PHILADELPHIA, PA — Pennsylvania House lawmakers convened at Congress Hall in Philadelphia on Wednesday for a rare session outside Harrisburg, voting on resolutions marking the 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence and the state Constitution.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia/Delaware, presided over the session at Independence National Historical Park. The gathering also coincided with the anniversary of the Continental Congress adopting “United States of America” as the country’s official name on Sept. 9, 1776.
Lawmakers considered two resolutions recognizing the Declaration of Independence and Pennsylvania Constitution, the latter of which preceded the U.S. Constitution by nearly a decade.
“Today, rather than Republicans and Democrats, we stand united as Pennsylvanians as we celebrate our commonwealth’s transformative role in the creation of the United States of America,” McClinton said.
The session represented one of the few times the House has convened outside Harrisburg since the state government moved there in the early 19th century.
McClinton used the gathering to frame the anniversaries around the continuing responsibilities of representative government rather than treating the nation’s founding as an inevitable outcome.
“For 250 years, Americans have continued to sacrifice to attain liberty, opportunity and freedom,” she said.
The House also partnered with America250PA on a civic education program involving more than 80 students from across Pennsylvania. House members selected participating students, who visited historic sites and interacted with state government leaders during the day.
McClinton said she hoped exposure to the historic sites and state government would encourage students to consider their own role in public life.
“I’m hopeful that many of the students who participated in today’s programs, some who may have never visited these historic sites before, experienced those same feelings of awe and energy,” McClinton said.
Delaware House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker were among the guests attending the legislative session. Parker previously served a decade in the Pennsylvania House.
The Pennsylvania House has met continuously since 1682, making it one of the nation’s oldest legislative bodies. McClinton is the first woman and second African American to serve as its speaker.
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