Date: 12/18/24 6:44 pm From: <00001f53b5636e64-dmarc-request...> Subject: [JERSEYBI] Bald Eagle recognition as national bird
Congress sends bipartisan
bald eagle bill to president
Jeremy Yurow
USA TODAY
A bipartisan bill that would officially recognize the bald eagle, one of America's most iconic animals, as the national bird will head to the desk of President Joe Biden for his signature after the House passed the legislation on Monday.
'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!' Sen. Amy Klobuchar confirmed on X. The bald eagle, which has been a symbol of the United States since it appeared on the Great Seal in 1782, has never been enshrined in law as the official national bird.
'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,' Rep. Brad Finstad, who helped lead the House effort with Rep. Angie Craig, said in a statement.
The legislation was introduced in June by Klobuchar and Sens. Markwayne Mullin, Cynthia Lummis and Tina Smith. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in July. Klobuchar said the bald eagle symbolizes 'freedom' and 'strength.'
'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,' the senator added.
The National Eagle Center also played a role in pushing for the legislation. 'This is an exciting day,' said Preston Cook, co-chair of the center's National Bird Initiative. 'With this legislation, we honor its historic role and solidify its place as our national bird and an emblem of our national identity.'
The bald eagle, once on the brink of extinction, has made a 'remarkable' comeback in recent years after decades of conservation efforts, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bird's population had been decimated by habitat loss, illegal shooting and food source contamination - largely the use of toxic DDT pesticides, the wildlife agency said. But in 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species.
