Congress is creating a special time capsule to celebrate America's 250th birthday (the semiquincentennial). The Architect of the Capitol will build and bury this capsule in the Capitol Visitor Center by July 4th, 2026. The four top leaders of Congress—the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, plus the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate—will work together to decide what goes inside. The capsule must include a joint letter from these four offices, and they can add other items they think are important. Everything inside has to be made from materials that won't decay, like metal or archival paper, so it can survive 250 years underground. The capsule itself can't be bigger than 50 inches wide, 32 inches deep, and 48 inches tall. Once it's sealed and buried, nobody will open it until July 4th, 2276—exactly 250 years later—when Congress at that time will decide what to do with its contents. A plaque will be installed at the burial site so visitors know what's there.

Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act

Tillis, Thomas

Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule ActThis bill requires the Architect of the Capitol to create a congressional time capsule in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to be buried in the Capitol Visitor Center on or before July 4, 2026. The time capsule shall contain a joint letter from congressional leadership and such other contents as they shall determine. The time capsule shall be sealed until July 4, 2276.&nbsp;