Architect of the Capitol: Difference between revisions

Architect of the Capitol

Agency overview
Formed	1793
Jurisdiction	United States Capitol Complex
Headquarters	United States Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515
Agency executive	Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol
Website	www.aoc.gov

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) 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.

Overview

The architect of the Capitol 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. On confirmation by the Senate, the architect becomes an official of the legislative branch as an officer and agent of Congress. The architect is eligible for reappointment after completion of the term.

Responsibility

Western front of the U.S. Capitol

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.

Capitol Complex (in foreground, 2007) looking east toward the National Mall

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 Senate page dormitory
• the United States Capitol Police headquarters and K9 division facilities
• other facilities

Architects of the Capitol

Architect of the Capitol	Term of Office	Deputy Architect	Assistant Architect	Appointed by	Notes
William Thornton	1793–1802	—	—	Washington	Honored as the "first architect" for his design of the U.S. Capitol.
Benjamin Henry Latrobe	March 6, 1803 – July 1, 1811	—	—	Jefferson	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.
	April 6, 1815 – November 20, 1817			Madison
Charles Bulfinch	January 8, 1818 – June 25, 1829	—	—	Monroe
Thomas U. Walter (Engineer-in-charge: Montgomery C. Meigs)	June 11, 1851 – May 26, 1865	—	Edward Clark	Fillmore	Walter and Meigs shared responsibility for the Capitol and the construction of its additions.
Edward Clark	August 30, 1865 – January 6, 1902	—	Elliott Woods (1901–1902)	A. Johnson
Elliott Woods	February 19, 1902 – May 22, 1923	—	—	T. Roosevelt
David Lynn	August 22, 1923 – September 30, 1954	—	Horace Rouzer (1930–1946) Arthur Cook (1946–1959)	Coolidge
J. George Stewart	October 1, 1954 – May 24, 1970	—	Arthur Cook (1946–1959) Mario Campioli (1959–1980)	Eisenhower
George M. White	January 27, 1971 – November 21, 1995	—	Mario Campioli (1959–1980) William L. Ensign (1980–1997)	Nixon	Ensign acted as Architect after White's retirement until a replacement was appointed
Alan M. Hantman	January 6, 1997 – February 2, 2007	Stephen T. Ayers (Deputy: October 2005 – February 2007) (Acting Architect: February 2, 2007 – May 11, 2010)	Michael G. Turnbull (June 1998 – present)	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.
Stephen T. Ayers	May 12, 2010 – November 23, 2018	Christine A. Merdon (Deputy: 2011 – November 23, 2018) (Acting Architect: November 24, 2018 – 2020)		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.
Brett Blanton	January 16, 2020			Trump

See also

• Office of the Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury

External links

• Official website
• Official blog
• The Architect's Virtual Capitol
• Works by Architect of the Capitol at Open Library
• Architect of the Capitol: Evolution and Implementation of the Appointment Procedure from the Congressional Research Service