A bill to officially designate the bald eagle as the national bird of the United States is now heading to President Biden’s desk after passing the House by voice vote on Monday. Although the bald eagle has served as a prominent national symbol since the Second Continental Congress placed it on the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, it has never been formally recognized as the national bird under U.S. law.
The bipartisan effort gained support in both chambers of Congress, with Sens. Amy Klobuchar(D-Minn.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) leading the charge in the Senate, where the bill passed unanimously in July. Reps. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) spearheaded the legislation in the House. Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) highlighted the bald eagle’s significance on Monday, noting its presence on military insignia, passports, currency, and state flags.
He also emphasized its importance to Native American tribes, where it holds sacred value in traditions and ceremonies. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) added a lighthearted note, mentioning the bird’s special significance to Philadelphia Eagles football fans.
The legislation marks the latest addition to the U.S. law that recognizes national symbols, such as “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem, the rose as the national floral emblem, the oak tree as the national tree, and the bison as the national mammal. Minnesota Senator Klobuchar, whose state boasts one of the largest bald eagle populations and hosts the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, celebrated the bill’s passage, calling the bald eagle a symbol of “freedom and strength.”
The Minnesota-based National Eagle Center and co-chair of its national bird initiative, Preston Cook, played a significant role in advocating for the bill. Cook praised the legislation, stating it honors the bald eagle’s historic role and solidifies its place as an enduring emblem of American ideals. Bald eagles, once endangered, are already protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibit harming, killing, or selling the birds, their eggs, or their nests.