Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3705, which is, I believe, the original companion to H.R. 469. I thank my friend and fellow House administrator and fellow House appropriator Mrs. Bice for her comments and her support of this important legislation.

As I have previously noted on the floor, this bipartisan legislation would authorize the Architect of the Capitol to bury a time capsule on July 4th, 2026, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to be opened on our Nation's 500th anniversary in the year 2276.

The items in the capsule will be determined by bipartisan, bicameral congressional leaders and include written materials relating to the anniversary, representations of notable legislative and institutional milestones, and a message from this Congress to our future colleagues in the 244th Congress. I did say last year that I hope to be there at the opening. I am not sure that is possible, but I will do everything I can.

This year's celebration of America's anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on the resilience of the American experiment. Our Nation has faced countless tests to our strength and our unity, including a civil war, two world wars, natural disasters, and more.

Yet through each of these profound challenges, this country has endured and continues to strive toward the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago.

During this time of deep division and heightened partisanship, this anniversary reminds us of our shared responsibility to uphold the values of liberty and equality that have defined this Nation for two- and-a-half centuries.

I, again, thank the Semiquincentennial Commission for its leadership and planning for this momentous occasion. I particularly commend my colleague, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, for her leadership in advancing the bill. I also want to recognize the service of a fellow New Yorker, former House Representative Joe Crowley, whose time and talents have made an indelible mark on the Commission's achievements.

I look forward to seeing the items chosen for the time capsule, which I may not be able to see when they are opened, but I do encourage my colleagues to support this measure. It is an important measure. It is an important part of our history and our legacy, and I look forward to its passage.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who is the author of the bill.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, marked a turning point not just in our Nation's history but in the global pursuit of democracy and self-governance. The work remains unfinished, and each generation has been tasked with carrying it forward.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of that moment, Congress has a responsibility to reflect honestly on where we have been and what we will choose to pass on.

This legislation authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to be sealed and buried in the Capitol Visitor Center where it will be unsealed on our Nation's 500th anniversary on July 4th, 2276.

While we won't be there to open it, we should be there to see what goes into it.

The capsule will include items, as has been mentioned, that capture the institutional history of Congress, significant legislative milestones, and a message from the 119th Congress to those who will serve long after we are gone.

As a cofounder and co-chair of the America250 Caucus, I am proud to see this legislation move forward as a part of our Nation's 250th anniversary. As I said, none of us will be here when this capsule is opened. That is the point. Our responsibility is to the generations who will inherit the consequences of our choices.

What we do in this Chamber every day is history. What we choose to speak up for and speak out against defines us, and it will be the legacy that we leave for every governing body that holds this space for years to come.

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Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, I think for all the reasons that have been described, this is an important part of maintaining the history of the last 250 years and making certain that we preserve this so that future generations will know how we got here and how we see the world.

I agree with Mrs. Bice that books may not be particularly relevant 250 years from now, and I suppose we should not write in cursive because people won't know what that means. But this is really important.

I think it is a reflection of the amazing American experiment, and I look forward to the bill being signed. I hope and I pray that 250 years from now we will have moved toward, in the words of Jefferson, ``a more perfect Union.''

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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