Congressional office buildings

Last updated November 10, 2024

The congressional office buildings are the office buildings used by the United States Congress to augment the limited space in the United States Capitol. The congressional office buildings are part of the Capitol Complex, and are thus under the authority of the Architect of the Capitol and protected by the United States Capitol Police. The office buildings house the individual offices of each U.S. Representative and Senator as well as committee hearing rooms, staff rooms, multiple cafeterias, and areas for support, committee, and maintenance staff.

The congressional office buildings are connected to the Capitol by means of underground pedestrian tunnels, some of which are equipped with small railcars shuttling users to and from the Capitol, which together form the Capitol subway system.

Congressional pages are responsible for carrying packages and messages from the two chambers to the buildings. The House of Representatives pages program was discontinued because of some scandals after 180 years in 2011, but the Senate pages system still continues.

Map of the United States Capitol Complex CapitolComplexMap.jpg — Map of the United States Capitol Complex

The three Senate office buildings are along Constitution Avenue north of the Capitol:

Russell Senate Office Building (RSOB), (built 1903-1908, opened in 1909),^[1] named after Senator Richard Russell Jr. (1897-1971), of Georgia in 1972.^[2]^[3]
Dirksen Senate Office Building (DSOB, (built 1956-1958, opened in 1958),^[4] Originally known as the new Senate Office Building, renamed later after Senator (and longtime majority / minority leader) Everett Dirksen (1896-1969), of Illinois ^[3]
Hart Senate Office Building (HSOB, (built 1971-1980, completed 1982), named for Senator Philip A. Hart (1912-1976) of Michigan

The three major House of Representatives office buildings are along Independence Avenue on the southside of the Capitol:

Cannon House Office Building (CHOB, built 1904-1908, dedicated 1908), named after longtime Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon (1836-1926),^[3]
Longworth House Office Building (LHOB, (built 1930-1933, dedicated 1933), named after Speaker Nicholas Longworth (1869-1931), of Ohio ^[3]
Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB, built 1962-1965, dedicated 1965), named after Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn (1882-1961), of Texas, and is the largest House offices structure.^[3]

A fourth building, (formerly House Annex-2), the more recent Ford House Office Building, recently named for Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006), longtime United States Representative (congressman) from Michigan, House minority leader, then selected by 37th President Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994, served 1969-1974), as his second Vice President in 1973, and later 38th President of the United States (served 1974-1977). The multi-use history of the land site and structure built 1939, by the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) of the New Deal program during the Great Depression and 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration. It was used formerly to house the U.S. Bureau of the Census (part of the U.S. Department of Commerce), then occupied by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s fingerprint records, sits a few blocks further southwest of the others and the Capitol; and because known for a while in the late 20th century as House Annex-2, it currently houses additional committee staff and administrative offices.

A fifth building (formerly called House Annex-1), for House of Representatives staff is the O'Neill House Office Building (previously known as the "House Annex-1") was named after former Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill (1912-1994), of Massachusetts. The building was demolished in 2002. However, in 2008, Federal Office Building No. 8 (formerly the headquarters of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) was renovated, being renamed the replacement O'Neill House Office Building in 2012. The building was transferred from the operations of the federal government's General Services Administration to the office of the Architect of the Capitol in 2017. It currently houses both House administrative staff as well as some offices shared with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The U.S. Capitol Complex also includes a Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence dormitory, northeast of the Capitol near the Hart Building for those pages of the program for the Senate. The similar companion House of Representatives page program was discontinued in 2011 after 180 years, because of some controversial scandals. There is also a Capitol Power Plant, on the House / southside of the Capitol.

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Everett McKinley Dirksen was an American politician. A Republican, he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. As Senate Minority Leader from 1959 until his death in 1969, he played a highly visible and key role in the politics of the 1960s. He helped write and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, both landmark pieces of legislation during the civil rights movement. He was also one of the Senate's strongest supporters of the Vietnam War. A talented orator with a florid style and a notably rich bass voice, he delivered flamboyant speeches that caused his detractors to refer to him as "The Wizard of Ooze".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol subway system</span> Subway system in Washington, D.C.

The subway system of the United States Capitol Complex in Washington, D.C., consists of three underground electric people mover systems that connect the United States Capitol to several congressional office buildings – all of the Senate buildings and one of the House buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hart Senate Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building is the third U.S. Senate office building, and is located on 2nd Street NE between Constitution Avenue NE and C Street NE, northeast of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Construction began in January 1975, and it was first occupied in November 1982. Rapidly rising construction costs plagued the building, creating several unfortunate scandals. The structure is named for Philip A. Hart (1912-1976), who served 18 years as a United States Senator from Michigan. Accessed via a spur of the United States Capitol Subway System, the building features a nine-story atrium dominated by massive artwork, and a large Central Hearing Facility which provides television facilities as well as extensive seating.

Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn was an American politician who served as the 43rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was a three-time House speaker, former House majority leader, two-time House minority leader, and a 24-term congressman, representing Texas's 4th congressional district as a Democrat from 1913 to 1961. He holds the record for the longest tenure as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving for over 17 years.

Congressional staff are employees of the United States Congress or individual members of Congress. The position first developed in the late 19th century, and it expanded significantly during the 20th century. Staffers may work with individual members of Congress, or they may be associated with committees or other organizations that support Congress.

The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell Jr. from Georgia in 1972. It occupies a site north of the Capitol bounded by Constitution Avenue, First Street, Delaware Avenue, and C Street N.E.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannon House Office Building</span> Congressional office building in Washington, D.C.

The Cannon House Office Building, often called the "Old House Office Building", completed in 1908, is the oldest office building of the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. A significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture, it occupies a site south of the United States Capitol bounded by Independence Avenue, First Street, New Jersey Avenue, and C Street S.E. In 1962 the building was named for former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Joseph Gurney Cannon.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirksen Senate Office Building</span> Government office building in Washington D.C., United States

The Dirksen Senate Office Building is the second office building constructed for members and staff of the United States Senate, northeast of the United States Capitol, in Washington, D.C., and was named for the late longtime Minority Leader Everett Dirksen (1896-1969), from Illinois in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayburn House Office Building</span> Congressional office building for the U.S. House of Representatives

The Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB) is a congressional office building for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., between South Capitol Street and First Street.

The United States Capitol Complex is a group of twenty buildings, grounds, and facilities in Washington, D.C., that are used by the United States Congress, and federal courts. The buildings and grounds within the complex are managed and supervised by the Architect of the Capitol.

The Ford House Office Building is one of the five office buildings containing U.S. House of Representatives staff in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill.

The O'Neill House Office Building was a congressional office building located near the United States Capitol at 301 C Street SE in Washington, D.C. Initially known as House Office Building Annex No. 1, it was named after former Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill in 1990.

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The O'Neill House Office Building is an office building in Washington, D.C., that houses offices of both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is named after former United States Representative (congressman) from Massachusetts and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (1912-1994), and located at 200 C Street Southwest in the Southwest Federal Center district, at the foot of Capitol Hill.

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The office lottery for the United States House of Representatives determines the order in which incoming representatives can choose rooms in the congressional office buildings. The lottery takes place every two years following elections to that chamber and does not take place for the United States Senate. The draw is generally merry, with members dancing and bringing favorite possessions for luck.

References

↑ "100 Year-Old Russell Senate Office Building: Getting Some "Work Done"". Architect of the Capitol. May 13, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
↑ Zeitz, Joshua (September 30, 2018). "Why It's Time to Rename the Russell Office Building". Politico Magazine. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
1 2 3 4 5 Worth, Fred L. (1988). Strange and fascinating facts about Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.: Crown Publishers. p. 60. ISBN 0517641135.
↑ "About Senate Office Buildings | Dirksen Senate Office Building". United States Senate. Retrieved February 3, 2024.

v t e United States Capitol Complex
United States Capitol
House	House chamber Office buildings (office lottery): Cannon House Library Ford Longworth Rayburn O'Neill O'Neill (former)
Senate	Senate chamber Old Senate Chamber Senate Reception Room Hideaways Office buildings: Dirksen Hart Mountains and Clouds Russell Senate Library
Library of Congress	Adams Jefferson Madison Law Library of Congress Mary Pickford Theater
Individual features	Cornerstone Dome Statue of Freedom The Apotheosis of Washington Rotunda Columbus Doors Declaration of Independence painting Frieze of American History General George Washington Resigning His Commission Surrender of General Burgoyne Surrender of Lord Cornwallis Jefferson statue Lincoln statue Washington statue National Statuary Hall Statues Crypt Hall of Columns Brumidi Corridors Apotheosis of Democracy Progress of Civilization Pediment First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (Bittinger) Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States Revolutionary War Door George Washington and the Revolutionary War Door Washington at Princeton Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way Vice Presidential Bust Collection Ohio Clock President's Room Vice President's Room Congressional Prayer Room Old Supreme Court Chamber Washington's Tomb Visitor Center Lincoln Catafalque
Former features	George Washington as Zeus (sculpture, 1841–1908) Discovery of America (sculpture, 1844–1958) The Rescue (sculpture, 1853–1958) National Capitol Columns U.S. Capitol Gatehouses and Gateposts
Others	Art List of art List of portraits (A-J) Confederate Botanic Garden Capitol Hill James A. Garfield Monument Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Peace Monument Judiciary Building Power Plant Reflecting Pool Subway System Supreme Court Building Union Square Senate Page Residence Pennsylvania Avenue

Congressional office buildings

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