▁title ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ). ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁election , ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁held ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁seats ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁the ▁Senate ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁They ▁were ▁sw orn ▁into ▁office ▁on ▁January ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁Capit ol ▁The ▁General ▁Assembly ▁meets ▁in ▁Virginia ' s ▁capital ▁of ▁Richmond . ▁When ▁sitting ▁in ▁Richmond , ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁holds ▁sessions ▁in ▁the ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Capit ol , ▁designed ▁by ▁Thomas ▁Jefferson ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 8 ▁and ▁expanded ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁the ▁capit ol ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁of ▁America , ▁housing ▁the ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States . ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁renov ated ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Sen ators ▁and ▁De leg ates ▁have ▁their ▁offices ▁in ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁Building ▁across ▁the ▁street ▁directly ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Capit ol . ▁The ▁Governor ▁of ▁Virginia ▁lives ▁across ▁the ▁street ▁directly ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Capit ol ▁in ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Executive ▁M ansion . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁" the ▁oldest ▁continuous ▁law - making ▁body ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World ". ▁ ▁Its ▁existence ▁dates ▁to ▁its ▁establishment ▁at ▁Jam est own ▁on ▁July ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 6 1 9 ,