Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 469 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 469

    To provide for the creation of a Congressional time capsule in 
 commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 15, 2025

      Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Evans of 
 Pennsylvania, and Mr. Aderholt) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for the creation of a Congressional time capsule in 
 commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

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.
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