November 23, 2018)<br/>(Acting architect: November 24, 2018 – 2020)
| [[Barack Obama|Obama]]
| Ayers was appointed acting architect of the Capitol from February 2007 – May 2010, and unanimously confirmed as Architect of the Capitol May 12, 2010.

|-
| 12
| [[File:Brett Blanton official photo (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| nowrap | [[Brett Blanton]]
| January 16, 2020 – February 13, 2023
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| [[Donald Trump|Trump]]
|Terminated by President Joe Biden following an inspector general's report found that he engaged in "administrative, ethical and policy violations"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Biden dismisses scandal-plagued Capitol manager |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/13/biden-dismisses-brett-blanton-capitol-manager-00082600 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Politico |date=February 13, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

|-
| 13
| 
| nowrap | Thomas Austin
| June 24, 2024 – present
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| data-sort-value="9999" | {{center|—}}
| First architect appointed by congressional commission after changes passed in the [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024|2024 NDAA]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congress appoints Army veteran Thomas Austin as new architect of the Capitol |url=https://rollcall.com/2024/05/22/congress-appoints-army-veteran-thomas-austin-as-new-architect-of-the-capitol/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=Roll Call |date=May 22, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[Office of the Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury]]
* [[Architecture of Washington, D.C.]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.aoc.gov/blog Official blog]
* [https://www.capitol.gov/ ''The Architect's Virtual Capitol'']
* {{OL author}}
* [https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41074.pdf ''Architect of the Capitol: Evolution and Implementation of the Appointment Procedure''] from the [[Congressional Research Service]]

{{ArchitectsoftheCapitol}}
{{USCongress}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Architects of the United States Capitol|*]]
[[Category:1793 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Agencies of the United States Congress]]