Photo by philliefan99)

In an attempt to boost D.C.’s economy and make it easier for commercial film and photography crews to film around the Capitol, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill yesterday to permit commercial filming and photography on all U.S. Capitol grounds.

Currently, commercial filming is only permitted on Union Square (the plaza that includes the Reflecting Pool), but Norton’s bill would expand that to include the approximately 290 acres that encompass the grounds. The bill would allow commercial film and photography crews to apply for permits to film exterior shots in this entire area.

This bill would certainly be good news for the producers of D.C.-centric shows like Homeland or House of Cards, which often film in locations like Baltimore and Charlotte, but try to pass them off as D.C. Though not very successfully.

In a statement, Norton said that “in today’s world, where many societies are facing upheavals, our country, with an exemplary model of democracy, should be the first to encourage commercial photography and filming to record various scenes of the legislature, which symbolizes U.S. democracy at work…No policy or security reason exists to justify the limit of commercial filming and photography of the Capitol complex to only one location, Union Square, particularly considering that permits are necessary…Limiting commercial filming and photography of the Capitol, an important vehicle for telling the nation’s story, does not serve the American people.”

D.C. Office of Motion Picture and T.V. Development spokeswoman Leslie Green tells DCist that they worked with Norton on this bill. “MPTD was instrumental in bringing this issue to Congresswoman Norton’s attention when Union Square was transferred in late 2011 and worked with her to come up with a temporary solution until a permanent one was created,” she says. “We are thrilled she has continued the work to expand the boundaries for filming at the U.S. Capitol.”