Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act in plain language
1: Short Title
This section would let the Act be called the "Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act."
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1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act .
2: Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule
This section would direct the Architect of the Capitol to create a Congressional time capsule called the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule. The Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Office of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Office of the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the Office of the Minority Leader of the Senate would jointly decide what goes inside, and they would have to take into account required specifications when doing so. Those specifications require that the contents include a representative portion of books, manuscripts, miscellaneous printed matter, memorabilia, relics, and other materials relating to the United States Semiquincentennial; copies or representations of important legislative and institutional milestones of Congress from the time before the capsule is buried; a message from the current Congress to the future Congress that will open it; and any other content the four offices consider appropriate. In deciding on the contents, the four offices could consult with the Architect of the Capitol, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and other federal government entities they consider appropriate. The Architect of the Capitol would have to prepare the time capsule to be sealed and buried on the West Lawn of the Capitol, at a location the Architect specifies, on or before July 4, 2026, at a time that would let people attending that event also attend the burial of a separate time capsule at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under section 7(f)(1) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016. The Architect would also have to install a plaque giving information about the time capsule that the Architect considers appropriate. The time capsule would stay sealed until July 4, 2276, when the Speaker of the House of Representatives would present it to the 244th Congress, and that Congress would then decide how its contents should be preserved or used.
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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) Specifications The contents of the Time Capsule shall include— (A) a representative portion of all books, manuscripts, miscellaneous printed matter, memorabilia, relics, and other materials relating to the United States Semiquincentennial; (B) copies or representations of important legislative and institutional milestones of Congress during the time before the Time Capsule is buried; (C) a message from Congress to the future Congress when the Time Capsule will be opened; and (D) such other content as the offices described in paragraph (1) consider appropriate. (3) 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 on the West Lawn of the Capitol, at a location specified by the Architect, 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 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.