NATIONAL FOSSIL ACT OF 2026

On 2026-09-16, Representative Laurel M. Lee (R-FL-15) delivered a floor speech titled "NATIONAL FOSSIL ACT OF 2026" in the House.

NATIONAL FOSSIL ACT OF 2026

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5938-H5939] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NATIONAL FOSSIL ACT OF 2026 Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9191) to amend chapter 3 of title 36, United States Code, to designate the American mastodon as the national fossil mammal and the Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil dinosaur of the United States, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 9191 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Fossil Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. NATIONAL FOSSIL MAMMAL AND DINOSAUR OF THE UNITED STATES. (a) Designation.--Chapter 3 of title 36, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in the chapter heading, by striking ``AND BIRD'' and inserting ``BIRD, AND FOSSIL''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 307. National fossil mammal and dinosaur ``The fossil of-- ``(1) the genus Mammut americanum, commonly known as the American mastodon, is the national fossil mammal; and ``(2) the Tyrannosaurus rex is the national fossil dinosaur.''. (b) Conforming Amendments.--Title 36, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in the table of sections for chapter 3, by adding at the end the following: ``307. National fossil mammal and dinosaur.''; and (2) by striking the item relating to chapter 3 in the table of chapters at the beginning of such title and inserting the following: ``3. National Anthem, Motto, Floral Emblem, March, Tree, Bird, and Fossil...................................................301''..... The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 9191. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. [[Page H5939]] Mr. Speaker, H.R. 9191 continues the tradition of Congress designating certain plants and animals with significant connection to the United States as national symbols. Most recently, Congress designated the bald eagle as the national bird in 2024. The bill before us today would designate the American mastodon and the Tyrannosaurus rex as the national mammal fossil and the national dinosaur fossil. The fossils that remain from these creatures have fascinated children and adults alike for generations. Among the many fossils found throughout North America, the American mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex have become enduring symbols of American paleontological discovery. H.R. 9191 recognizes the importance of these creatures in America's natural history by designating them as the national fossil mammal and fossil dinosaur. I urge all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of this legislation and am delighted to work on it with my colleague, Ms. Lee of Florida. H.R. 9191, the National Fossil Act, would designate the American mastodon, an extinct relative of the modern elephant, as our national fossil mammal. It would also designate the famous and beloved Tyrannosaurus rex as our national fossil dinosaur. Both the mastodon and T. rex fossils have only ever been found in North America, and therefore this is a fitting and appropriate honor. I love the T. Rex, and I am glad it beat out apparently its closest competitor for national fossil dinosaur, which was the modern Republican Party. I must admit, I am partial to Maryland's State dinosaur, the Astrodon johnstoni, a long-necked brachiosaurid that probably spent its days munching on plants and whose fossils were first found in the suburbs right outside the District of Columbia, either in my district, the beautiful Eighth, or the Fourth Congressional District, Congressman Ivey's district, depending on the state of dinosaur gerrymandering at the time. Recent research suggests that the T. rex descended from dinosaurs that crossed a land bridge from Asia, indicating that immigrant dinosaurs were making America great even before humans walked the Earth. As for the choice of the mastodon, an extinct prehistoric elephant, please accept my endorsement of this bill as a gesture of true bipartisanship. It is our sincere hope that by designating the fossils of these creatures as national symbols, it will inspire all of our fellow Americans, and not just the kids, to investigate the natural world and natural history and to appreciate that through the application of the miracles of modern science, we have discovered that the Earth is more than 4 billion years old. It is so old that it has been inhabited by organisms, which in the case of dinosaurs evolved and died off many millions of years before humanity came into existence. For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I express my strong support for the legislation, which will be enthusiastically greeted by millions of children across America, especially my T. rex-loving nephew Maddox. I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin). Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the National Fossil Act, a bipartisan bill I introduced with my colleague from Michigan, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. This bill was brought to us by a renowned geologist from Hanover College within my district, Dr. Stan Totten. This has been a passion project of his and now mine. It pushes a simple idea. It would name the American mastodon our national fossil mammal and the Tyrannosaurus rex our national fossil dinosaur. They would stand as national symbols beside the bald eagle, the bison, the rose, and the oak. {time} 1530 Why the mastodon? It is because the American mastodon, only found in North America, was perfectly adapted to live in the dense, cold forests of North America. It is also important that we chose the mastodon because Thomas Jefferson himself chose it first. In our founding years, a French naturalist told the world that America was a lesser continent, and Jefferson would not have it. He sent William Clark to dig at Big Bone Lick on the Ohio River, and when the crates reached Washington, the President of the United States spread them across the floor of the White House and studied them himself. He had argued in favor of American exceptionalism for years. On the floor of the White House, he didn't have to. The animal was the argument. A country that was home to an animal like that does not apologize to anyone. Jefferson knew it then, and we know it now. Why the T. rex? It is because it is the most famous dinosaur on Earth, and it is an American story. American pioneers went West and found it. American grit dug it out of the badlands. American museums put it on display, and American children have stood in front of it, awe-inspired, for more than a century. Unlike dinosaur bones in general, the T. rex fossils are entirely unique to North America. Think about that. The most famous and fearsome of all dinosaurs is unique to our homeland. This year marked the 250th anniversary of our great Nation. We have spent it honoring the Founders, the Framers, and the men and women who built this country from the ground up. However, America's story did not begin in 1776. The land came first. God gave us a continent and a country unlike any other, and it holds a record of miraculous life. A national fossil is more than a symbol. It is an invitation. It tells young boys and girls in southern Indiana and across the country put down the phone, get outside, and go dig. It tells them that discovery is an American tradition, our American story, and that they are part of it. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to pass the National Fossil Act. Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman for her legislative initiative here and for bringing that to the Judiciary Committee. We very much applaud the effort to recognize these victories for modern archeology, geology, and science. We are glad that we can endorse this bipartisan effort. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 9191 to recognize the importance of these creatures in America's natural history by designating them as the national fossil mammal and fossil dinosaur, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 9191, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________

Referenced legislation: HR9191, HR9191