I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8800 

To designate the bald eagle as the national bird. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 21, 2024 

Mr. FINSTAD (for himself, Ms. CRAIG, Mr. EMMER, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. 

STAUBER, Mrs. FISCHBACH, Ms. OMAR, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. NEWHOUSE, 

Mr. VAN ORDEN, and Mr. BEYER) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To designate the bald eagle as the national bird. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF BALD EAGLE AS NATIONAL 

4 BIRD. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) Bald eagles are a historical symbol of the 

7 United States representing independence, strength, 

8 and freedom. 

9 (2) The bald eagle is unique to North America. 


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1 (3) The bald eagle was adopted as the Coat of 

2 Arms for the United States Great Seal on June 20, 

3 1782. 

4 (4) The bald eagle image remains the leading 

5 insignia for all branches of the United States mili6 tary. 

7 (5) The bald eagle is the leading image on 

8 thousands of government branches, departments, 

9 and agencies, including the President, Vice-Presi10 dent, Congress, and Senate. 

11 (6) The bald eagle serves as the logo, trade12 mark, and brand icon by businesses, nonprofits, and 

13 sports teams across the United States. 

14 (7) Bald eagles are integral to the spiritual lives 

15 and sacred belief systems of most Indigenous peoples 

16 and Tribal communities. 

17 (8) Bald eagles are prevalent in belief, practice, 

18 stories, ceremonies, dance, traditions, songs, regalia, 

19 flags, insignias, arts, craft, and other forms of spir20 itual reverence. 

21 (9) Bald eagle festivals are held in over 100 lo22 cations across America and are key components of 

23 community engagement. 


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1 (10) The bald eagle is prevalent on hundreds of 

2 United States stamps and many coins and cur3 rencies. 

4 (11) The bald eagle is a primary component 

5 and symbol on Federal and State flags nationwide. 

6 (12) Joint efforts of Federal, State, and local 

7 governments, as well as nonprofits and individuals, 

8 have contributed to the successful recovery of the 

9 bald eagle. 

10 (b) DESIGNATION.—Chapter 3 of title 36, United 

11 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘§ 306. National bird 

14 ‘‘The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the na15 tional bird.’’. 

16 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 3 of title 

17 36, United States Code, is amended— 

18 (1) in the chapter heading, by striking ‘‘AND 

19 TREE’’ and inserting ‘‘TREE, AND BIRD’’; 

20 and 

21 (2) in the table of sections, by adding at the 

22 end the following: 

‘‘306. National bird.’’. 

23 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec24 tion, the amendments made by this section, or the adop25 tion of the bald eagle as the national bird of the United 


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1 States may be construed or used as a reason to alter, 

2 change, modify, or otherwise affect any plan, policy, man3 agement decision, regulation, or other action of the Fed4 eral Government. 

Æ 


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