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Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
To provide for the creation of a congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for other purposes.
Summary
The Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act directs the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The contents will be jointly determined by congressional leadership and must include a joint letter and commemorative coins, along with other items made of durable materials such as metal or archival paper. The time capsule will be buried in the Capitol Visitor Center by July 4, 2026, coordinated with a similar burial ceremony at Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The capsule will remain sealed until July 4, 2276, when the Speaker will present it to Congress, which will then decide how to preserve or use its contents. The time capsule shall not exceed 50 inches wide, 32 inches deep, and 48 inches high.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
11 cosponsors
- Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4] (R-AL)
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO)
- Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1] (D-NC)
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA)
- Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3] (R-TN)
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4] (R-UT)
- Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27] (R-FL)
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (R-PA)
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY)
- Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] (R-SC)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Bonnie Watson Coleman’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- BEIGENE $13,400
- PRINCETON UNIVERSITY $11,150
- WINNING STRATEGIES WASHINGTON $8,600
- NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF HEALTH $7,600
- GHO VENTURES, LLC $7,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Bonnie Watson Coleman → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Nov 21, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. · house
- Nov 20, 2025 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. · house
- Nov 20, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 20, 2025
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Mr. Aderholt, Ms. Salazar, and Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania) 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) Contents.—
(A) In general.—The contents of the Time Capsule shall include—
(i) a single, joint letter from the offices described in paragraph (1);
(ii) coins minted by the Secretary of the Treasury in commemoration of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the establishment of the United States; and
(iii) any other item that the offices described in paragraph (1) jointly determine appropriate.
(B) Limitations.—Any item included in the Time Capsule under subparagraph (A)—
(i) shall be made of materials that pose a low risk of degrading, such as metal or archival paper; and
(ii) shall not be made of any organic or inorganic material that poses a high risk of degrading.
(3) Size.—The Time Capsule shall be not more than 50 inches wide, 32 inches deep, and 48 inches high.
(4) 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 in the Capitol Visitor Center, at a location specified by the Architect, with the approval of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, 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, with the approval of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, 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. <all>
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