President Joe Biden designated Rosie Rios chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in July 2022 for America250.
Rios, a former treasurer of the United States, succeeded Daniel DiLella as chair. She had first been appointed to the commission on January 11, 2018, before taking its leadership several years later. The commission was the congressional, nonpartisan body responsible for planning the national 250th-anniversary commemoration.
Her appointment came during the final planning period before July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The commission’s work covered historical programming, civic engagement, educational initiatives, and partnerships with communities and organizations across the country.
Rios’s chairmanship should not be confused with the separate America250 administrative and operational roles. Joe Daniels served as the commission’s chief executive officer before resigning in October 2022, while Daniel DiLella continued as a commissioner after leaving the chair. In 2024, former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, with Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, were announced as honorary national co-chairs.