Earlier this month, I posted a piece on the possible loss of commercial filming rights on the west side of the U.S. Capitol. The concern was that the area was begin transferred from the National Park Service, who allows filming for a fee, to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) and the Capitol Police, who do not allow commercial filming. While the dollar amounts might be small, the concern was that Congress was tone-deaf to the idea of managing these government assets as assets.
Over the weekend, it appears that that the specific issue of this area (know as Grant Memorial or Union Square) has been resolved. According to an email to Washington City Paper from the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the existing policy based on the Park Service policy will continue for 90 days while the powers-that-be look into the situation. The expectation is that the current policy of allowing filming will continue. I say "powers-that-be" since the leadership and institutions of both the House and Senate are involved (AOC, Capitol Police, Senate Sergeant at Arms, House Sergeant at Arms and their respective House and Senate oversight committees).
I hope, per my earlier suggestion, that the powers-that-be will use this review to the entire policy toward the management of the U.S. Capitol as a filming site. I would note that the Agence du patrimoine immatériel de l'État (APIE) -- the Agency for Public Intangibles of France last April published a guide for agencies and local authorities for managing filming in public spaces. We should do the same -- including filming at the U.S. Capitol.
Leave a comment