[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 96 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. J. RES. 96
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 19, 2025
Mrs. Capito (for herself, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Murkowski, and Mrs. Shaheen)
introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and 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 Secretary of the Senate
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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