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21 consultants, Hoffman Architects and LZA Technology, to update and expand their studies and prepare a com- prehensive master plan for Dome remediation. As a result of concerns about recent earthquake activity in the U.S., I also commissioned LZA to perform a three- dimensional computer analysis of the Dome's earthquake resistance capabilities—four years before the earthquake that rocked Washington in 2011. The original cast iron trusses passed the computer analysis with flying colors. It was the cast iron "skin" of the Dome that was at issue rather than basic structural considerations (fig. 10). FISCAl yEAR 1999 APPRoPRIATIonS CoMMITTEE HEARInGS After one year as Architect of the Capitol, I came to my budget presentations well-armed with visuals. This time I had not only presentation renderings, charts, and lists, but also a two-phase plan of action with "order- of-magnitude" estimates and some powerful "show and tell" items. I intended to make as strong a case as possible for my greatly-enhanced Dome appropria- tion request. The can of rust from the Dome, masquerading as Maxwell House Coffee, was circulated among the members at the hearing room dais along with chunks of cracked cast iron. The interrogatory with one of the committee members, Representative Jose Serano (NY), went like this: Mr. Serrano. That is a piece of the dome, so to speak? Mr. Hantman. That is a piece of the railing at the dome. We have bags of bolts that have rusted right out and they were not holding any thing in place. Mr. Serrano. This is rust? Mr. Hantman. It is rust. Mr. Serrano. Looks like good coffee to me. 9 That can of rust, along with several chunks of cast iron that had fallen from the Dome, helped make the case for the Dome portion of my budget request, but it still wasn't a done deal. At the 16 September 1998 Senate Rules and Admin- istration hearing, Senator Wendell Ford (KY) ...specifically expressed concern over the Capi- tol dome repairs because the rotunda will remain open throughout the construction and the safety of the staff, members and visitors may be at risk. Hantman assured the committee that an innovative netting structure would shield the inner dome from falling debris and allow for the most unobstructed view possible (of the Apothe- osis of Washington). The initial 18-month phase of the work, which will be bid on in October and commence in November, will solely concern the area between the interior and exterior domes. . . . All findings during phase one will be fixed during phase two of the project. 10 Fig. 10. Isometric view of LZA Technology's structural analysis model THE CAPITOL DOME