The Los Alamos Reporter just spent a few days in Washington, DC staying with a friend who lives within easy walking distance of the United States Capitol Building. She first visited the Capitol Building when she arrived in the United States in 1983. Just a few years later she was sworn in as a United States citizen. More than 40 years later, the grandeur of this building, a symbol of American democracy, is even more striking. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

The U.S. Capitol Building. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

The U.S. Capitol Building. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

The U.S. Capitol Building. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

The 19.5-foot bronze Statute of Freedom sits atop the United States Capitol building’s dome was created by American artist Thomas Crawford in Rome and installed in 1863. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com