Norton Asks Committee Leaders for Expansion of Filming and Photography at Capitol
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released her letter to Senate and House committee leaders requesting that they use the transfer of Union Square from the National Park Service (NPS) to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) as an opportunity to review more broadly the commercial filming and photography policy around the U.S. Capitol. Currently, commercial filming and photography in the areas surrounding the U.S. Capitol is limited to the square immediately beneath the west Capitol grounds, between 1st and 3rd Streets and Pennsylvania and Maryland Avenues, including the Capitol reflecting pool. Earlier this year, Norton was assured by Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer that the Capitol Police Board was working to maintain NPS's policy of allowing commercial photography and filming, with permits, at Union Square after jurisdiction was transferred to the AOC in the fiscal year 2012 omnibus spending bill.
"I appreciate the seamless transfer of jurisdiction, without interruption to the filming policy," Norton said. "However, the transfer provides a ripe opportunity to bring the Capitol's filming policy from another era into the twenty-first century. There are other points around the Capitol that are appropriate for filming the Capitol, the place most associated with our democratic form of government."
Earlier this year, Norton met separately with various stakeholders after the transfer of Union Square. Norton held meetings separately with the AOC, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the House Deputy Sergeant at Arms, the U.S. Capitol Police Chief, the heads of NPS and the Trust for the National Mall, and District of Columbia government officials.
Norton's letter is attached.
April 2, 2012
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer The Honorable Daniel E. Lungren
Chairman Chairman
Committee on Rules and Administration Committee on House Administration
305 Russell Senate Office Building 1309 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Lamar Alexander The Honorable Robert A. Brady
Ranking Member Ranking Member
Committee on Rules and Administration Committee on House Administration
305 Russell Senate Office Building 1307 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairmen Schumer and Lungren and Ranking Members Alexander and Brady:
I want to thank you for the attention that you have given to the commercial photography and filming policy for Union Square. We are very pleased with the Capitol Police Board's recommendation and its ongoing work "toward making the [current] practices permanent under the new jurisdictional arrangement." The priority that you have given to this matter, along with what we have learned from our own discussions with the affected agencies, convinces us that all parties understand the importance of, at a minimum, maintaining the status quo, which permits commercial photographers to take pictures of school children with the U.S. Capitol in the background and allows commercial films to incorporate footage of this symbol of American democracy.
However, we also believe that the transfer jurisdiction provides, for the first time in decades, an opportunity to engage in a broader review of whether to allow permits for commercial photography and filming at a few additional areas outside of the Capitol and congressional office buildings. There is no policy or security reason why commercial photography of the Capitol complex should be allowed at only one location, Union Square, particularly considering that permits are necessary. I request that other areas, such as the view from Independence Avenue on the House side, and from Constitution Avenue on the Senate side, be considered as well.
The vista of the U.S. Capitol is among America's most iconic. Photographs of the Capitol, the seat of democracy, may be the best vehicle for telling the nation's story. Most of the people of the world know us and revere our system of government largely through commercial photography and films of the Capitol, the one place that symbolizes U.S. democracy at work. The nation can only gain by putting our best face forward.
I therefore ask that a review be undertaken to explore whether the filming and photography policy should be expanded beyond Union Square. I ask that this request be considered as you draft legislation to codify the Capitol Police Board's recommendation for Union Square.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Published: April 3, 2012