BRIAN WILLIAMS TO REPORT DAY-IN-THE-LIFE ON CAPITOL HILL

NBC NEWS PRESENTS PRIMETIME SPECIAL: "TAKING THE HILL: INSIDE CONGRESS" HOUR-LONG "DATELINE" DOCUMENTARY TO AIR SUNDAY, JULY 31 AT 7:00PM ET ON NBC

NEW YORK, NY -- JULY 25, 2011 -- Seven American Presidents over the course of 40 years have granted NBC News exclusive access to produce the television tradition, "Inside the White House." This week, for the first time in history, our cameras will document a day behind the scenes on Capitol Hill.

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News," will lead viewers through this unprecedented look at life under the dome of the U.S. Capitol in an upcoming special, "Taking the Hill: Inside Congress." The hour-long "Dateline" documentary will air on Sunday, July 31, at 7:00pm ET on NBC.

As negotiations over our nation's debt stutter, stall, and start up again, NBC's cameras and crews will spread throughout the Capitol complex to capture a first-hand, up-close view of a legislative day unfolding. Our lenses will follow the relationships and conversations behind the headlines as Williams interviews key lawmakers -- House and Senate leaders from both parties -- and the staffers out of the spotlight who keep this institution running.

"No one has ever taken the Hill quite the way we plan to," said Brian Williams. "We are going to flood the zone with cameras and journalists -- we intend to chronicle all the moving parts -- warts and all, heroes and villains. If it moves, we will see it and record it. There has never been an hour of television like it, and this is a vital time to be on the Hill."

"For decades, Presidents have trusted NBC News to give the public a fair window into their lives -- we're honored and excited to now take our cameras inside Congress," said Mark Lukasiewicz, senior vice president of NBC News Specials. "Thanks to generous cooperation from leaders in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle, Brian and our team of journalists will have extraordinary access to showcase newsmakers and nuance in an honest, in-depth broadcast about the inner workings of the American legislative process."

Follow NBC crews all week at @InsideCongress and join the conversation with hashtag #InsideCongress. As the shoot progresses, more information can be found online at insidecongress.msnbc.com.

Mark Lukasiewicz is executive producer of "Inside Congress;" Meade Jorgensen is coordinating producer; Subrata De is senior producer. David Corvo is senior executive producer of primetime news; Liz Cole is executive producer of "Dateline." Steve Capus is the president of NBC News.