(a) Transfer of authorities and personnel to Office of the Capitol Visitor Center
In accordance with the provisions of this subchapter, effective on the transfer date—

(1) the Capitol Guide Service shall be an office within the Office;

(2) the contracts, liabilities, records, property, appropriations, and other assets and interests of the Capitol Guide Service, established under section 2166 of this title, and the employees of the Capitol Guide Service, are transferred to the Office, except that the transfer of any amounts appropriated to the Capitol Guide Service that remain available as of the transfer date shall occur only upon the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate; and

(3) the Capitol Guide Service shall be subject to the direction of the Architect of the Capitol, upon recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, in accordance with this part.

(b) Treatment of employees of Capitol Guide Service at time of transfer

(1) In general
Any individual who is an employee of the Capitol Guide Service on a non-temporary basis on the transfer date who is transferred to the Office under subsection (a) shall be subject to the authority of the Architect of the Capitol under section 2242(b) of this title, except that the individual's grade, compensation, rate of leave, or other benefits that apply with respect to the individual at the time of transfer shall not be reduced while such individual remains continuously so employed in the same position within the Office, other than for cause.

(2) Eligibility for immediate retirement on basis of involuntary separation
For purposes of section 8336(d) and section 8414(b) of title 5, an individual described in paragraph (1) who is separated from service with the Office shall be considered to have separated from the service involuntarily if, at the time the individual is separated from service—

(A) the individual has completed 25 years of service under such title; or

(B) the individual has completed 20 years of service under such title and is 50 years of age or older.

(c) Exception for Congressional Special Services Office
This section does not apply with respect to any employees, contracts, liabilities, records, property, appropriations, and other assets and interests of the Congressional Special Services Office of the Capitol Guide Service that are transferred to the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services under part B.