RECOGNIZING HISTORIC CEREMONY AT INDEPENDENCE HALL

On 2026-07-15, Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING HISTORIC CEREMONY AT INDEPENDENCE HALL" in the House.

RECOGNIZING HISTORIC CEREMONY AT INDEPENDENCE HALL

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 115 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4528-H4529] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING HISTORIC CEREMONY AT INDEPENDENCE HALL (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a historic ceremony at Independence Hall earlier this month celebrating America's semiquincentennial. On July 2, a group of Representatives traveled to Philadelphia, the birthplace of our country, to commemorate the exact date when the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. Mr. Speaker, the origins of our Republic trace back to Pennsylvania, and Independence Hall has served as a physical representation of the birthplace of the United States. Within those hallowed Halls, delegates from the original Thirteen Colonies debated in good faith and voted for independence. This building has long been the symbol of freedom and democracy around the world. [[Page H4529]] Mr. Speaker, Pennsylvania has always been my home, and the Keystone State, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has stood firm in its commitment to freedom and prosperity. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the 37 Members of Congress for traveling to Philadelphia and for their efforts to preserve our legacy for future generations, just as the Founding Fathers intended it. ____________________