IV 

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. SA ́NCHEZ

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 


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•HRES 986 IH 

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; 


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•HRES 986 IH 

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 


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•HRES 986 IH 

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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 

2 a national and international celebration commemorating 

3 the 250th anniversary of the United States of America’s 

4 birth, to be hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Region in 

5 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Dela6 ware, and the State of New Jersey. 

Æ 


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