February 27, 2025
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration
To provide for the creation of a Congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short Title
This Act may be cited as the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
.
Sec. 2. Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule
(a) Creation by Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol shall create a Congressional time capsule, to be known as the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule
(in this Act referred to as the Time Capsule
).
(b) Contents
(1) Determination by congressional leadership
The Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Office of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Office of the Majority Leader of the Senate, and Office of the Minority Leader of the Senate shall jointly determine the contents of the Time Capsule, taking into account the requirements of paragraph (2).
(2) Specifications
The contents of the Time Capsule shall include—
(A)
a representative portion of all books, manuscripts, miscellaneous printed matter, memorabilia, relics, and other materials relating to the United States Semiquincentennial;
(B)
copies or representations of important legislative and institutional milestones of Congress during the time before the Time Capsule is buried;
(C)
a message from Congress to the future Congress when the Time Capsule will be opened; and
(D)
such other content as the offices described in paragraph (1) consider appropriate.
(3) Consultation
In carrying out this subsection, the offices described in paragraph (1) may consult with the Architect of the Capitol, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and such other entities of the Federal Government as the offices consider appropriate.
(c) Duties of Architect
The Architect of the Capitol shall—
(1)
prepare the Time Capsule to be sealed and buried on the West Lawn of the Capitol, at a location specified by the Architect, on or before July 4th, 2026, at a time which would permit individuals attending this event to also attend the burial of a time capsule in Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under section 7(f)(1) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (36 U.S.C. 101 note prec.); and
(2)
install a plaque to provide such information about the Time Capsule as the Architect considers appropriate.
(d) Unsealing
The Time Capsule shall be sealed until July 4th, 2276, on which date the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall present the Time Capsule to the 244th Congress, and such Congress shall determine how the contents within should be preserved or used.