Which organization did the U.S. Congress establish in 2016 to plan the America250 celebration?

The U.S. Congress established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to plan the America250 celebration.

The commission is a federal, congressional, and nonpartisan organization created a decade before the anniversary date. Its work centers on coordinating commemorative activities, encouraging participation across the country, and connecting the 2026 milestone with the history of the United States.

America250 is the commission’s familiar public identity, not the formal name of the anniversary itself. This distinction helps separate the organizing body and its branding from the historical event being commemorated.

The commission’s anniversary work belongs to a longer tradition of national observances. The United States held major public commemorations for the Centennial in 1876 and the Bicentennial in 1976. The 2026 program continues that tradition while using a nationwide, modern branding campaign.