Public Law

[119th Congress Public Law 79]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 140 STAT. 748]]

Public Law 119-79
119th Congress

                                 An Act

     To provide for the creation of a congressional time capsule in
 commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for
          other purposes. <<NOTE: Feb. 18, 2026 -  [S. 3705]>>

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress
assembled, <<NOTE: Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act. 36
USC note prec. 101.>>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Semiquincentennial Congressional Time
Capsule Act''.

SEC. 2. SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAPSULE.

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) <<NOTE: Approvals.>> Duties of Architect.--The Architect of the
Capitol shall--

[[Page 140 STAT. 749]]

            (1) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> 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

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) <<NOTE: Determination.>> 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.

    Approved February 18, 2026.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3705:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 172 (2026):
            Jan. 27, considered and passed Senate.
            Feb. 9, considered and passed House.

                                  <all>