I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4116 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins celebrating the 
recovery and restoration of the American bald eagle, the national symbol 
of the United States, to America’s lands, waterways, and skies and 
the great importance of the designation of the American bald eagle 
as an ‘‘endangered’’ species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 1, 2004 
Mr. JENKINS (for himself, Mr. FORD, and Mr. GOODE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
celebrating the recovery and restoration of the American 
bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, 
to America’s lands, waterways, and skies and the great 
importance of the designation of the American bald eagle 
as an ‘‘endangered’’ species under the Endangered Spe-
cies Act of 1973, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Bald Eagle 
Recovery and National Emblem Commemorative Coin 
Act’’ 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The bald eagle was designated as the na-
tional emblem of the United States on June 20, 
1782, by our country’s Founding Fathers at the 
Second Continental Congress. 
(2) The bald eagle is the greatest visible symbol 
of the spirit of freedom and democracy in the world. 
(3) The bald eagle species is unique to North 
America and represents the American values and at-
tributes of freedom, courage, strength, spirit, loyalty, 
justice, equality, democracy, quality, and excellence. 
(4) The bald eagle is the central image used in 
the Great Seal of the United States and the seal of 
many branches and departments of the United 
States Government, including the President and the 
Vice President of the United States, the United 
States Congress, the Department of Defense, the 
Department of the Treasury, the Department of 
Justice, the Department of State, the Department of 
Commerce, the Department of Homeland Security, 
and the United States Postal Service.
(5) The bald eagle’s image and symbolism have 
played a profound role in establishing and honoring 
American beliefs and traditions. 
(6) The bald eagle’s image and symbolism have 
influenced American art, music, history, literature, 
commerce, and culture since the founding of our Na-
tion. 
(7) The bald eagle species was once threatened 
with possible extinction in the lower 48 States but 
is now making a gradual, encouraging recovery with-
in America’s lands, waterways, and skies. 
(8) The bald eagle was federally classified as an 
‘‘endangered’’ species in 1973 under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, and, in 1995, was removed 
from the ‘‘endangered’’ species list and upgraded to 
the less imperiled ‘‘threatened’’ status under such 
Act. 
(9) The administration is likely to officially 
delist the bald eagle from both the ‘‘endangered’’ 
and ‘‘threatened’’ species lists under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 by no later than 2008. 
(10) The initial recovery of the bald eagle popu-
lation in the United States was accomplished by the 
vigilant efforts of numerous caring agencies, cor-
porations, organizations, and citizens.