North Carolina House lawmakers returned to the historic State Capitol House chamber Wednesday to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The House adopted a resolution recognizing the nation’s founding and honoring North Carolina's role in the American Revolution.
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The ceremony, held in the chamber where lawmakers met before moving to the new legislative building opened in 1963, began with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before members approved House Resolution 1245.
The resolution highlights the Halifax Resolves, adopted April 12, 1776, as the first official action by an entire colony recommending independence from Great Britain. The measure also acknowledged the Mecklenburg Resolves as one of the earliest expressions of support for American independence.
State Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne, who presented the resolution, said the nation's founders sacrificed greatly to secure American independence and that debate that happens today at the General Assembly was made possible by that sacrifice centuries ago.
"We're still debating issues of freedom,” Bell told lawmakers. “We're still debating issues of democracy. We're still debating issues that affect every part of our state..”
Rep. Becky Carney, D-Mecklenberg, reflected on first visiting the historic chamber as an eighth-grade student after a Capitol guard invited her and a classmate inside to watch lawmakers in session.
"I was in awe," Carney said. Now serving in her third term, Carney said the room is a reminder of the responsibility lawmakers have to the people they represent.
"Everything you do touches every North Carolinian," she said. "We need to think more and harder about those decisions."
The House adopted the resolution before recessing until later Wednesday morning.