Which federal body was established in 2016 to plan America’s 250th anniversary?

The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was established in 2016 to plan America’s 250th anniversary.

Congress created the commission through the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act. Its purpose is to coordinate a national commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, working with federal agencies, states, territories, local communities, and private organizations.

The commission operates as a nonpartisan federal planning body. Its public-facing celebration is known as America250, a name used for programs, partnerships, educational efforts, and events connected to the anniversary.

The commission is distinct from the body that planned the 1976 Bicentennial. That earlier celebration had its own federal organization and occurred 50 years before the Semiquincentennial. The two anniversaries therefore have related purposes but different planning bodies.