What commission did the U.S. Congress establish in 2016 to plan the nation’s 250th-anniversary observance?

Congress established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to plan the nation’s 250th-anniversary observance.

The commission was created by the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016. President Barack Obama signed the legislation, creating a congressional, nonpartisan body to coordinate celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Its work concerns the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, rather than the founding date of a single government institution. The commission’s planning includes nationwide educational, cultural, and commemorative activities under the America250 identity.

The commission is distinct from the organizations that coordinated earlier anniversaries. The American Revolution Bicentennial Commission operated for the 1976 observance, while the American Revolution Sesquicentennial Commission was associated with the 150th anniversary in 1926.