Which body did Congress establish in 2016 to plan the United States Semiquincentennial?

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

The commission was created through federal legislation to coordinate and encourage commemorations of the United States’ 250th anniversary. Its work includes supporting nationwide programs, promoting historical understanding, and connecting federal, state, local, and private efforts.

The commission’s public-facing America250 initiative gives the anniversary a recognizable name and helps organize activities beyond a single July 4 ceremony. The celebration therefore includes educational, cultural, civic, and commemorative projects across the country.

It is not the same institution as the Continental Congress, which operated during the Revolutionary era. Nor is it the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, the federal body associated with the 1976 bicentennial. Those similarly named organizations belong to different anniversaries.