Signed into law
Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
This act requires the Architect of the Capitol to create a congressional time capsule in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to be buried in the Capitol Visitor Center on or before July 4, 2026.
- Measure
- S. 3705 · 119th Congress
- Latest action
- February 18, 2026
- Policy changes
- 3
- Source
- CRS summary (Public Law) · Congress.gov
Became Public Law No: 119-79.
Read it yourself · The summaries below are the Congressional Research Service’s. Under each one you can open the bill’s own wording, or read the full text (enrolled (sent to the President)).
What it would cost
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Who wrote it
Sponsor
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)Joined by 3 cosponsors, 3 of them from the day it was introduced. Introduced January 27, 2026.
All 3 cosponsors
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) · original
- Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) · original
- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) · original
How Congress voted
No recorded vote: this bill moved by voice vote or unanimous consent, so there is no record of how individual members voted.
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In their own words
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What it changes — and your vote
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Provision 1
The time capsule shall contain a joint letter from congressional leadership (the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate) and such other contents as they shall determine.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 2(closest match)
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Provision 2
Directs the Architect of the Capitol to also install a plaque about the time capsule, subject to the approval of the Committee on House Administration of the House and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 2(closest match)
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Provision 3
The time capsule shall be sealed until July 4, 2276.
On that date, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader shall present the time capsule to the 244th Congress.
›Read the bill’s wording · Sec. 2(closest match)
The summary doesn’t name a section, so these are the sections whose wording matches it most closely.
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