The America250 commission initially had 33 members when it organized in 2018.
The group was sworn in and held its first organizing meeting at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on November 16, 2018. Its initial membership consisted of 16 private citizens, eight members of Congress, and nine federal officials, producing a total of 33.
The number later changed because amendments to the commission’s governing law altered the federal ex officio membership. The amended structure increased the overall body to 36 members, which explains why both 33 and 36 can appear in accounts of the commission.
This question refers specifically to the commission at its first organizing stage, not to the later amended membership. The distinction matters because anniversary commissions often change size as Congress adds agencies, officials, or technical provisions to their governing legislation.