Sponsors (10)
Official title: 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.
Introduced June 8, 2026 by Erin Houchin · Last progress June 8, 2026
The bill offers a symbolic recognition that may modestly boost public interest in paleontology and museums but does not change policy or budgets and uses legislative attention for a ceremonial designation.
Schools, universities, natural history museums, and children/youth: the bill designates the American mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex as national fossils, providing a symbolic honor that may increase public and student interest in paleontology and natural history education.
Federal lawmakers, taxpayers, and people seeking substantive policy: the provision creates only ceremonial statutory text with no material policy or budgetary effect, consuming legislative time and resources that could have been used for substantive matters.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Officially names the American mastodon the national fossil mammal and Tyrannosaurus rex the national fossil dinosaur in Title 36 of the U.S. Code.
Designates the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) as the national fossil mammal and Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil dinosaur, and updates Title 36 of the U.S. Code to add those official symbols. Makes conforming edits to the chapter heading and table of sections. The bill is symbolic and does not create new programs, funding, or regulatory duties.