HR 482 — A Concurrent Resolution recognizing July 4, 2026, as "Independence Day" in Pennsylvania and honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States.

PRINTER'S NO.   3256

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 482
                                              Session of
                                                2026

     INTRODUCED BY GILLEN, SOLOMON, CONKLIN, HAMM, HOHENSTEIN, KRUPA,
        KHAN, COOK, RAPP, KUZMA, GUENST, STAATS, SHAFFER, RIVERA,
        VENKAT, MEHAFFIE, SAPPEY, PUGH, MALAGARI, NEILSON, MOUL,
        GALLAGHER, BOROWSKI, BENNINGHOFF, WHITE AND PASHINSKI,
        APRIL 15, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 22, 2026


                           A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing July 4, 2026, as "Independence Day" in Pennsylvania
 2      and honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States.
 3      WHEREAS, On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the members of the
 4   Second Continental Congress adopted "The Unanimous Declaration
 5   of the Thirteen United States of America," popularly known as
 6   the Declaration of Independence, asserting independence from
 7   Great Britain; and
 8      WHEREAS, The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the
 9   adoption of the Declaration of Independence and thereby our
10   nation's birth; and
11      WHEREAS, A celebration of the nation's birth in 2026 will
12   provide a milestone opportunity to commemorate the nation's
13   historic achievements, as well as our history and culture both
14   as a nation and as a Commonwealth; and
15      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth played a pivotal role in the
16   founding of the United States and gained its title as "The
 1   Keystone State" by being the final state to ratify the
 2   Declaration of Independence; and
 3      WHEREAS, The Greater Philadelphia Area was the site of the
 4   meeting of the First and Second Continental Congresses, the
 5   drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and the
 6   Constitution of the United States, seminal battles of the
 7   Revolutionary War such as Princeton and Brandywine and the
 8   historic encampment at Valley Forge; and
 9      WHEREAS, Several foreign governments and individuals from
10   nations such as France and Poland assisted the American colonies
11   in their fight for independence, and several nations such as
12   Morocco were early supporters of the young United States,
13   thereby making the anniversary of the founding of the United
14   States an occasion for both national and international
15   celebration; and
16      WHEREAS, The Greater Philadelphia Area has hosted major
17   celebrations honoring landmark anniversaries of the nation's
18   birth, including the nation's first world's fair at the 1876
19   Centennial Exhibition, the Sesquicentennial of 1926 and the
20   Bicentennial of 1976; and
21      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth contains numerous historical sites
22   connected to our nation's birth and revolutionary-period
23   history, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the
24   Graff House site, where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration
25   of Independence, the site of Benjamin Franklin's house, the
26   Betsy Ross house and the site of the President's house; and
27      WHEREAS, This celebration will be held shortly after the
28   250th anniversary of the United States Navy and Marine Corps on
29   October 13, 2025; and
30      WHEREAS, The 250th anniversary of the United States Navy and

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 1   Marine Corps are to be celebrated with several ships sailing
 2   along the Delaware River from Philadelphia to the Camden area;
 3   and
 4         WHEREAS, The United States Navy was founded in this
 5   Commonwealth on October 13, 1775, when the Second Continental
 6   Congress at Independence Hall in Philadelphia authorized its
 7   first ships; and
 8         WHEREAS, Later that year, in this Commonwealth, the
 9   Continental Navy commissioned its first ship and granted its
10   first commission to John Barry, the father of the American Navy;
11   and
12         WHEREAS, The Second Continental Congress in this Commonwealth
13   commissioned Lieutenant John Paul Jones who, on the Delaware
14   River, was the first to raise an American national flag, the
15   Grand Union Flag, on a naval vessel; and
16         WHEREAS, The United States Marine Corps was born later that
17   year after its first commissioned officer Captain Samuel
18   Nicholas held a recruiting drive in Tun Tavern in Philadelphia;
19   and
20         WHEREAS, The Tun Tavern was the location where John Adams and
21   the Naval Committee met in 1775 to write the documents that
22   structured what would become the United States Navy; and
23         WHEREAS, The first United States Marine Corps amphibious
24   operation, mounted from this Commonwealth, seized sorely needed
25   gunpowder for the Continental Army; and
26         WHEREAS, The 250th anniversary of the United States Marine
27   Corps coincides with the 100th Marine Corps Birthday Ball to be
28   held on November 10, 2025; and
29         WHEREAS, The United States Marine Corps' 250th birthday
30   should be celebrated alongside the rebuilding of the historic

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 1   Tun Tavern in Philadelphia by The Tun Legacy Foundation, which
 2   is set to open its doors in November 2025, drawing United States
 3   Marines from this Commonwealth and beyond; and
 4      WHEREAS, Huntington Ingall Industries recently launched their
 5   first San-Antonio Class Flight II Amphibious Support Dock known
 6   as the "USS Harrisburg" on October 5, 2024; and
 7      WHEREAS, The USS Harrisburg was christened on January 11,
 8   2025, by Alexandra Curry and Jennifer Diaz and is set to be
 9   fully commissioned in 2026; and
10      WHEREAS, Mrs. Curry is a native of Slatington and is the wife
11   of Jim Curry, the sitting mayor of Middletown; and
12      WHEREAS, Mrs. Curry was recognized on the House Floor as one
13   of the sponsors of the USS Harrisburg on October 10, 2019, by
14   Speaker Michael Turzai; and
15      WHEREAS, Mrs. Diaz is a native of central Pennsylvania who
16   currently serves as the Director of Major Gifts for the
17   Salvation Army of Philadelphia and her husband Chris Diaz is
18   currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the
19   Navy; and
20      WHEREAS, The United States Navy's 250-year history should be
21   celebrated by assembling ships, including the Pennsylvania State
22   Flagship Niagara, from every major war the United States Navy
23   has fought; and
24      WHEREAS, This assemblage would be possible only in this
25   Commonwealth because Philadelphia has preserved USS Olympia, the
26   sole survivor of the Spanish-American War; and
27      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has continued to design and build
28   ships and aircraft and has contributed sons and daughters to
29   lead the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps
30   since their birth; therefore be it

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1      RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
2   recognize July 4, 2026, as "Independence Day" in Pennsylvania
3   and honor the 250th anniversary of the United States.




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