Section 1 Short Title
This Act may be cited as the “Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023”.
Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023
A BILL
To provide for the appointment of the Architect of the Capitol, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Appointment and term of service of Architect of the Capitol
Appointment— The Architect of the Capitol shall be appointed, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the office, upon a majority vote of a congressional commission (referred to in this section as the commission) consisting of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leaders of the House of Representatives and Senate, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, and the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
Term of Service— The Architect of the Capitol shall be appointed for a term of 10 years and, upon a majority vote of the members of the commission, may be reappointed for additional 10-year terms.
Removal— The Architect of the Capitol may be removed from office at any time upon a majority vote of the members of the commission.
Conforming amendments—
Section 319 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1990 (2 U.S.C. 1801) is repealed.
The matter under the heading “For the Capitol:” under the heading “DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.” of the Act of February 14, 1902 (32 Stat. 19, chapter 17; incorporated in 2 U.S.C. 1811) is amended by striking “, and he shall be appointed by the President”.
Effective Date— This section, and the amendments made by this section, shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 3 Appointment of Deputy Architect of the Capitol; vacancy in Architect or Deputy Architect
Section 1203 of title I of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (2 U.S.C. 1805) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by inserting “(in this section referred to as the “Architect”)” after “The Architect of the Capitol”; and
by inserting “(in this section referred to as the “Deputy Architect”)” after “Deputy Architect of the Capitol”;
by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
“(b) Deadline—The Architect shall appoint a Deputy Architect under subsection (a) not later than 120 days after—
“(1) the date on which the Architect is appointed under section 2 of the Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023, if there is no Deputy Architect on the date of the appointment; or
“(2) the date on which a vacancy arises in the office of the Deputy Architect.”
in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking “of the Capitol” each place it appears; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Failure To appoint—If the Architect does not appoint a Deputy Architect on or before the applicable date specified in subsection (b), the congressional commission described in section 2(a) of the Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023 shall appoint the Deputy Architect by a majority vote of the members of the commission.
“(e) Notification—If the position of Deputy Architect becomes vacant, the Architect shall immediately notify the members of the congressional commission described in section 2(a) of the Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023.”
Sec. 4 Deputy Architect of the Capitol to serve as acting in case of absence, disability, or vacancy
In general— The Deputy Architect of the Capitol (in this section referred to as the “Deputy Architect”) shall act as Architect of the Capitol (in this section referred to as the “Architect”) if the Architect is absent or disabled or there is no Architect.
Absence, disability, or vacancy in office of Deputy Architect— For purposes of subsection (a), if the Deputy Architect is also absent or disabled or there is no Deputy Architect, the congressional commission described in section 2(a) shall designate, by a majority vote of the members of the commission, an individual to serve as acting Architect until—
the end of the absence or disability of the Architect or the Deputy Architect; or
in the case of vacancies in both positions, an Architect has been appointed under section 2(a) of this Act.
Authority— An officer serving as acting Architect under subsection (a) or (b) shall perform all the duties and exercise all the authorities of the Architect, including the authority to delegate the duties and authorities of the Architect in accordance with the matter under the heading “Office of the Architect of the Capitol” under the heading “Architect of the Capitol” of the Legislative Appropriation Act, 1956 (2 U.S.C. 1803).
Conforming amendment— The matter under the heading “Salaries” under the heading “Office of the Architect of the Capitol” under the heading “Architect of the Capitol” of the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1971 (2 U.S.C. 1804) is amended by striking “: Provided, ” and all that follows through “no Architect”.