Public Law 114–196 established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, the congressional body behind America250.
The law was enacted on July 22, 2016, and signed by President Barack Obama. It authorized a bipartisan commission to promote and coordinate observances of the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. The law is recorded in volume 130 of the United States Statutes at Large, beginning on page 685.
The commission later adopted the America250 branding and was tasked with encouraging commemorative events, educational programs, commemorative coins, postage stamps, and appropriately named naval vessels. The legislation also identified Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Charleston as leading cities because of their roles in the nation's founding and Revolutionary history.
A common mix-up is Public Law 116–282, enacted in 2020. That later law amended the commission's original legislation, changing provisions such as funding eligibility and membership, but it did not create the commission. America250 is also distinct from the White House task force later branded Freedom 250.