III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 315 

Designating November 4, 2017, as National Bison Day. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 31, 2017 

Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. ENZI, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

INHOFE, Mr. UDALL, Mr. MORAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. HATCH, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. 

BENNET, Mr. ROBERTS, and Ms. HEITKAMP) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating November 4, 2017, as National Bison Day. 

Whereas on May 9, 2016, the North American bison was 

adopted as the national mammal of the United States; 

Whereas bison are considered a historical symbol of the 

United States; 

Whereas bison were integrally linked with the economic and 

spiritual lives of many Indian tribes through trade and 

sacred ceremonies; 

Whereas there are more than 60 Indian tribes participating 

in the Intertribal Buffalo Council; 

Whereas numerous members of Indian tribes are involved in 

bison restoration on tribal land; 


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•SRES 315 ATS 

Whereas members of Indian tribes have a combined herd on 

more than 1,000,000 acres of tribal land; 

Whereas the Intertribal Buffalo Council is a tribal organization incorporated pursuant to section 17 of the Act of 

June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the ‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’) (25 U.S.C. 477); 

Whereas bison can play an important role in improving the 

types of grasses found in landscapes to the benefit of 

grasslands; 

Whereas a bison has been depicted on the official seal of the 

Department of the Interior since 1912; 

Whereas bison hold significant economic value for private 

producers and rural communities; 

Whereas, as of 2012, the Department of Agriculture estimates that 162,110 head of bison were under the stewardship of private producers, creating jobs, and contributing to the food security of the United States by providing a sustainable and healthy meat source; 

Whereas a bison is portrayed on 2 State flags; 

Whereas the bison has been adopted by 3 States as the official mammal or animal of those States; 

Whereas the buffalo nickel played an important role in modernizing the currency of the United States; 

Whereas several sports teams have the bison as a mascot, 

which highlights the iconic significance of bison in the 

United States; 

Whereas a small group of ranchers helped save bison from 

extinction in the late 1800s by gathering the remaining 

bison of the diminished herds; 


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Whereas on December 8, 1905, William Hornaday, Theodore 

Roosevelt, and others formed the American Bison Society 

in response to the near extinction of bison in the United 

States; 

Whereas on October 11, 1907, the American Bison Society 

sent 15 captive-bred bison from the New York Zoological 

Park, now known as the ‘‘Bronx Zoo’’, to the first big 

game refuge in the United States, now known as the 

‘‘Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge’’; 

Whereas in 2005, the American Bison Society was reestablished, bringing together bison ranchers, managers from 

Indian tribes, Federal and State agencies, conservation 

organizations, and natural and social scientists from the 

United States, Canada, and Mexico to create a vision for 

the North American bison in the 21st century; 

Whereas there are bison herds in National Wildlife Refuges, 

National Parks, and National Forests; 

Whereas there are bison in State-managed herds across 11 

States; 

Whereas private, public, and tribal bison leaders are working 

together to continue bison restoration throughout North 

America; 

Whereas there is a growing effort to celebrate and officially 

recognize the historical, cultural, and economic significance of the North American bison to the heritage of the 

United States; and 

Whereas members of Indian tribes, bison producers, conservationists, sportsmen, educators, and other public and 

private partners have celebrated the annual National 

Bison Day since 2012 and are committed to continuing 


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this tradition annually on the first Saturday of November: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates November 4, 2017, the first Sat3 urday of November, as National Bison Day; and 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and 

6 activities. 

Æ 


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