We hope that as you celebrated Independence Day with family and friends, you took a few minutes to read the Declaration of Independence together.

More than 250 years ago, its authors declared that all people are created equal and that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. Those ideals continue to shape our nation and inspire each generation.

Our democracy is a work in progress. Every generation has helped expand freedom, protect individual rights, and strengthen our democratic institutions. The responsibility now belongs to all of us.

This Fourth of July, we celebrated not only our nation's founding but also the enduring promise of liberty. Reflect on the words that started our American experiment—and renew your commitment to protecting the freedoms that make self-government possible.