U.S. Capitol.Photo: Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images
TheUnited States Capitolwill soon be back open to the public.
Starting Monday, the U.S. Capitol building will reopen its doors to the public on a limited basis, according to a Wednesday memo from House Sergeant at Arms William J. Walker and Capitol attending physician Brian P. Monahan, multiple outlets report.
This will be the first time that the Capitol building will be made accessible to the public since thecoronavirus pandemicbegan two years ago and following theJan. 6, 2021 riot.
“We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work together to resume public tours of the Capitol for the American people in a way that protects the health and safety of visitors and institutional staff alike,” wrote Walker and Monahan,The New York Timesand theAssociated Pressreported Wednesday.
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Guided tours will resume on Monday for groups of no more than 15 people in phase 1 of the reopening process,FOX 5 DC reports. The Capitol Visitor Center will reopen two days later, next Wednesday.
Under phase 1 of the Capitol’s reopening, only visitors on tours will be permitted to enter the Capitol Visitor Center gift shop, per the outlet. This will change in phase 2, expected to begin in May, when a limited number of non-tour visitors will be allowed to enter the Capitol Visitor Center.
To start, groups will be limited to one member and staff-led tour per week, FOX 5 DC reports. Congressional offices will be limited to one tour a week,per NBC 4 Washington. Meanwhile, Dome tours are not expected to resume until April 25.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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The reopening of the Capitol is a welcome sign for many as mask mandates are lifted across the country after a dip in COVID-19 cases. However, some leaders believe it has taken too long to resume public access to the building.
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), for instance, is still unhappy with the pace at which the Capitol is being reopened to the public.In a statement released after Wednesday’s announcement, the 84-year-old congresswoman cited the importance of allowing the American people into the building, especially with COVID vaccines now widely available.
“America’s symbols of democracy should be accessible to the people we serve. Already, the distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows,” wrote Norton.
Visitors can begin scheduling tours on Thursday, according to FOX 5 DC.
source: people.com
