DC delegate introduces bill to expand commercial filming at the Capitol

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.) of Washington, D.C., introduced a bill that would expand commercial filming at the U.S. Capitol to present Congress with “maximum verisimilitude.”

“In our open and free democracy, it would be unthinkable for anyone in our country to refuse to photograph one of our most iconic symbols of democracy, the Capitol Building,” Norton said in a statement. “It is not business-friendly to exclude filming at the Capitol, it is not true to this country’s democratic traditions, and there is no good policy reason to limit filming to Union Square.”

Norton’s bill would allow commercial film production and photography at the Capitol, beyond what is currently allowed in Union Square while both chambers of Congress are in session. “There’s no good reason” why filming is currently limited to Union Square, she said.

in Statement issued on WednesdayNorton said the bill would bring an economic and “patriotic boost” to the nation’s capital by allowing creators to showcase the Capitol.

Expanded film productions and photo shoots will continue to be subject to the same conditions and requirements as commercial operations in Union Square. The bill also gives the U.S. Capitol Police “full discretion” over when to issue permits to address safety concerns.

Her statement said this is part of an effort to expand public access to public spaces, especially around the Capitol.

“Encouraging commercial photography and film production at the Capitol will stimulate the District of Columbia’s economy while helping to spread the story of our democracy and Congress around the world,” she said in a statement. mentioned in.