The U.S. House of Representatives on June 11 advanced a bipartisan resolution proposed by U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) designating the location for a time capsule dedication ceremony related to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Under House Concurrent Resolution 109, Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., would be authorized for use on June 24 for a ceremony to dedicate the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, according to the resolution’s text.
Also known as the Congressional America250 Time Capsule, it will include contributions from all 50 states and U.S. territories and will remain sealed until 2276, when the United States marks the 500th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“As our nation prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence, we have an opportunity not only to reflect on our past, but to preserve this moment for future generations,” said Rep. Salazar. “The Congressional America250 Time Capsule will tell the story of our country through the voices, experiences, and contributions of Americans from every state and territory.
“Two hundred and fifty years from now, it will serve as a reminder of who we were, what we valued, and the enduring principles of freedom and self-government that have guided our nation since 1776,” the congresswoman added.
Rep. Salazar, who sponsored the resolution on June 9 alongside three original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), was appointed to the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in 2021 to help lead congressional efforts to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.
In January 2025, she also co-led the bipartisan Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act, H.R. 469, with Rep. Watson Coleman to establish the Congressional Time Capsule initiative and set the foundation for the upcoming dedication ceremony.