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The top of the Washington Monument peaks above a fog bank over the Washington area at sunrise on Sunday morning.

Photos of the week | December 5-11, 2025

By Bill Clark and Tom Williams
Posted December 12, 2025 at 9:22am

Capitol Lens | The Vex-orcist

By Tom Williams
Posted December 11, 2025 at 4:05pm, Updated at 5:46pm
Getting lost in the Capitol complex is almost a rite of passage for newcomers. Above, an empty hallway is pictured in the Cannon House Office Building in 2020.

The Capitol is hard to navigate. Does it have to be?

By Nina Heller
Posted December 10, 2025 at 4:32pm

Capitol Lens | Winding up

Bringing up baby

By Tom Williams
Posted December 10, 2025 at 2:47pm
Protesters march down Pennsylvania Avenue NW for the second "No Kings" protest in Washington on Oct. 18, 2025. The current political instability has some parallels to the 1930s portrayed in Thomas Pynchon's novel "Shadow Ticket."

Buy the ‘Shadow Ticket,’ take the ride

By Jason Dick
Posted December 10, 2025 at 1:26pm
Gene Simmons is seen in the Senate subway on Tuesday. He appeared at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing with the aim of drumming up support for radio royalties.

‘Let’s rock’: Gene Simmons urges Congress to OK radio royalties 

By Nina Heller
Posted December 9, 2025 at 6:04pm
Architect Frank Gehry and Rocco Siciliano, chairman of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, talk with reporters during a press conference about the memorial for President Eisenhower in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 25, 2010.

Frank Gehry’s Washington legacy: The Eisenhower Memorial

By Jason Dick
Posted December 8, 2025 at 5:05pm
Books by Andrew Lawler, Zaakir Tameez, Thomas Pynchon, Walter Isaacson, Beth Macy and Ruth Bloch Rubin made our annual list of recommendations from Capitol Hill denizens.

Hill insiders share favorite books of 2025

By Nina Heller
Posted December 8, 2025 at 2:55pm

Capitol Lens | Foggy top

By Bill Clark
Posted December 8, 2025 at 2:24pm
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith and Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan attend a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday to announce the arrest of Brian Cole Jr., who allegedly placed pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committee offices the night before Jan. 6, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Photos of the week | December 1-4, 2025

By Bill Clark and Tom Williams
Posted December 5, 2025 at 9:48am

Capitol Lens | Under siege

By Tom Williams
Posted December 4, 2025 at 4:18pm
A Capitol Police officer is seen earlier this year outside the Capitol. As Congress enters its final stretch of the year and members look ahead to the winter holidays, they say the risks of serving still weigh on them despite several recent steps from congressional leaders to address safety fears.

December brings reelection reflection — and safety fears

By Nina Heller
Posted December 3, 2025 at 5:53pm

Capitol Lens | Seeing eye to Nye

By Tom Williams
Posted December 3, 2025 at 3:45pm

Capitol Lens | Frosting over

By Bill Clark
Posted December 2, 2025 at 3:58pm

Capitol Lens | Red-hot holiday

By Tom Williams
Posted December 1, 2025 at 5:57pm
Fred Johnson carefully lifts the dome during construction of the Capitol gingerbread house on Nov. 20, joined by, from left, chefs Kashif Browne, Jess Kremer and John Selick.

This Capitol looks good enough to eat (but you shouldn’t)

By Nina Heller
Posted December 1, 2025 at 4:35pm
A tour group enters the Capitol Rotunda on Monday. After Congress voted last week to temporarily fund the government into January, the Capitol Visitor Center reopened and tours of the Capitol resumed. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Photos of the week | November 14-20, 2025

By Bill Clark and Tom Williams
Posted November 21, 2025 at 9:50am

Capitol Lens | Turkey wing

By Bill Clark
Posted November 20, 2025 at 3:10pm
How do members of Congress spend their time? It’s changed over the years, political scientist Jeremy Gelman says. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Where do ‘untraceable’ laws come from, and what does Congress do all day?

By Justin Papp
Posted November 19, 2025 at 5:03pm

Capitol Lens | Royal visit

By Tom Williams
Posted November 19, 2025 at 3:04pm