Gallery Rules and Procedures

Section One
You may not videotape, film or record audio:

1. in the House and Senate Chambers.
2. in the lobbies of the House and Senate Chambers (except the recording of audio at the designated radio table in the Speaker's Lobby).
3. while walking in front or behind an interview subject inside the Congressional complex. This safety rule will be strictly enforced by the Capitol Police.
4. in any area that will impede the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic including sidewalks and driveways.
5. in areas where Congressional regulations prohibit broadcast coverage such as House and Senate restaurants and cafeterias, the second and third floor corridors outside the House and Senate Chambers, areas closed to the public, etc.

Section Two
I. Television coverage with portable cameras is allowed in the following areas:

1. the Capitol grounds—use of portable equipment is unrestricted except when it impedes the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, creates a hazardous situation, or in heightened security situations when press may be restricted to certain areas.
2. East Front House steps (portable only for interviews with Members)—approval of Member and House Sergeant at Arms through the House Gallery staff is required.
3. East Front Senate steps and portico (portable for interviews with Senators)—approval of Senator and Senate Sergeant at Arms through Senate Gallery staff required.
4. predesignated locations near the House and Senate steps for arrival or departure shots, with approval from the appropriate Sergeant at Arms through the appropriate Gallery.

II. Television coverage on tripod or with portable cameras is allowed in the following areas:

1. the House and Senate Gallery studios—reserved for exclusive use through Gallery staffs.
2. designated Free Press Areas on Capitol grounds (see map inside back cover). Gallery members may set up tripods in these locations for standups or interviews without prior approval.
3. areas of the Capitol grounds other than Free Press Areas. For use of tripods a Capitol Police tripod permit is required (contact appropriate Gallery for assistance).
4. the inner Russell Building third floor Rotunda balcony. Positions on the exterior balconies may be reserved through Senate Gallery staff.
5. the inner Cannon Building third floor Rotunda balcony. Positions on the exterior balconies may be reserved through the House Gallery staff.
6. a permanent stake-out area outside the House Chamber opposite the Will Rogers statue, (subject to House Gallery guidelines). Reserve through House Gallery staff.
7. a stake-out area at the Hall of Columns House side South Door—approval of the House Sergeant at Arms through the House Gallery is required.
8. the Capitol Rotunda (tripods permitted when the Rotunda is not open to the public, portable at other times)—approval of Congressional officials through both the House and Senate Galleries required.
9. Statuary Hall—approval of the Speaker's Office through the House Gallery required.
10. the Old Supreme Court and the Old Senate Chambers (coverage is restricted to historical heritage of the rooms)—approval of the Senate Curator through the Senate Gallery is required.
11. the Rayburn Room (when the House is not in session)—approval of the Speaker's Office through the House Gallery required.
12. open Congressional committee hearings—approval of the committee through the appropriate Gallery is required.
13. offices of Members of Congress—approval of the Member required.
14. House Office Building corridors for interviews with Members—approval of the House Sergeant at Arms through the House Gallery is required.
15. Senate Office Building corridors for interviews with Members—approval of the Member and the Senate Rules Committee through the Senate Gallery required.
16. Capitol Building corridors—approval of Congressional officials through appropriate Gallery required.
17. the Senate Reception Room (for interviews with Senators)—approval of the Senate Sergeant at Arms through the Senate Gallery required.
18. stake-out locations pre-approved by the appropriate Gallery.
19. Capitol subways (restrictions vary according to location)—approval of Congressional officials through the appropriate Gallery required.

Section Three
Stake-out and Photo Op rules

1. All stake-outs must be pre-approved by the appropriate Gallery. The only exceptions are stake-outs in the designated Free Press Areas. Members are advised that stake-outs in the Capitol often require escorts. Contact the appropriate Gallery for details.
2. Camera positions will generally be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the Gallery staff may give preferred tripod positions to organizations providing live or pool coverage.
3. All microphones should be attached to a microphone stand and all cameras must remain stationary.
4. Doorways, hallways and corridors must remain open at all times.
5. Stake-out participants will at all times follow the directions of Capitol Police officers and representatives of the House or Senate Sergeants at Arms. Members of the Gallery staffs should be contacted to mediate any disputes.
6. Stake-out participants will at all times follow the direction of the Gallery staff members.
7. Unattended tripods may not be used to reserve camera positions at stake-outs.
8. Gallery members must clean up after themselves in stake-out and pool set-up areas.
9. Food and drinks are not permitted at stake-outs in the Ohio Clock Corridor.
10. Camera positions for photo ops will generally be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. However, the Gallery staff may give preferred positions to organizations providing live or pool coverage. Members are advised that photo ops in the Capitol often require an escort. Contact the appropriate Gallery for details.

