WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), President pro tempore of the Senate, aided in the selection process of the new Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton. As the Architect of the Capitol, Blanton will lead the agency and oversee the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. Blanton was sworn in this morning by Chief Justice John Roberts.
“I’m honored to serve as the 91st Senate President pro tem and take my responsibilities in this role very seriously. The United States Capitol and surrounding grounds play an important part in the day-to-day operations for Members of Congress and staff, and the maintenance of these historic buildings helps our government run more efficiently. I look forward to seeing Mr. Blanton take on this important role,” Grassley said.
The Architect of the Capitol is appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of 10 years. To fill a vacancy, a commission is established to recommend individuals to the President for appointment to the office of Architect of the Capitol. The commission is composed of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the chairmen and the ranking minority members of the Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. The commission must recommend at least three individuals to the President.
Prior to being named Architect of the Capitol, Blanton worked for more than 25 years in facilities operations and construction management in public environments and has extensive experience in long term master planning, project planning, sustainable design, building maintenance, physical security management and financial management.
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