Congress Considers Leaving D.C. if New Capitol Building Isn't Built

Artist's rendering of proposed retractable roof Capitol Building.







Calling the current U.S. Capitol "inadequate and obsolete," Congress will relocate to Charlotte or Memphis if its demands for a new, state-of-the-art facility are not met, leaders announced Monday.

"Don't get us wrong: We love the drafty old building," Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) said. "But the hard reality is, it's no longer suitable for a world-class legislative branch. The sight lines are bad, there aren't enough concession stands or bathrooms, and the parking is miserable. It hurts to say, but the capitol's time has come and gone."

"If we want to stay competitive, we need to upgrade," said House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO), who has proposed a new $3.5 billion capitol on the site of the current edifice. "Look at British Parliament. Look at the Vatican. Respected institutions in their markets. But without modern facilities, they've been having big problems attracting top talent, if D.C. isn't willing to provide that, I can think of plenty of other cities that would be more than happy to."

The leading candidates for a possible congressional relocation are Charlotte and Memphis. San Francisco civic leaders have also lobbied hard, offering to finance a $4 billion Pac Bell Capitol Building. Dallas, Seattle, and Toronto have also been mentioned as long shots.