IIB 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6394 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 17 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 

Administration 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

HR 6394 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Semiquincentennial 

3 Congressional Time Capsule Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME CAP5 SULE. 

6 (a) CREATION BY ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL.— 

7 The Architect of the Capitol shall create a Congressional 

8 time capsule, to be known as the ‘‘Semiquincentennial 

9 Congressional Time Capsule’’ (in this Act referred to as 

10 the ‘‘Time Capsule’’). 

11 (b) CONTENTS.— 

12 (1) DETERMINATION BY CONGRESSIONAL LEAD13 ERSHIP.—The Office of the Speaker of the House of 

14 Representatives, Office of the Minority Leader of the 

15 House of Representatives, Office of the Majority 

16 Leader of the Senate, and Office of the Minority 

17 Leader of the Senate shall jointly determine the con18 tents of the Time Capsule, taking into account the 

19 requirements of paragraph (2). 

20 (2) SPECIFICATIONS.—The contents of the 

21 Time Capsule shall include— 

22 (A) a representative portion of all books, 

23 manuscripts, miscellaneous printed matter, 

24 memorabilia, relics, and other materials relating 

25 to the United States Semiquincentennial; 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

HR 6394 RFS

1 (B) copies or representations of important 

2 legislative and institutional milestones of Con3 gress during the time before the Time Capsule 

4 is buried; 

5 (C) a message from Congress to the future 

6 Congress when the Time Capsule will be 

7 opened; and 

8 (D) such other content as the offices de9 scribed in paragraph (1) consider appropriate. 

10 (3) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this sub11 section, the offices described in paragraph (1) may 

12 consult with the Architect of the Capitol, the Sec13 retary of the Smithsonian Institution, and such 

14 other entities of the Federal Government as the of15 fices consider appropriate. 

16 (c) DUTIES OF ARCHITECT.—The Architect of the 

17 Capitol shall— 

18 (1) prepare the Time Capsule to be sealed and 

19 buried on the West Lawn of the Capitol, at a loca20 tion specified by the Architect, on or before July 

21 4th, 2026, at a time which would permit individuals 

22 attending this event to also attend the burial of a 

23 time capsule in Independence Mall in Philadelphia, 

24 Pennsylvania, under section 7(f)(1) of the United 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

HR 6394 RFS

1 States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 

2 (36 U.S.C. 101 note prec.); and 

3 (2) install a plaque to provide such information 

4 about the Time Capsule as the Architect considers 

5 appropriate. 

6 (d) UNSEALING.—The Time Capsule shall be sealed 

7 until July 4th, 2276, on which date the Speaker of the 

8 House of Representatives shall present the Time Capsule 

9 to the 244th Congress, and such Congress shall determine 

10 how the contents within should be preserved or used. 

Passed the House of Representatives December 16, 

2024. 

Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 

Clerk. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS