40 USC 5102 - Legal Description and Jurisdiction of United States Capitol Grounds

(a) Legal Description.—The United States Capitol Grounds comprises 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 by law after June 25, 1946.

(b) Jurisdiction.—

(1) Architect of the capitol.—The jurisdiction and control over the Grounds, vested prior to July 31, 1946, by law in the Architect, is extended to the entire area of the Grounds. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Architect is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the Grounds, including those streets and roadways in the Grounds as shown on the map referred to in subsection (a) as being under the jurisdiction and control of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

(2) Mayor of the district of columbia.—

(A) In general.—The Mayor of the District of Columbia is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of those portions of the following streets which are situated between the curblines of those streets: Constitution Avenue from Second Street Northeast to Third Street Northwest, First Street from D Street Northeast to D Street Southeast, D Street from First Street Southeast to Washington Avenue Southwest, and First Street from the north side of Louisiana Avenue to the intersection of C Street and Washington Avenue Southwest, 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 Washington Avenue Southwest, including sidewalks and traffic islands, from the south curb of Independence Avenue Southwest to the west curb of South Capitol Street.

(B) Repair and maintenance of utility services.—The Mayor may enter any part of the Grounds to repair or maintain or, subject to the approval of the Architect, construct or alter, any utility service of the District of Columbia Government.

(1) In general.—Except as provided under paragraph (2), the United States Capitol Grounds shall include—

(A) the National Garden of the United States Botanic Garden;

(B) all grounds contiguous to the Administrative Building of the United States Botanic Garden, including Bartholdi Park; and

(C) all grounds bounded by the curblines of First Street, Southwest on the east; Washington Avenue, Southwest to its intersection with Independence Avenue, and Independence Avenue from such intersection to its intersection with Third Street, Southwest on the south; Third Street, Southwest on the west; and Maryland Avenue, Southwest on the north.

(2) Maintenance and improvements.—Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), jurisdiction and control over the buildings on the grounds described in paragraph (1) shall be retained by the Joint Committee on the Library, and the Joint Committee on the Library shall continue to be solely responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the grounds described in such paragraph.

(3) Authority not limited.—Nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority of the Architect of the Capitol under section 307E of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989 (40 U.S.C. 216c).¹

(d) Library of Congress Buildings and Grounds.—

(1) In general.—Except as provided under paragraph (2), the United States Capitol Grounds shall include the Library of Congress grounds described under section 11 of the Act entitled "An Act relating to the policing of the buildings ² of the Library of Congress", approved August 4, 1950 (2 U.S.C. 167j).

(2) Authority of librarian of congress.—Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the Librarian of Congress shall retain authority over the Library of Congress buildings and grounds in accordance with section 1 of the Act of June 29, 1922 (2 U.S.C. 141; 42 Stat. 715).

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1175; Pub. L. 108–7, div. H, title I, §1016(b), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 364; Pub. L. 110–161, div. H, title I, §1004(d)(2)(A)(ii), Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2233; Pub. L. 110–178, §4(b)(1)(B), Jan. 7, 2008, 121 Stat. 2551; Pub. L. 111–145, §6(d)(1), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 54.)

Definition of United States Capitol Grounds

For provisions directing amendment of this section (or section 1 of the Act of July 31, 1946, as amended (former 40 U.S.C. 193a), which was repealed and reenacted by Pub. L. 107–217, §§1, 6(b), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1062, 1304, as this section) to include within or exclude from the definition of the United States Capitol Grounds certain parcels or areas, see notes set out below and under section 6101 of this title.

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
5102	40:193a.	July 31, 1946, ch. 707, §1, 60 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 90–108, §1(a), Oct. 20, 1967, 81 Stat. 275; Pub. L. 93–198, §739(g)(7), Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 829; Pub. L. 96–432, §2, Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1852.

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Last modified: October 26, 2015