(a) Establishment and purposes

There is established in the Congress the United States Capitol Preservation Commission (hereinafter in this part referred to as the “Commission”) for the purposes of—

(1) providing for improvements in, preservation of, and acquisitions for, the United States Capitol;

(2) providing for works of fine art and other property for display in the United States Capitol and at other locations under the control of the Congress; and

(3) conducting other activities that directly facilitate, encourage, or otherwise support any purposes specified in paragraph (1) or (2).

(b) Membership

Terms Used In 2 USC 2081

  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
  • Majority leader: see Floor Leaders
  • Member of the House of Representatives: means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress. See 2 USC 2086
  • Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.

The Commission shall be composed of the following Members of Congress:

(1) The President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be co-chairmen.

(2) The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library.

(3) The Chairman and the ranking minority party member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and the Chairman and the ranking minority party member of the Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives.

(4) The majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate.

(5) The majority leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

(6) The Chairman of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Senate and the Chairman of the Commission of the House of Representatives Bicentenary, to be succeeded upon expiration of such commissions, by a Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, appointed by the Senate or House of Representatives co-chairman of the Commission, respectively.

(7) One Senator appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and one Senator appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.

(8) One Member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one Member of the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

(c) Designees

Each member of the Commission specified under subsection (b) (other than a member under paragraph (7) or (8) of such subsection) may designate a Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, to serve as a member of the Commission in place of the member so specified.

(d) Architect of the Capitol

In addition to the members under subsection (b), the Architect of the Capitol shall participate in the activities of the Commission, ex officio, and without the right to vote.

(e) Staff support and assistance

The Senate Commission on Art, the House of Representatives Fine Arts Board, and the Architect of the Capitol shall provide to the Commission such staff support and assistance as the Commission may request.