Published
May 04, 2026
This July 4 will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. To honor this milestone, the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center is launching a special series that celebrates our essential work defending free enterprise and the democracy it sustains.
When the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it catalogued grievances against King George III—including taxes imposed without consent, the erection of “a multitude of New Offices,” colonists stripped of jury trials, the harassment of people and “eat[ing] out their substance” by bureaucrats, among others. It was these abuses of power that made the King’s rule intolerable and justified the American revolution.
The Founders knew that without economic freedom, there could be no political freedom. George Washington observed that “the spirit of commerce … is a sure guarantee against the arbitrary power of government.”
The Chamber Litigation Center stands in that tradition. For nearly five decades, we have defended the values of America’s founding. And we’re excited to show how we turn those principles into practice.
In this series, we will take individual grievances from the Declaration and highlight the amicus briefs and regulatory lawsuits we’ve filed to advance that founding value. From separation of powers to due process, from the right to petition to the protection of international trade, the Declaration’s grievances are not dusty abstractions—they describe dangers that recur in every generation and that demand vigilant defense.
As we enjoy America's 250, the Litigation Center remains committed to the proposition that government power must be bounded by law, that individuals and enterprises deserve fair and impartial justice, and that no regulatory body should wield authority unchecked by the courts. We look forward to sharing this series with you, and to continuing, case by case and brief by brief, the work the Founders began 250 years ago.
Grievance 1
Grievance 2
About the author
Daryl Joseffer
Daryl Joseffer is president at the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, the litigation arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A former principal deputy solicitor general, Joseffer has argued 12 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and briefed many more. He has argued dozens of appeals in other courts across the country.
