Part D - Miscellaneous

2 USC 2131 - National Statuary Hall

Suitable structures and railings shall be erected in the old hall of Representatives for the reception and protection of statuary, and the same shall be under the supervision and direction of the Architect of the Capitol. And the President is authorized to invite all the States to provide and furnish statues, in marble or bronze, not exceeding two in number for each State, of deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or military services, such as each State may deem to be worthy of this national commemoration; and when so furnished, the same shall be placed in the old hall of the House of Representatives, in the Capitol of the United States, which is set apart, or so much thereof as may be necessary, as a national statuary hall for the purpose herein indicated.

2 USC 2131a - Eligibility for placement of statues in National Statuary Hall

(a) Eligibility
No statue of any individual may be placed in National Statuary Hall until after the expiration of the 10-year period which begins on the date of the individuals death.

(b) Exceptions
Subsection (a) of this section does not apply with respect to

(1) the statue obtained and placed in National Statuary Hall under this Act; or

(2) any statue provided and furnished by a State under section 2131 of this title or any replacement statue provided by a State under section 2132 of this title.

2 USC 2132 - Replacement of statue in Statuary Hall

(a) Request by State

(1) Any State may request the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to approve the replacement of a statue the State has provided for display in Statuary Hall in the Capitol of the United States under section 2131 of this title.

(2) A request shall be considered under paragraph (1) only if

(A) the request has been approved by a resolution adopted by the legislature of the State and the request has been approved by the Governor of the State, and

(B) the statue to be replaced has been displayed in the Capitol of the United States for at least 10 years as of the time the request is made, except that the Joint Committee may waive this requirement for cause at the request of a State.

(b) Agreement upon approval
If the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approves a request under subsection (a) of this section, the Architect of the Capitol shall enter into an agreement with the State to carry out the replacement in accordance with the request and any conditions the Joint Committee may require for its approval. Such agreement shall provide that

(1) the new statue shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as apply to any statue provided by a State under section 2131 of this title, and

(2) the State shall pay any costs related to the replacement, including costs in connection with the design, construction, transportation, and placement of the new statue, the removal and transportation of the statue being replaced, and any unveiling ceremony.

(c) Limitation on number of State statues
Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to permit a State to have more than two statues on display in the Capitol of the United States.

(d) Ownership of replaced statue; removal

(1) Subject to the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library, ownership of any statue replaced under this section shall be transferred to the State.

(2) If any statue is removed from the Capitol of the United States as part of a transfer of ownership under paragraph (1), then it may not be returned to the Capitol for display unless such display is specifically authorized by Federal law.

(e) Relocation of statues
The Architect of the Capitol, upon the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library and with the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts as requested, is authorized and directed to relocate within the United States Capitol any of the statues received from the States under section 2131 of this title prior to December 21, 2000, and to provide for the reception, location, and relocation of the statues received on and after December 21, 2000, from the States under such section.

2 USC 2133 - Acceptance and supervision of works of fine arts

The Joint Committee on the Library, whenever, in their judgment, it is expedient, are authorized to accept any work of the fine arts, on behalf of Congress, which may be offered, and to assign the same such place in the Capitol as they may deem suitable, and shall have the supervision of all works of art that may be placed in the Capitol.

2 USC 2134 - Art exhibits

No work of art or manufacture other than the property of the United States shall be exhibited in the National Statuary Hall, the Rotunda, Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, or the corridors of the Capitol.

2 USC 2135 - Private studios and works of art

No room in the Capitol shall be used for private studios or works of art, without permission from the Joint Committee on the Library, given in writing; and it shall be the duty of the Architect of the Capitol to carry this provision into effect.