National landmark needs repair

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National landmark needs repair

Article by: EDITORIAL , Washington Post
Updated: September 3, 2012 - 8:08 PM

Let's hope Congress, steward of this precious national structure, has the good sense to undertake its timely repair.

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A tour guide points out paintings inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The Capitol dome needs a comprehensive rehabilitation, but the House has declined to appropriate the $61 million required for repairs.

Photo: Jonathan Ernst, Associated Press/NYT

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The roof of the Capitol -- the iconic dome -- is badly in need of repair.

Years of inclement weather have caused hundreds of leaks; water seeping through the pinholes and cracks wreaks havoc on the decorative elements that make the dome unique. Putting off needed repairs is never a good idea.

So let's hope Congress, steward of this precious national structure, has the good sense to undertake its timely repair.

An impasse between the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate over the fiscal 2013 budget has ensnared funding for the needed repairs.

The House voted this year to cut the funds needed as part of its efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit; the Senate Appropriations Committee voted just before the August recess to provide the money, but there's been no vote on the appropriation (or, apparently, plans for one) by the full Senate.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, assured us that "everyone supports fixing the Capitol dome." But why risk further damage to the dome or possible dangers to public safety?

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The Opinion section is produced by the Editorial Department to foster discussion about key issues. The Editorial Board represents the institutional voice of the Star Tribune and operates independently of the newsroom.
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