A bipartisan bill that will finally get the iconic bald eagle recognized as the national bird of the United States is on its way to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature after legislation was passed by the House on Monday.
Senator Amy Klobuchar confirmed this on X (formerly Twitter), saying “My bipartisan legislation to recognize the Bald Eagle as our national bird just passed Congress and is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law!”
The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States since it first appeared on the country’s great seal of 1782, but it has never been legally recognized as the official national bird of the US.
Bill aiming for recognition of bald eagle as national bird passed in July
The two representatives that pushed for legislation to finally get the bald eagle recognized as the US national bird, put out a statement saying:
“Since the founding of our nation, the bald eagle has existed as a symbol of our country’s independence, strength, and freedom. Prominently displayed on our official currency, military uniforms, and our government buildings, the bald eagle stands as the undisputed representative of the United States of America.”
This legislation has been in the works since June 2024, when it was introduced by the aforementioned Klobuchar and Senators Markwayne Mullin, Cynthia Lummis, and Tina Smith. The bill passed unanimously in July.
My bipartisan legislation to recognize the Bald Eagle as our national bird just passed Congress and is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law! 🦅
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) December 17, 2024
Senator Klobuchar made a very strong case for this legislation by highlighting the bird’s significance for the country, saying the bald eagle symbolizes freedom and strength, representative of the American spirit.
The senator added, “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.”
Bald eagle almost went extinct
In recent decades, the bald eagle was close to extinction, but it has since made an extreme comeback, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Indeed, the bald eagle population has been severely hindered due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and contamination of its food sources.
An extreme conservation effort has been underway for decades and has greatly contributed to the bird’s resurgence, according to the agency. In 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in the US.
Now, the bald eagle will join other US national symbols, including the great seal of the United States and the American flag.
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