WASHINGTON -- Congress unveiled its newly-finished, $621 million Capitol Visitor Center this morning with an hour-long ceremony. In what is called Emancipation Hall -- the main, large room of the underground structure -- congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell spoke about the historical significance and tradition of continuing to improve the Capitol, and invoked Thomas Jefferson's name on numerous occasions.

The CVC features a vast exhibit on the history of the grand building and our government, as well as restaurants, gift shops and theaters. James Billington, Librarian of Congress, called it a "splendidly-presented civics lesson" and "a far more expansive attempt to make the Capitol more accessible to its citizenry."

In Reid's remarks, he noted that if nothing else, the indoor facility will end the permeation of tourists' body odor, since they'll no longer need to wait outside in the muggy summer weather. "In the summer time, because of the high humidity and how hot it gets here, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol," Reid said. "Well, that's no longer going to be necessary."