Congressional office buildings
Encyclopedia
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
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 cafeteria
s, and areas for support, committee, and maintenance staff. The congressional office buildings are connected the Capitol by means of several underground trains–the Capitol Subway System. Congressional page
s are responsible for carrying packages and messages from the two chambers to the buildings.
The three Senate office buildings are along Constitution Avenue
north of the Capitol:
The three House office buildings are along Independence Avenue south of the Capitol:
A fourth building, the Ford House Office Building
, which used to house the FBI's
fingerprint records, sits a few blocks southwest of the others. A fifth building, the O'Neill House Office Building
(previously known as "House Annex-1") was named after former Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill. It was demolished in 2002.
The U.S. Capitol Complex also includes a Page Residence Hall and the Capitol Power Plant
, both on the House side of the Capitol.
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
used by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to augment the limited space in the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
. The congressional office buildings are part of the Capitol Complex
United States Capitol Complex
The United States Capitol Complex is a group of about a dozen buildings and facilities in Washington, D.C., that are used by the United States government...
are thus under the authority of the Architect of the Capitol
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is responsible to the United States...
and protected by the United States Capitol Police
United States Capitol Police
The United States Capitol Police is a federal police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories.-History:...
. The office buildings house the individual offices of each U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
as well as committee
United States Congressional committee
A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty . Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction...
hearing rooms, staff rooms, multiple cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
s, and areas for support, committee, and maintenance staff. The congressional office buildings are connected the Capitol by means of several underground trains–the Capitol Subway System. Congressional page
Congressional page
A Congressional page in the United States can belong to either of the Houses of the Federal Legislature:* United States House of Representatives Page* United States Senate Page...
s are responsible for carrying packages and messages from the two chambers to the buildings.
The three Senate office buildings are along Constitution Avenue
Constitution Avenue
In Washington, D.C., Constitution Avenue is a major east-west street running just north of the United States Capitol in the city's Northwest and Northeast quadrants...
north of the Capitol:
- Russell Senate Office BuildingRussell Senate Office BuildingThe 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, opened in 1909, and named for former Senator Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. of Georgia in 1972...
(RSOB, completed 1908) - Dirksen Senate Office BuildingDirksen Senate Office BuildingThe Dirksen Senate Office Building is the second office building constructed for members of the United States Senate in Washington, D.C., and was named for the late Minority Leader Everett Dirksen from Illinois in 1972.-History:...
(DSOB, completed 1958) - Hart Senate Office BuildingHart Senate Office BuildingThe Hart Senate Office Building, the third U.S. Senate office building, was built in the 1970s. First occupied in November 1982, the Hart Building is the largest of the Senate office buildings. It is named for Philip A. Hart, who served 18 years as a senator from Michigan.-Design and...
(HSOB, completed 1982)
The three House office buildings are along Independence Avenue south of the Capitol:
- Cannon House Office BuildingCannon House Office BuildingThe Cannon House Office Building, completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture...
(CHOB, completed 1908) - Longworth House Office BuildingLongworth House Office BuildingThe Longworth House Office Building is one of four office buildings used by the United States House of Representatives. The building is located south of the Capitol, bounded by Independence Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, C Street S.E., and South Capitol Street, in southeast Washington...
(LHOB, completed 1933) - Rayburn House Office BuildingRayburn House Office BuildingThe Rayburn House Office Building 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....
(RHOB, completed 1965)
A fourth building, the Ford House Office Building
Ford House Office Building
The Ford House Office Building is one of the four office buildings containing U.S. House of Representatives staff in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill....
, which used to house the FBI's
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
fingerprint records, sits a few blocks southwest of the others. A fifth building, the O'Neill House Office Building
O'Neill House Office Building
The O'Neill House Office Building was a congressional office building located near the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Initially known as "House Annex-1", it was named in the late 1980s after former Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill....
(previously known as "House Annex-1") was named after former Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill. It was demolished in 2002.
The U.S. Capitol Complex also includes a Page Residence Hall and the Capitol Power Plant
Capitol Power Plant
The Capitol Power Plant is a power plant which provides steam and cooled water for the United States Capitol and other buildings in the Capitol Complex. Though it was originally built to supply the Capitol complex with electricity, the plant has not produced electricity for the Capitol since 1952...
, both on the House side of the Capitol.
See also
- House Office Building CommissionHouse Office Building CommissionThe House Office Building Commission is an entity within the House of Representatives of the United States that oversees the various functions of the House and its office buildings...