http://www.thehill.com/news/062204/chamber.aspxLawmakers may someday soon find themselves passing legislation not in the Senate and House but in an alternate chamber in the Congressional Visitor Center (CVC).
The auditorium, at the east end of the Capitol, was originally intended to be merely a visitor theater, but the design has been heavily modified so that it can be equipped for members’ debates and votes should the Senate and House chambers be out of commission.
Although the alternate chamber was mentioned in the original CVC plan, it has been largely overlooked until now, when terrorist threats have raised concerns about continuity should Capitol Hill come under attack.
The CVC’s underground auditorium, which has not yet been covered, will be equipped with fewer, more spacious seats, wider aisles and enough electrical conduit to install voting machines in each of the chairs should either chamber be renovated in the next few years.