Section Four
Radio coverage is allowed in the following areas:

1. the House and Senate Radio-Television Gallery studios.
2. the President's Room off the Senate Chamber (interviews with Senators).
3. the second floor hallways on the Republican side of the House Chamber.
4. the radio reporters' table in the Speaker's Lobby, subject to House Gallery guidelines.
5. the Ohio Clock Corridor on the Senate side of the Capitol (interviews with Senators).
6. the Capitol grounds, except when it impedes the flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
7. East Front House and Senate steps under guidelines of the appropriate Gallery.
8. the Old Supreme Court and the Old Senate Chambers (coverage is restricted to historical heritage of the rooms)—approval of the Senate Curator through the Senate Gallery required.
9. the Rayburn Room (when the House is not in session)—approval of the Speaker's Office through the House Gallery required.
10. Congressional committee hearings—approval of the committee through the appropriate Gallery required.
11. offices of Members of Congress—approval of the Member required.
12. the Senate Reception Room (for interviews with Senators)—approval of the Senate Sergeant at Arms through the Senate Gallery required.
13. stake-out locations pre-approved through the appropriate Gallery.
14. East Front House steps for interviews with Members—approval of Member required.
15. East Front Senate steps for interviews with Senators—approval of Senator and Senate Sergeant at Arms through Senate Gallery required.
16. House Office Buildings and Senate Office Buildings (interviews with Members are generally unrestricted unless the flow of traffic is impeded).

Section Five
Rules for Broadcast Coverage of House and Senate Committee Hearings

1. You must notify the appropriate Gallery of your intention to cover a hearing so that the Gallery staff may make the necessary arrangements.
2. All electronic equipment must be installed at least 15 minutes before the hearing is scheduled to begin. If you are late, you may not be allowed into the hearing room with gear.
3. Camera positions will generally be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the Gallery staff may give preferred tripod positions to organizations providing live, pool or gavel-to-gavel coverage.
4. Each committee has its own coverage rules. In general, tripods and microphones may not be broken down or removed during a hearing except during a break or recess in the hearing. Cameras may be removed from tripods for cut-aways in some hearing rooms.
5. Broadcast technicians will strive at all times to maintain decorum and will conduct themselves in a way that does not interfere with the hearing.
6. Unattended tripods may not be used to reserve camera positions inside a committee hearing room.
7. Many Congressional committees prohibit food and drink in their hearing rooms.
8. Rules for operation of cut-away crews during hearings vary, depending on the committee. In crowded hearings, crews may be required to rotate into the room to shoot cut-aways.

Section Six
General Rules

1. Only current Members of Congress and the Vice President may be interviewed or make statements in the House and Senate Gallery studios or in other parts of the Galleries. (House committee witnesses may be interviewed in the House Gallery and Rayburn Studio on the day they are scheduled to testify.) This restriction does not apply to interviews given by credentialed members of the Congressional News Galleries.
2. Members of Congress (except the Speaker of the House, the House Majority and Minority Leaders, the Vice President, and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders) must be invited to appear in the House and Senate Gallery studios. Appearances on the House side must be at the invitation of a member of the Radio-Television Galleries. Appearances on the Senate side may be at the invitation of any member of any Congressional News Gallery. Members of the Galleries who issue invitations should be present in the Galleries during interviews.
3. News conferences with Senators and Representatives in their respective Galleries take precedence over other uses of the studio during major breaking news stories. Unilateral use of the studio may be restricted. At other times, House and Senate studios may be reserved in advance for reasonable lengths of time at the discretion of the appropriate Gallery Director. Gallery staff should be advised as soon as possible when studio interviews are scheduled.
4. The House and Senate Gallery studios are closed to everyone except accredited reporters and technicians, Members of Congress, Congressional press secretaries and Gallery staff. Additional Congressional staff members may also be permitted to attend interviews if space allows.
5. Gallery members will follow the directions of the Gallery staffs at all times.
6. Gallery resources and equipment (copiers, phones, FAX machines, etc.) will be used only for official business.
7. Gallery members may not list Gallery addresses or phone numbers on their business cards or stationery.
8. Appropriate attire (such as jacket and tie for men) is required at all times in the Speaker's Lobby and during the pre-session press briefings on the Senate Floor.
9. Congressional Radio-TV Gallery credentials may be used only when covering news stories. They may not be used to gain access to Capitol grounds or buildings when working for non-news clients or for other purposes unrelated to news coverage.
10. Rules of Congress prohibit Gallery members from engaging in lobbying, advertising, publicity, or promotion work for any individual, corporation, organization or government.
11. Except at an authorized stake-out, interviews with those who are not members of Congress or Senate officials are not permitted in corridors on the Senate side of the Capitol unless a Senator appears on camera with such an individual for the duration of the interview.

Related Pages

• General Gallery Rules & Procedures
• House Rules
• Executive Committee Election Bylaws

Using the Gallery

• Covering Committee Hearings
  • Committee Room Camera Limits
• Designated Standup Areas
• Exclusive Interview Locations
• Gallery Regulars
• House Complex Live Locations
• News Release/Advisory Distributions
• Press Secretaries Advisory (PDF, House staff only)
• Press Conference Locations
• Rules & Procedures