SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAPSULE ACT

On 2026-02-09, Representative Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL-4) delivered a floor speech titled "SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAPSULE ACT" in the House. The speech addressed the environment and also covered trade policy. It referenced legislation including HR6243, HR469, S3705.

SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAPSULE ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2046-H2048] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAPSULE ACT Mrs. BICE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3705) to provide for the creation of a congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 3705 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); and (ii) 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 [[Page H2047]] 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 and the Majority Leader of the Senate shall present the Time Capsule to the 244th Congress, and such Congress shall determine how the contents within should be preserved or used. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oklahoma. General Leave Mrs. BICE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Oklahoma? There was no objection. Mrs. BICE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to support S. 3705, the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act. This is the Senate companion to H.R. 6243, introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robert Aderholt, Maria Salazar, and Dwight Evans. This nonpartisan legislation would authorize the burial of a time capsule in the Capitol Visitor Center to mark the 250th anniversary of our Nation's independence. This time capsule is one way that Congress will participate in the Nation's yearlong celebration of liberty and independence. Amidst our toughest challenges of the day, this legislation reminds us that we can all work together. Under this bill, leaders from both parties will work alongside the Architect of the Capitol to compile the capsule's contents. This will include a letter from congressional leadership, books, manuscripts, relics, memorabilia, and more. I am optimistic that the contents of this capsule will reflect what makes this country great, as well as the challenges we faced during this time. The capsule will remain sealed until July 4th, 2276, and the burial site will be marked by a plaque approved by the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. I thank the ranking member, Mr. Morelle, for working with me on this effort. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3705, which is, I believe, the original companion to H.R. 469. I thank my friend and fellow House administrator and fellow House appropriator Mrs. Bice for her comments and her support of this important legislation. As I have previously noted on the floor, this bipartisan legislation would authorize the Architect of the Capitol to bury a time capsule on July 4th, 2026, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to be opened on our Nation's 500th anniversary in the year 2276. The items in the capsule will be determined by bipartisan, bicameral congressional leaders and include written materials relating to the anniversary, representations of notable legislative and institutional milestones, and a message from this Congress to our future colleagues in the 244th Congress. I did say last year that I hope to be there at the opening. I am not sure that is possible, but I will do everything I can. This year's celebration of America's anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on the resilience of the American experiment. Our Nation has faced countless tests to our strength and our unity, including a civil war, two world wars, natural disasters, and more. Yet through each of these profound challenges, this country has endured and continues to strive toward the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago. During this time of deep division and heightened partisanship, this anniversary reminds us of our shared responsibility to uphold the values of liberty and equality that have defined this Nation for two- and-a-half centuries. I, again, thank the Semiquincentennial Commission for its leadership and planning for this momentous occasion. I particularly commend my colleague, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, for her leadership in advancing the bill. I also want to recognize the service of a fellow New Yorker, former House Representative Joe Crowley, whose time and talents have made an indelible mark on the Commission's achievements. I look forward to seeing the items chosen for the time capsule, which I may not be able to see when they are opened, but I do encourage my colleagues to support this measure. It is an important measure. It is an important part of our history and our legacy, and I look forward to its passage. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who is the author of the bill. Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Madam Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, marked a turning point not just in our Nation's history but in the global pursuit of democracy and self-governance. The work remains unfinished, and each generation has been tasked with carrying it forward. As we approach the 250th anniversary of that moment, Congress has a responsibility to reflect honestly on where we have been and what we will choose to pass on. This legislation authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to be sealed and buried in the Capitol Visitor Center where it will be unsealed on our Nation's 500th anniversary on July 4th, 2276. While we won't be there to open it, we should be there to see what goes into it. The capsule will include items, as has been mentioned, that capture the institutional history of Congress, significant legislative milestones, and a message from the 119th Congress to those who will serve long after we are gone. As a cofounder and co-chair of the America250 Caucus, I am proud to see this legislation move forward as a part of our Nation's 250th anniversary. As I said, none of us will be here when this capsule is opened. That is the point. Our responsibility is to the generations who will inherit the consequences of our choices. What we do in this Chamber every day is history. What we choose to speak up for and speak out against defines us, and it will be the legacy that we leave for every governing body that holds this space for years to come. Mrs. BICE. Madam Speaker, I want to mention, my colleague, Mr. Morelle, referenced opening the capsule in 2276, and I, too, would love to see the contents, although I d

Referenced legislation: HR469, S3705, HR6243