[Pages S2859-S2860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

U.S. SENATE HALLWAYS AND BALCONIES REGULATIONS

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.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the
regulations as adopted be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record as follows:

U.S. 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:

[[Page S2860]]

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.

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