The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Federal Building Design Competitions (S. 461)
Record date · July 20, 2026
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript of a 1979 Senate hearing regarding S. 461, a proposed bill that would mandate s for the design of new federal office buildings. The hearing explores the potential for these competitions to improve the quality and aesthetic of government architecture.
The bill proposed a shift in how the federal government selects designs for new office buildings, moving from traditional procurement to a competitive design process that would impact future federal construction projects and architectural standards.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Architects
Architects would be eligible to participate in federal design competitions if the bill were enacted.
General Services Administration
The agency responsible for federal building procurement would be required to change its design selection process.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on October 15, 1979, by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- The subject of the hearing was S. 461, a bill introduced in the 96th Congress.
- The bill proposes a requirement for architectural competitions to determine the design of certain new federal office buildings.
- The stated goal of the bill is to enhance the quality of the nation's architecture through competitive design selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of S. 461?
When did this hearing take place?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift in Procurement Strategy
The bill represents an attempt to move federal building design away from standard government procurement toward a merit-based competition model.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz5Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools