U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Opens

WASHINGTON, DC -- Dec. 02: Poet Laureate of the United States (1993-95) Rita Dove reads "Lady Freedom Among Us" in Emancipation Hall during the opening ceremony for the new U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Behind her is a model of the Statue of Freedom, which sits at the top of the dome of the Capitol.The center is a facility for processing tourists visiting the U.S. Capitol, and provides meeting spaces for the House and Senate. It cost $621 million. (Photo by Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images)