Which congressional body established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016?

The United States Congress established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016.

The commission was created as a congressional, nonpartisan organization to coordinate and support national planning for the 250th anniversary of American independence. Its work concerns commemorative programs, educational efforts, public participation, and cooperation with communities and organizations across the country.

The commission’s creation in 2016 came a decade before the anniversary itself. This long planning period reflects the scale of a national commemoration involving federal agencies, states, cities, historic sites, schools, museums, and civic groups.

The commission is distinct from the Second Continental Congress, which adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Continental Congress was the revolutionary-era body that declared independence; the modern commission is a 21st-century organization responsible for anniversary planning.