Pennsylvania State Senate Honors America 250 with Ceremonial Gathering in Philadelphia

Let's celebrate the Keystone State's contributions to America 250 - It all started in Philadelphia!

PHILADELPHIA - With the U.S. Semiquincentennial less than two months away, the Pennsylvania State Senate held a ceremonial gathering honoring America's 250th birthday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward presided over the meeting, which included senators representing all corners of the commonwealth and students from across the state as part of a partnership with America250PA. Patrick Burns, chair of America250PA, outlined the statewide activities planned to take place leading up to and during the semiquincentennial, and the U.S. Army Field Band Chamber Ensemble performed during the ceremony.

The U.S. declared its independence in Philadelphia in 1776 and to this day the Keystone State continues to play a major role in the growth and evolution of our nation. The ceremonial gathering of the Pennsylvania State Senate is a historical tradition. Today marks the fourth meeting in the last 100 years that has taken place outside of the State Capitol in Harrisburg. The previous three meetings were also held in Philadelphia to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of Declaration of Independence in 1926 and the 200th anniversary of the Declaration's signing in 1976. The Pennsylvania State Senate held a similar gathering in September 1987 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-39)
"A nation was born in the City of Brotherly Love, and as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is only fitting that the Pennsylvania State Senate gather in the very birthplace of our country - and of this institution, which first convened here in 1791. This meeting marks just the fourth time in the past century that the Senate has assembled in Philadelphia outside of the State Capitol in Harrisburg. Today, we are not only honoring history - we are making it. May we be inspired by those who stood here before us, whose courage and vision continue to guide the work we do each day on behalf of the people of this commonwealth."

Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41)
"Two and a half centuries ago, our Founding Fathers gathered in Philadelphia to give rise to the United States of America. After 250 years, this grand experiment has allowed our country to become, as President Ronald Reagan described it, the shining city on a hill. I'm proud to work with my colleagues in the Pennsylvania Senate as we strive to preserve the freedoms and opportunities that continue to strengthen our commonwealth. Our nation's 50 states, while each strong in their own right, come together to make America a beacon of hope for the rest of the world."

Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-43)
"It is a profound honor to celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial with my colleagues in the Pennsylvania Senate in the place where America's democracy began. Pennsylvania has a long, proud tradition of leading the way in delivering the American dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As the leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus, I look forward to continuing to honor the legacies of the leaders who came before us by working towards these goals every day in the Senate, ensuring that these truths and freedoms are the lived reality of every Pennsylvanian. I am so grateful for the partnership of America250PA in marking this momentous occasion."

Video from today's Pennsylvania Senate ceremonial gathering in Philadelphia is available here.

WARD CONTACT: Erica Clayton Wright, 412-334-4856
COSTA CONTACT: Savannah Thorpe Capizzi, 717-344-2295