Washington: Pouring Your Money into a Hole in the Ground -- Behind Schedule and Over Budget

Contractors building a multi-million dollar, underground visitor center outside the US Capitol met only three of their deadlines on time. The General Accounting Office says the final cost will be between $522 million and $ 559 million. That's $37 million more than was originally thought. The center is designed in part to be a security measure -- keeping terrorists from getting weapons into the Capitol building.

The Architect of the Capitol has weekly updates posted on that office's website.

In addition to providing extra security, the center is supposed to provide some comfort to the tourists waiting for up to three hours for tours.

(GAO) [Photo Credits, Clockwise from upper left, Terry Turner, Office of Sen Bob Bennett (R-UT), Terry Turner]