Beginning as early as Monday, there will be no live television coverage of the House or Senate floor, committee hearings, TV gallery appearances or press conferences until mid-January, in order to accommodate construction of the Capitol Visitor Center.

According to an e-mail sent by Senate Radio and TV Gallery Director Larry Janezich, the fiber optic and coaxial cable used to broadcast live feeds to the TV networks has to be reconstructed because of the CVC.

“We expect the system to be restored by the first or second week of January, 2004,” Janezich wrote.

“If either house of Congress returns before the system is restored, the Senate and House Recording studios will deliver floor feeds to the major television and radio organizations via an alternate route,” he added.

The blackout also includes events in Statuary Hall, the Rotunda, the Crypt and other common interview and stakeout locations.