§193f. Capitol Grounds and Buildings security

(a) Firearms, dangerous weapons, explosives, or incendiary devices

It shall be unlawful for any person or group of persons-

(1) Except as authorized by regulations which shall be promulgated by the Capitol Police Board:

(A) to carry on or have readily accessible to the person of any individual upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings any firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive, or incendiary device; or

(B) to discharge any firearm or explosive, to use any dangerous weapon, or to ignite any incendiary device, upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings; or

(C) to transport by any means upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings any explosive or incendiary device; or

(2) Knowingly, with force and violence, to enter or to remain upon the floor of either House of the Congress.

(b) Violent entry and disorderly conduct

It shall be unlawful for any person or group of persons willfully and knowingly-

(1) to enter or to remain upon the floor of either House of the Congress, to enter or to remain in any cloakroom or lobby adjacent to such floor, or to enter or to remain in the Rayburn Room of the House or the Marble Room of the Senate, unless such person is authorized, pursuant to rules adopted by that House or pursuant to authorization given by that House, to enter or to remain upon such floor or in such cloakroom, lobby, or room;

(2) to enter or to remain in the gallery of either House of the Congress in violation of rules governing admission to such gallery adopted by that House or pursuant to authorization given by that House;

(3) to enter or to remain in any room within any of the Capitol Buildings set aside or designated for the use of either House of the Congress or any Member, committee, subcommittee, officer, or employee of the Congress or either House thereof with intent to disrupt the orderly conduct of official business;

(4) to utter loud, threatening, or abusive language, or to engage in any disorderly or disruptive conduct, at any place upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings with intent to impede, disrupt, or disturb the orderly conduct of any session of the Congress or either House thereof, or the orderly conduct within any such building of any hearing before, or any deliberations of, any committee or subcommittee of the Congress or either House thereof;

(5) to obstruct, or to impede passage through or within, the United States Capitol Grounds or any of the Capitol Buildings;

(6) to engage in any act of physical violence upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings; or

(7) to parade, demonstrate, or picket within any of the Capitol Buildings.

(c) Exemption of Government officials

Nothing contained in this section shall forbid any act of any Member of the Congress, or any employee of a Member of the Congress, any officer or employee of the Congress or any committee or subcommittee thereof, or any officer or employee of either House of the Congress or any committee or subcommittee thereof, which is performed in the lawful discharge of his official duties.

(July 31, 1946, ch. 707, §6, 60 Stat. 718 ; Pub. L. 87–571, Aug. 6, 1962, 76 Stat. 307 ; Pub. L. 90–108, §1(b), Oct. 20, 1967, 81 Stat. 276 .)

Amendments

1967-Pub. L. 90–108 struck out prohibition covering discharge of fireworks, ignition of combustibles, and making of harangues and orations, removed provisions making special allowance for use of construction tools actuated by or employing explosive charges, and inserted provisions prohibiting carrying or ready access to firearms, dangerous weapons, explosives, or incendiary devices upon the United States Capitol Grounds or within any of the Capitol Buildings, expanding area within which discharge of firearms or explosives are prohibited so as to include the interior of the Capitol Buildings, adding ignition of incendiary devices and use of dangerous weapons to list of acts prohibited within such areas, prohibiting transport of explosive or incendiary devices and knowing entry or stay with force and violence upon the floor of either House of Congress, prohibiting disorderly and disruptive conduct on the floor of either House of Congress, cloakrooms, adjacent lobbies, the Rayburn Room of the House or the Marble Room of the Senate, the gallery of either House, and Committee rooms, and excepting members and employees of the Congress in the lawful discharge of their official duties.

1962-Pub. L. 87–571 permitted use of tools actuated by or employing explosives in construction, if the tools are of a kind ordinarily used for such construction, the Architect of the Capitol has authorized their use after determining they will not endanger life or safety, and such use is in accordance with his rules and regulations.

Effective Date of 1967 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–108 effective Oct. 20, 1967, see section 3 of Pub. L. 90–108, set out as a note under section 193a of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 136, 174b–1, 184a, 193h, 193i, 193j, 193k, 193l, 193m, 212a of this title.