118 HCON 115 IH: Providing for a joint session of the Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in honor of the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. U.S. House of Representatives 2024-06-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. CON. RES. 115IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 25, 2024Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Evans, Ms. Salazar, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Scanlon, and Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryCONCURRENT RESOLUTIONProviding for a joint session of the Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in honor of the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence.

Whereas the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1682; Whereas Philadelphia has become known as the Nation’s birthplace for the critical role it played in the founding of the United States of America; Whereas Philadelphia was the meeting place for the first Continental Congress, the second Continental Congress, and the Constitutional Convention; Whereas Philadelphia served as the capital of the United States from 1790–1800; Whereas, on July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall; Whereas the Declaration of Independence officially severed the 13 colonies’ ties to the British Crown; Whereas Independence Hall is 1 of only 11 cultural World Heritage sites in the United States of America; Whereas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became the first World Heritage City in the United States of America; Whereas shortly after the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin proclaimed of the Rising Sun Armchair at Independence Hall, I have often looked at that picture behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun; Whereas across from Independence Hall stands the Liberty Bell, displaying the phrase Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof; and Whereas, July 4, 2026, will serve as the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of the founding of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That, in honor of the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence, the two Houses of the Congress shall assemble in a joint session at the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, July 2, 2026, for the purpose of commemorating the Declaration of Independence.