Visiting Washington, D.C.

As a Congressional office, we are able to schedule a variety of tours for constituents visiting the Washington D.C. area. Due to the large numbers of requests that many of the institutions receive, advanced notice is required. To maximize your

Be advised that tours are reserved for constituents in Idaho's Second district and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Although every effort is made to fulfill your tour request, there are no guarantees that constituent tours will be granted. Fortunately, most attractions also conduct public tours.

To request a tour, you may print out the Tour Request Form ( Adobe Acrobat | MS Word) and fax it to our office or may submit your tour requests through our on-line tour request form.

Questions, contact our tour coordinator in our Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-5531.

Constituent tours can be arranged at the following attractions:

BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING: As the US Government's security printer, the BEP is responsible for the design, engraving and printing of all US paper currency. A world leader in printing technology, the Bureau also produces postage stamps, White House invitations, Treasury obligations and other US securities. Constituent tours of the BEP run 40 minutes in length and depart at 8:15 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. BEP tours must be booked several weeks in advance. http://www.moneyfactory.com/

KENNEDY CENTER: The John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts opened its doors on September 8, 1971 as a tribute to the former US President. The Center fulfills President Kennedy's commitment to the arts by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, and folk music, and multi-media performances for all ages. Constituent tours of the Kennedy Center building depart at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. http://www.kennedy-center.org

Visitor’s attending the 4:30 p.m. tour will be able to enjoy the free performance given nightly on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage after their tour.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: The LOC is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with nearly 128 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves. The collections include more than 29 million books and other printed materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million maps, and 57 million manuscripts. Constituent tours of the LOC include a special greeting by a member of the Visitor Services Office Staff, a tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building led by an LOC docent and an introduction to the "American Treasures" exhibition. Constituent tours of the LOC depart at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. http://www.loc.gov

PENTAGON: The Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense and the nerve center for command and control, is virtually a city within itself. The Pentagon presently houses approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel dedicated to protecting our national interests. Tours of the Pentagon are given Monday through Friday and take at least a month of pre planning due to security procedures. The tours are led by a uniformed service member and include a visit to the Pentagon September 11th Memorial.

NATIONAL CATHEDRAL: The National Cathedral dates back to 1907, when President Theodore Roosevelt laid the corner stone. A tour of the National Cathedral is steeped in history and architecture. Constituent tours depart at 9 a.m. Monday and Wednesday mornings, except for Federal holidays and during the month of January. http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/index.shtml

SUPREME COURT: The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the nation and stands as the final arbiter of the law and guardian of constitutional liberties. Constituent tours of the Supreme Court run 30 minutes in length and depart at 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (tours only when the court is NOT in session). Also, tours of the Supreme Court are limited to four guests. http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

U.S. CAPITOL: Guided tours of the US Capitol depart from Congressman Simpson's office and allow you and your group access to the House and Senate Galleries, the Crypt, National Statutory Hall, the Old Supreme Court Chambers and the Rotunda. Tours are generally scheduled for either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. http://www.congress.gov

U.S. MEMORIAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM: V.I.P. tickets to the United States Memorial Holocaust museum can also be obtained through the Washington, D.C. office. The museum presents a comprehensive history of the Holocaust through artifacts, photographs, films, oral histories, and filmed eyewitness testimonies. Tickets are available every day of the year except for Christmas Day and Yom Kippur. More information is available on the Holocaust Museum’s website: http://www.ushmm.org/

WHITE HOUSE TOURS (UPDATED 03/2004): As of September 16, 2003, the White House has for the first time since September 11, 2001, opened its doors to the general public for self-guided tours of the East Wing. These tours must be arranged through congressional offices.

Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for groups of 10 or more. All attendees aged 14 and above will be required to submit their name, date of birth, social security number and country of origin to their congressional office. Individuals 15 or older must also have a valid photo ID. Attendees under the age of 14 will need to submit their name, date of birth and country of origin to their congressional office. Additions to the number in the group cannot be made after submission to the White House Visitors Office.

Tour requests require at least three months of advance notice, but may be made up to six months in advance. The White House Visitors Office coordinates all congressional tours and informs our office approximately one month prior to the requested date(s) whether a tour request is granted or denied. Due to the overwhelming amount of requests, there is a possibility requests will be denied, even if submitted in a timely fashion.