119-hjres133

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 133 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. J. RES. 133

 Requesting the Secretary of the Interior to authorize unique and one-
time arrangements for displays on the National Mall and the Washington 
 Monument during the period beginning on December 31, 2025, and ending 
 on January 5, 2026.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 November 4, 2025

 Mr. Aderholt (for himself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Salazar, and Mr. 
Evans of Pennsylvania) submitted the following joint resolution; which 
 was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 JOINT RESOLUTION

 Requesting the Secretary of the Interior to authorize unique and one-
time arrangements for displays on the National Mall and the Washington 
 Monument during the period beginning on December 31, 2025, and ending 
 on January 5, 2026.

Whereas the Second Continental Congress unanimously agreed to adopt the 
 Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in which the Second 
 Continental Congress declared a complete break with Britain and the king 
 and claimed the powers of an independent country;
Whereas the founding of the United States represented a historic world event 
 that has improved the lives of the people of the United States and the 
 people of other nations in profound ways for centuries;
Whereas the ideas of the founding fathers, including representative government, 
 guaranteed rights, and national sovereignty, inspire all people of the 
 United States to this day;
Whereas, on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the independence and founding 
 of the United States will be commemorated and celebrated;
Whereas Congress enacted the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 
 2016 (36 U.S.C. note prec. 101; Public Law 114-196) to plan, encourage, 
 develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the history of the United 
 States leading up to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United 
 States;
Whereas the United States Semiquincentennial Commission has planned, 
 coordinated, and inspired celebrations of the 250th anniversary across 
 the United States to mark the occasion;
Whereas New Year's Eve in 2025 marks the boundary between the 249th and 250th 
 year of the United States, will bring the people of the United States 
 together, and will be a fitting date to initiate celebrations of the 
 250th anniversary of the United States in earnest;
Whereas Congress explored lighting the Washington Monument and other capital 
 monuments at night during calendar year 1976 to celebrate the 
 bicentennial of the United States;
Whereas the National Mall hosted the 50th anniversary commemoration of the 
 Apollo 11 lunar landing in 2019, which included the display of NASA and 
 Smithsonian artifacts on the National Mall for 5 days and concluded each 
 night with an inspiring video program that projected footage from the 
 Apollo 11 program on the Washington Monument;
Whereas the commemoration of the Apollo 11 lunar landing was attended by over 
 500,000 people from all over the United States who gathered over a 
 period of 5 days to celebrate the historic achievements of the Apollo 
 program and watched the video program centered on the Washington 
 Monument;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of people of the United States visit Washington, 
 DC, each holiday season and attend outdoor exhibits;
Whereas Washington, DC, is uniquely suitable to host the people of the United 
 States for inaugural United States semiquincentennial festivities; and
Whereas the Washington Monument is central to the Washington, DC, landscape and 
 commemorates one of the most prominent figures in the founding of the 
 United States: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress--

    (1) requests the Secretary of the Interior to authorize 
 unique and one-time arrangements for the display of United 
 States semiquincentennial materials and other significant 
 artifacts, digital content, film footage, and associated audio 
 and imagery in and around the vicinity of the National Mall, 
 including projected onto the surface of the Washington Monument 
 for 5 nights of public display, during the period beginning on 
 December 31, 2025, and ending on January 5, 2026; and

    (2) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House of 
 Representatives transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution 
 to--
        (A) the Secretary of the Interior; and
        (B) the Chair of the United States 
 Semiquincentennial Commission.
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