Which organization was established by Congress in 2016 to plan America's 250th anniversary?

The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2016 to help plan and coordinate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The commission is a bipartisan, congressional organization associated with America250. Its work includes encouraging national, state, local, educational, and cultural participation in the anniversary. The commission’s public efforts connect the 2026 observance with American history, civic life, and community programs.

The title can be mistaken for the name of a historical body from the Revolutionary era. It is instead a modern organization created more than two centuries after independence. The word “commission” also distinguishes it from America250, which is the broader public brand used for the anniversary initiative.

The 2016 creation date predates the 2026 celebration by ten years. A separate White House task force was established in 2025, but that later body is not the congressional commission created in 2016.