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House


BILL TO OFFICIALLY MAKE BALD EAGLE NATIONAL BIRD HEADS TO BIDEN’S DESK

by Emily Brooks 12/16/24 05:06 PM ET

A bill to officially designate the bald eagle as the national bird will head to
President Biden’s desk after passage in the House on Monday.

While the bald eagle has been a major national symbol since the Second
Continental Congress in 1782 put the bird on the Great Seal of the United
States, it has never been specifically designated as the national bird under
U.S. law.



But that would change with enactment of the bill that passed the House by voice
vote on Monday.

“The bald has long been associated with and a symbol of the United States. … The
bald eagle appears on the flags and insignia of our military, on passports and
currency. It appears on the flags of several states as well,” Rep. Russell Fry
(R-S.C.) said on the House floor on Monday, speaking in support of the bill.
“The bald eagle is also important to Native American tribes across the United
States. It plays a key role in sacred belief systems and traditions, stories,
ceremonies, and insignias.”

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) said that in addition to the national
significance, the bald eagle is a “cherished” symbol for which “football fans in
my district share a special affection,” in reference to the Eagles NFL team.




The same chapter of U.S. law that would enshrine the bald eagle as the national
bird also designates “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem; “In God
we trust” as the national motto; the rose as the national floral emblem; “The
Stars and Stripes Forever” as the national march; and the oak tree as the
national tree. Congress has also designated the bison as the national mammal. 

The bill was first introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Markwayne Mullin
(R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in June, and it
passed the Senate by unanimous consent at the end of July. Reps. Brad Finstad
(R-Minn.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) led the effort in the House.

“The bald eagle is a symbol of our country’s freedom and strength. In Minnesota,
we know a thing or two about eagles: we are home to one of the largest
populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center
in Wabasha,” Klobuchar said in a statement on passage of the legislation.



The effort to enshrine the bald eagle’s national bird status was led by the
Minnesota-based National Eagle Center, and the co-chair of its national bird
initiative, Preston Cook.

“This is an exciting day. The Bald Eagle has symbolized American ideals since
its placement on the Great Seal in 1782,” Cook said in a statement. “With this
legislation, we honor its historic role and solidify its place as our national
bird and an emblem of our national identity.”

Bald eagles are also protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and
Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibit killing, selling or harming bald
eagles, their nests or their eggs.



Previously on the endangered species lists, bald eagles have seen a “remarkable
population rebound” in the last few decades, according to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.

Updated at 6:45 p.m.

Categories: House, News



HOUSE

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 * Watch live: Senate to vote on funding deal ahead of shutdown deadline
 * Here are the 34 Republicans that voted against the funding bill to avoid
   shutdown


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