HCONRES-16-119
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsored by Brendan Boyle (D-PA)
What it does
This concurrent resolution would direct both chambers of Congress to convene a joint session at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 2026. The purpose would be to commemorate the 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the Declaration of Independence. It would not create law, appropriate funds, or establish any ongoing program.
Who benefits
Philadelphia residents, businesses, and tourism industry that would gain national attention and economic activity from hosting Congress. Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, which sponsored the resolution. Historians, educators, and civic organizations focused on American founding history. The broader public, which would receive a nationally visible civics moment. Independence National Historical Park and its staff.
Who is hurt
Washington, D.C.-area businesses and workers who may lose revenue from Congress being out of the capital. Taxpayers who would bear any logistical and security costs of relocating Congress, though the resolution does not specify or appropriate funds for those costs. Members of Congress or staff with accessibility or travel constraints.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that convening Congress in Philadelphia on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence would be a historically fitting and unifying national gesture, noting that Congress has done this twice before — at Independence Hall in 1987 for the Constitution's bicentennial and at Federal Hall in New York in 2002 to honor September 11 victims. They contend that Philadelphia's unique role as the birthplace of both the Declaration and the Constitution makes it the most appropriate venue for this once-in-a-generation milestone.
Opponents argue
Opponents could argue that relocating Congress outside Washington, D.C. carries real logistical, security, and financial costs that the resolution does not address or fund, potentially burdening taxpayers without clear authorization. They might also contend that a joint session held purely for ceremonial purposes sets a precedent for using congressional floor time and resources for symbolic events rather than legislative business, and that a formal proclamation or presidential address could achieve the same commemorative goal at lower cost.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issue is raised by this bill. Congress has broad authority over its own rules and procedures under Article I, Section 5, which gives each chamber the power to determine its rules of proceedings. A concurrent resolution of this type is a standard procedural mechanism and does not implicate Commerce Clause, Takings, or agency authority questions.
Checks and balances
Congress retains full authority over its own scheduling and meeting location; no executive branch power is gained or lost, and no judicial review is implicated by this purely procedural resolution.
Historical precedent
Congress convened outside Washington, D.C. twice before: at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 16, 1987, to mark the Constitution's bicentennial, and at Federal Hall in New York City on September 6, 2002, to honor the victims of September 11, 2001.