Bill Text: IL HR0849 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States of America and the Declaration of Independence. Honors the countless activists and everyday citizens who have pushed this nation closer to its ideals. Expresses commitment to a future that reflects the full diversity and promise of the American people.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2026-07-01 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0849 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HR0849-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, This year, July 4, 2026, marks the 250th
anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence,
a foundational document that boldly proclaimed to the world
the "self-evident" truths that all people are created equal
and endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness; and
WHEREAS, At the time of the nation's founding, these
revolutionary ideals were far from reality for the vast
majority of people living on this continent, as the benefits
of liberty were restricted by race, gender, class, and creed,
and the institution of chattel slavery stood in direct
contradiction to the spirit of the Declaration of
Independence; and
WHEREAS, The American constitutional system has been
repeatedly challenged by internal strife, systemic inequality,
and the failure to live up to its own creed, yet it has proven
resilient through the tireless efforts of grassroots social
movements that have dared to hold the nation accountable to
its founding promises; and
WHEREAS, The United States of America, though an imperfect
model, represents a global spirit of progress, demonstrating

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to the world that a diverse people can engage in the difficult,
ongoing work of self-governance and the pursuit of a more
equitable society for all of humanity; and
WHEREAS, Indigenous and Native Americans have persisted in
the face of displacement and erasure, asserting their
sovereignty and reminding the nation of its obligations to
justice, land stewardship, and the preservation of diverse
cultures that predated the republic; and
WHEREAS, The abolitionist movement, led by figures such as
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman and joined by Illinois'
own "Great Emancipator" Abraham Lincoln, courageously fought
to dismantle the scourge of slavery, asserting that the values
of the Declaration of Independence could never be realized in
a house divided; and
WHEREAS, African Americans, through centuries of struggle
from Reconstruction to the modern Civil Rights Movement, have
acted as the conscience of the nation, demanding that the
protections of the United States Constitution be applied
equally to all, and, in doing so, have strengthened the
democracy for every citizen; and
WHEREAS, Voting rights advocates have marched, organized,
and suffered to ensure that the "consent of the governed" is

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not a hollow phrase but a lived reality, resulting in the
expansion of the franchise through the 15th, 19th, and 26th
Amendments and the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
WHEREAS, Generations of women, from the suffragists at
Seneca Falls to the leaders of the modern feminist movement,
have challenged the patriarchal structures of the founding era
to secure legal equality, bodily autonomy, and a seat at every
table of power; and
WHEREAS, The United States has long served as a beacon of
hope and a welcoming nation for millions of immigrants seeking
a better life, whose courage to leave their homelands and
contribute to our shared prosperity has fundamentally shaped
the American character and reinforced our commitment to the
values of the Declaration of Independence; and
WHEREAS, Latinos in America have enriched our national
fabric through their labor, culture, and advocacy for labor
rights and immigration reform, embodying the immigrant spirit
that is central to the American story; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans have overcome a history of
exclusion and internment to contribute profoundly to the
nation's economic and cultural prosperity, while continually
advocating for a more inclusive definition of what it means to

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be American; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQ people in America have led a modern
revolution for dignity and equality, from the streets of
Stonewall to the halls of the Supreme Court, proving that the
pursuit of happiness includes the right to live and love
authentically; and
WHEREAS, Americans with disabilities, both visible and
invisible, have relentlessly advocated for the recognition of
their inherent dignity and right to full participation in
society, leading to transformative shifts in accessibility,
education, and employment, most notably through the passage of
the Americans with Disabilities Act, and reminding the nation
that the pursuit of happiness must be accessible to every
individual, regardless of physical or cognitive ability; and
WHEREAS, This semiquincentennial serves not only as a
celebration of the past but as a rededication to the ongoing
work of "forming a more perfect Union", acknowledging that our
progress has been won through struggle and that our future
depends on our shared commitment to expanding the circle of
opportunity and justice; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

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we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States of
America and the Declaration of Independence; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we honor the countless activists and
everyday citizens who have pushed this nation closer to its
ideals; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our commitment to a future that
reflects the full diversity and promise of the American
people; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Illinois America 250 Commission and the U.S.
Semiquincentennial Commission.