U.S. Senate Hallways and Balconies Regulations

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, pursuant to Senate Rule XXXIII, the Committee on Rules and Administration adopted the U.S. Senate Hallways and Balconies Regulations, on May 9, 2025, which supersede and replace the current ``Display of Flags and State Senate Seals in Hallways Outside Senator's Offices.''

The updated regulations include a new scope and definitions section, updated language for unobstructed hallways and the display of flags, and memorialize the renumbering and policies for the use of Senate balconies.

Senate Hallways and Balconies Regulations [Adopted by the Committee on Rules and Administration on May 9, 2025]

1.0 Scope--These regulations are applicable to all hallways and balconies in the Senate Office Buildings and the Senate wing of the Capitol.

2.0 Definitions--For purposes of these regulations, the following terms have the meaning specified.

2.1 Balconies means the outdoor platforms attached to the Senate Office Buildings and Senate wing of the Capitol that are accessible by a window or door.

2.2 Capitol Superintendent means the Architect of the Capitol's Capitol Superintendent's Office.

2.3 Committee office means the office of a standing, select, or joint committee of the U.S. Senate.

2.4 Event space means any space the Rules Committee authorizes to be reserved by a member office, committee office, leadership office, or Senate support office for Senate business related functions.

2.5 External support office means the office of an external entity housed within Senate space that provides services to the Senate, including federal government liaison offices, independent government commissions, and non-government entities such as contractors, credit unions, restaurants, and other private service organizations.

2.6 Leadership office means the offices of the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders, majority and minority whips, party conferences, and party policy committees.

2.7 Member office means the personal office of a U.S. Senator.

2.8 Official signage means all temporary and permanent signs in the Senate Office Buildings and Senate wing of the Capitol.

2.9 Rules Committee means the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

2.10 Senate offices means all member, committee, leadership, Senate support, and external support offices located in Senate space.

2.11 Senate Office Buildings means all space in the Russell Senate Office Building, the Russell Courtyard, the Senate garages, the Dirksen Senate Office Building, and the Hart Senate Office Building.

2.12 Senate Superintendent means the Architect of the Capitol Executive Director of Facilities Operations, Senate Office Buildings.

2.13 Senate support office means the office of an internal congressional entity that provides services to the Senate, including the Architect of the Capitol, the Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, the Secretary of the Senate, the Office of the Attending Physician, Senate Legal Counsel, and Senate Legislative Counsel.

2.14 Senate wing of the Capitol means all space on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol Building, including the Senate side of the Capitol Visitor Center.

3.0 Senate Hallways--Any conditions or circumstances pertaining to hallways not covered by the following regulations must be submitted in writing to and approved by the Rules Committee.

3.1 Unobstructed Hallways. All hallways in the Senate Office Buildings and the Senate wing of the Capitol shall remain unobstructed for security, accessibility, egress, and other purposes. Displays, decorations, furniture, and signage on walls, windows, doors, ceilings, floors, or in hallways outside Senate offices, or facing the Hart Atrium or other exterior spaces, are prohibited unless authorized by the Rules Committee.

3.2 Official signage. The Senate Superintendent provides the official signage in the Senate Office Buildings and the Capitol Superintendent provides the official signage in the Senate wing of the Capitol. All signage must be approved by the Rules Committee.

3.3 Flags. Senate offices shall only display flags, at the discretion of the highest-ranking official in that office, in the hallway outside of the office's official reception room. Senate support offices may also display flags outside of department offices at the discretion of the highest-ranking official in that office. All displayed flags must meet the following conditions:

3.3.1 All flags displayed shall measure 3' x 5'. Senate offices are responsible for providing all flags authorized for display except the United States flag, which shall be provided by the Senate Superintendent for the Senate Office Buildings and the Capitol Superintendent for the Senate wing of the Capitol.

3.3.2 Flagpoles, flagpole bases, and standard finials shall be provided by the Senate Superintendent for the Senate Office Buildings and the Capitol Superintendent for the Senate wing of the Capitol.

3.3.3 Any flags displayed may not be commercial, promotional, profit-making, or fund-raising in nature, or those affiliated with political activities, including political campaigns, political parties, or political action committees.

3.3.4 For member, committee, and leadership offices located in the Senate Office Buildings, a maximum of four flags may be displayed: the United States flag and up to three additional flags.

3.3.5 For committee and leadership offices located in the Senate wing of the Capitol, a maximum of two flags may be displayed: the United States flag and up to one additional flag.

3.3.6 For Senate support offices located in the Senate Office Buildings and the Senate wing of the Capitol, a maximum of two flags may be displayed: the United States flag and either the official Senate flag or the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.

3.3.7 For external support offices located in the Senate Office Buildings, only federal government liaison offices may display the following flags: the United States flag, a flag for each federal entity assigned to the office, and the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.

3.3.8 For external support offices located in the Senate wing of the Capitol, only federal government liaison offices may display a maximum of two flags: the United States flag, and either the flag for a federal entity assigned to the office or the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.

4.0 Senate Balconies--Any conditions or circumstances pertaining to balconies not covered by the following regulations must be submitted in writing to and approved by the Rules Committee.

4.1 Event space balconies. Any balcony attached to an event space is reserved as a part of the event space and is eligible for use during an event approved by the Rules Committee.

4.2 Office balconies. The Rules Committee determines the assignment of balconies, or sections of balconies, to member, committee, leadership, Senate support, or external support offices.

4.3 Balconies use requests. Requests to use a balcony assigned to a member, committee, leadership, Senate support, or external support office shall be made to the highest- ranking official to whom the balcony is assigned.

4.4 Russell Rotunda balconies. Balconies located near and around the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building may be used under the following conditions:

4.4.1 Balcony 1 is reserved for use by Senators only. Reservation requests can be submitted to the Rules Committee for use Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., or at such times as may be authorized by the Rules Committee.

4.4.2 Senators may submit requests to the Senate Radio-TV Gallery to use balconies 2, 3, or 4 for official photographs.

4.4.3 Balconies 2, 3, and 4 are reserved for use by the Senate Radio-TV Gallery daily from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source