Message from the Architect of the Capitol

Photo Caption: The Honorable Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP Architect of the Capitol

I am pleased to present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). The AOC is responsible for the maintenance, operation and preservation of the nation’s most iconic landmark buildings and grounds that comprise Capitol Hill. By serving in this important stewardship role, AOC and its more than 2,000 employees continue to carry out our mission to serve Congress and the Supreme Court, preserve America’s Capitol and inspire memorable visitor experiences.

To meet our fiscal stewardship responsibilities, AOC dedicates itself to meeting high standards of government reporting and accountability. This Performance and Accountability Report provides a comprehensive accounting for the public funds entrusted to AOC and our program and financial results. In addition to highlighting our operational successes and project achievements, this report identifies the challenges we face in an era of constrained budgets. We are proud that our FY 2013 PAR was recognized for outstanding performance and accountability reporting with the Association of Government Accountants’ Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting—the third consecutive year AOC has received this prestigious award.

Key Accomplishments

In FY 2014, AOC achieved mission success despite a challenging fiscal environment that affected agencies across the Federal government. We focused on high-priority, mission- critical projects addressing Capitol Hill’s preservation and restoration, upholding our mission responsibilities despite the October 2013 government shutdown and sequestration.

We focused our resources on our highest priorities using a Project Prioritization Process, along with the Capital Improvements Plan and draft Capitol Complex Master Plan to manage necessary capital improvement projects and maintenance.

The exterior phase of the U.S. Capitol Dome Restoration Project began—a multi-year investment to repair more than 1,600 cracks and other deficiencies in the cast-iron Dome. In addition, we also began preparations for the top-to-bottom, phased renewal of the century-old Cannon House Office Building.

Stone preservation continues to emerge as one of our biggest priorities. The conditions of the exterior stone on most, if not all, of the buildings on Capitol Hill are rapidly deteriorating. To prevent further deterioration, stonework projects begun in FY 2014 included the first phases of the U.S. Capitol’s marble Olmsted Terrace walls, the Russell Senate Office Building’s east facade and many others. This