Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails.
Establishment
There is established within the Office of the Architect of the Capitol the Office of the Capitol Visitor Center (in this chapter referred to as the "Office"), to be headed by the Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services (in this chapter referred to as the "Chief Executive Officer").
Appointment and supervision of Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services
(a) Appointment The Chief Executive Officer shall be appointed by the Architect of the Capitol. (b) Supervision and oversight The Chief Executive Officer shall report directly to the Architect of the Capitol and shall be subject to oversight by the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives. (c) Removal Upon removal of the Chief Executive Officer, the Architect of the Capitol shall immediately provide notice of the removal to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate. The notice shall include the reasons for the removal. (d) Compensation The Chief Executive Officer shall be paid at an annual rate of pay equal to the annual rate of pay of the Deputy Architect of the Capitol. (e) Transition for current Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services (1) Appointment The individual who serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services under section 1806 of this title as of October 20, 2008, shall be the first Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services appointed by the Architect under this section. (2) Omitted
General duties of Chief Executive Officer
(a) Administration of facilities, services, and activities (1) In general Except to the extent otherwise provided in this chapter, the Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for— (A) the operation, management, and budget preparation and execution of the Capitol Visitor Center, including all long term planning and daily operational services and activities provided within the Capitol Visitor Center; and (B) in accordance with sections 2241 and 2242 of this title, the management of guided tours of the interior of the United States Capitol. (2) Independent budget consideration (A) In general The Architect of the Capitol, upon recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, shall submit the proposed budget for the Office for a fiscal year in the proposed budget for that year for the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (as submitted by the Architect of the Capitol to the President). The proposed budget for the Office shall be considered independently from the other components of the proposed budget for the Architect of the Capitol. (B) Exclusion of costs of general maintenance and repair of Visitor Center In preparing the proposed budget for the Office under subparagraph (A), the Chief Executive Officer shall exclude costs attributable to the activities and services described under section 2271(b) of this title (relating to continuing jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol for the care and superintendence of the Capitol Visitor Center). (b) Personnel, disbursements, and contracts In carrying out this chapter, the Architect of the Capitol shall have the authority to, upon recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer— (1) appoint, hire, and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary for operations of the Office, except that no employee may be paid at an annual rate in excess of the maximum rate payable for level 15 of the General Schedule; (2) disburse funds as may be necessary and available for the needs of the Office (consistent with the requirements of section 2233 of this title in the case of amounts in the Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund); and (3) designate an employee of the Office to serve as contracting officer for the Office, subject to subsection (c). (c) Requiring approval of certain contracts The Architect of the Capitol may not enter into a contract for the operations of the Capitol Visitor Center for which the amount involved exceeds $250,000 without the prior approval of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives. (d) Semiannual reports The Chief Executive Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives not later than 45 days following the close of each semiannual period ending on March 31 or Sep tember 30 of each year on the financial and operational status during the period of each function under the jurisdiction of the Chief Executive Officer. Each such report shall include financial statements and a description or explanation of current operations, the implementation of new policies and procedures, and future plans for each function.
Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
(a) In general The Architect of the Capitol shall— (1) upon recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, appoint an assistant who shall perform the responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer during the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, or during a vacancy in the position of the Chief Executive Officer; and (2) notwithstanding section 2213(b)(1) of this title, fix the rate of basic pay for the position of the assistant appointed under subparagraph (A) 1 at a rate not to exceed the highest total rate of pay for the Senior Executive Service under subchapter VIII of chapter 53 of title 5 for the locality involved. (b) Transition for current Assistant Chief Executive Officer (1) Appointment The individual who serves as the assistant under section 1807 of this title as of October 20, 2008, shall be the first Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services appointed by the Architect under this section. (2) Omitted
Gift Shop
(a) Establishment The Architect of the Capitol, acting through the Chief Executive Officer, shall establish a Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop within the Capitol Visitor Center for the purpose of providing for the sale of gift items. All moneys received from sales and other services by the Capitol Visitor Center Gift Shop shall be deposited in the Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund established under section 2231 of this title and shall be available for purposes of this section. (b) Exception to prohibition of sale or solicitation on Capitol grounds Section 5104(c) of title 40 shall not apply to any activity carried out under this section.
Food service operations
(a) Restaurant, catering, and vending The Architect of the Capitol, acting through the Chief Executive Officer, shall establish within the Capitol Visitor Center a restaurant and other food service facilities, including catering services and vending machines. (b) Contract for food service operations (1) In general The Architect of the Capitol, acting through the Chief Executive Officer, may enter into a contract for food service operations within the Capitol Visitor Center. (2) Existing contract unaffected Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to affect any contract for food service operations within the Capitol Visitor Center in effect on October 20, 2008. (c) Deposits All net profits from the food service operations within the Capitol Visitor Center and all commissions received from the contractor for such food service operations shall be deposited in the Capitol Visitor Center Revolving Fund established under section 2231 of this title. (d) Exception to prohibition of sale or solicitation on Capitol grounds Section 5104(c) of title 40 shall not apply to any activity carried out under this section.
Provisions on this page are reproduced verbatim from official open data. See the attribution line.
Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. Text of the U.S. Code 2024 Edition (govinfo), imported 2026-07-04. Amendments enacted after the 2024 Edition are not reflected. Read the official text ↗
Source: United States Code / CFR (uscode.house.gov, govinfo.gov) — U.S. federal law, public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105).