Sponsor
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Representative · D-DC
Representative · D-DC
The bill opens Capitol Grounds to commercial filming when neither House is in session to generate fee revenue and business opportunities while trading off increased security/disruption risks, reduced transparency from off‑budget fee deposits, and potential uncertainty for modern productions.
Taxpayers and Architect of the Capitol operations: fees from commercial filming are deposited into a Capitol Trust Account to reimburse AOC costs and offset general appropriations, reducing pressure on taxpayer-funded budgets.
Small business owners (film/photography businesses): permitting commercial filming when neither House is in session creates predictable opportunities to use Capitol Grounds and generate revenue.
Visitors and federal staff: increased commercial filming activity on Capitol Grounds could raise security risks and cause disruptions to visitors, staff, and day-to-day operations.
Taxpayers and congressional operations: authorizing fee collection and deposit into a non‑appropriated Capitol Trust Account expands off‑budget funding, which can reduce transparency and congressional control over those revenues.
Small business owners (film/photography businesses): limiting permits to activities similar to pre‑2012 Union Square rules may create uncertainty about permissible modern commercial uses and unexpectedly restrict some productions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows paid commercial filming/photography permits on Capitol Grounds during congressional recesses and requires fees to be deposited into the Capitol Trust Account.
Official title: To amend title 40, United States Code, to permit commercial filmmaking and photography on the United States Capitol grounds, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 20, 2026 by Eleanor Holmes Norton · Last progress January 20, 2026
Authorizes the Chief of the United States Capitol Police to issue paid permits for commercial filming and photography on the Capitol Grounds (but not inside Capitol Buildings) when neither House is in session, subject to limits on activities and fees tied to prior Union Square practices. Collected fees must be transferred immediately to the Capitol Trust Account and the Capitol Police Board must adopt regulations in consultation with the House Administration and Senate Rules Committees. Also updates the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2014 deposit references to explicitly include the new statutory authority as a valid source for deposits into the Capitol Trust Account.