[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.

    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) <<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 
        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>