[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 986 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 986

 Supporting a national and international celebration commemorating the 
 250th anniversary of the United States of America's birth, to be held 
throughout the year 2026, focused on the Greater Philadelphia Region in 
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Delaware, and the State 
                             of New Jersey.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 16, 2009

 Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. Adler of New Jersey, Mr. 
     Fattah, Mr. Gerlach, Ms. Schwartz, Mr. Kanjorski, Mr. Neal of 
  Massachusetts, Mr. Pierluisi, Mr. Welch, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Patrick J. 
    Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of 
 California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting a national and international celebration commemorating the 
 250th anniversary of the United States of America's birth, to be held 
throughout the year 2026, focused on the Greater Philadelphia Region in 
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Delaware, and the State 
                             of New Jersey.

Whereas, on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the members of the 
        Second Continental Congress adopted ``The Unanimous Declaration of the 
        Thirteen United States of America'', popularly known as the Declaration 
        of Independence, asserting independence from Great Britain;
Whereas the tri-state Greater Philadelphia Region played a pivotal role in the 
        founding of the United States of America;
Whereas the Greater Philadelphia Region was the site of the meeting of the First 
        and Second Continental Congresses, the drafting and signing of the 
        Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, seminal 
        battles of the Revolutionary War such as Princeton and Brandywine, and 
        the historic encampment at Valley Forge;
Whereas individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, free and enslaved Africans, 
        and members of the Oneida Nation fought side by side in the 
        Revolutionary War to obtain liberty for all, thereby making the 
        anniversary of the founding of the United States an occasion to 
        celebrate both the Nation's diversity and the common pursuit of its 
        peoples;
Whereas several foreign governments and individuals from nations such as France 
        and Poland assisted the American colonies in their fight for 
        Independence, and several nations such as Morocco were early supporters 
        of the young United States of America, thereby making the anniversary of 
        the founding of the United States an occasion for international 
        celebration;
Whereas the Greater Philadelphia Region has hosted major celebrations honoring 
        landmark anniversaries of the Nation's birth, including the Nation's 
        first world's fair at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, the 
        Sesquicentennial of 1926, and the Bicentennial of 1976;
Whereas the Greater Philadelphia Region today contains numerous historical sites 
        connected to our Nation's birth and Revolutionary-period history, 
        including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Graff House site 
        where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, the site 
        of Benjamin Franklin's house, the City of Dover, where Delaware became 
        the first State to ratify the Constitution, Valley Forge National 
        Historical Park, Washington Crossing Historic Park, Trenton Battlefield 
        State Park, the President's House in Philadelphia, the Betsy Ross House, 
        Fort Mifflin, Christ Church, and the National Constitution Center;
Whereas the United States, through the National Park Service, the Commonwealth 
        of Pennsylvania, the State of New Jersey, the State of Delaware, and 
        numerous organizations have established extensive museums, tours, 
        exhibitions, and print and online materials focused on interpreting the 
        events and sites of 1776, and commemorating their significance in the 
        Nation's founding history, military history, social and ethnic history, 
        and history of African and African-American peoples in the Americas;
Whereas the year 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the 
        Declaration of Independence and thereby our Nation's birth;
Whereas a national celebration of the Nation's birth in 2026 will provide a 
        milestone opportunity to commemorate the Nation's historic achievements, 
        progress in social and civil rights, and contemporary patriotism;
Whereas such a celebration will provide an important opportunity to promote and 
        celebrate the history, culture, traditions, and experiences of the 
        diverse peoples and groups that shaped our Nation's history; and
Whereas it would be symbolically significant, educational, and exciting for 
        families and visitors to commemorate the Nation's bicenquinquagenary at 
        the physical places where the Nation's founding events took place: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports a national and 
international celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the 
United States of America's birth, to be hosted by the Greater 
Philadelphia Region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of 
Delaware, and the State of New Jersey.
                                 <all>