§ 2201 — Designation Of Facility As Capitol Visitor Center; Purposes Of Facility; Treatment Of The Capitol Visitor Center

(a) The facility authorized for construction under the heading “Capitol Visitor Center” under chapter 5 of title II of division B of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105–277; 112 Stat. 2681–569) is designated as the Capitol Visitor Center and is a part of the Capitol. (b) The Capitol Visitor Center shall be used— (1) to provide enhanced security for persons working in or visiting the United States Capitol; (2) to improve the visitor experience by providing a structure that will afford improved visitor orientation and enhance the educational experience of those who have come to learn about the Congress and the Capitol; and (3) for other purposes as determined by Congress or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives. (1) The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall have oversight of the Capitol Visitor Center. (A) The expansion space of the Senate described as unassigned space under the heading “Capitol Visitor Center” under the heading “ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL” under title II of the Act entitled “An Act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes”, approved November 12, 2001 (Public Law 107–68; 115 Stat. 588) shall be part of the Senate wing of the Capitol. (B) The expansion space of the House of Representatives described as unassigned space under the heading “Capitol Visitor Center” under the heading “ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL” under title II of the Act entitled “An Act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes”, approved November 12, 2001 (Public Law 107–68; 115 Stat. 588) shall be part of the House of Representatives wing of the Capitol. (1) The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall jointly prescribe regulations for the assignment of the space in the Capitol Visitor Center known as the Congressional Auditorium and the related adjacent areas. (2) The regulations under paragraph (1) shall include a designation of the areas that are related adjacent areas to the Congressional Auditorium. (e) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the Architect of the Capitol may enter into loan agreements to place historical objects for display in the Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center. (B) The Architect of the Capitol may exercise the authority under subparagraph (A) with respect to each loan agreement— (i) after consultation with— (I) the Senate Commission on Art; and (II) the House of Representatives Fine Arts Board; and (ii) subject to the approval of— (I) the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate; and (II) the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives. (C) This paragraph shall take effect on December 3, 2008. (2) (3) Section 2134 of this title shall not apply to any historical object placed within an exhibit in the Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center that— (i) is directly related to the purpose of the Capitol Visitor Center under subsection (b)(2); (ii) is the subject of a loan agreement entered into by the Architect of the Capitol before December 2, 2008; and (iii) has been approved by the Capitol Preservation Commission; or (B) is the subject of a loan agreement described under paragraph (1)(A). (4) A loan agreement described under paragraph (3)(A)(ii) may provide for the removal of an historical object from exhibition for preservation purposes and the substitution of that object with another historical object having a comparable educational purpose.