Dinosaurs and Ice Age giants are getting their moment on Capitol Hill with the introduction of a bipartisan bill led by U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN) that would officially designate the American mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex as new national symbols for America.
“As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this bill is a fitting way to recognize an important part of America’s story while encouraging future generations to explore science, geology, and paleontology,” said Rep. Houchin on Tuesday.
The congresswoman on June 8 sponsored the National Fossil Act, H.R. 9191, alongside five original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Celeste Maloy (R-UT), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI).
If enacted, H.R. 9191 would designate the American mastodon and the T. rex as the national fossil mammal and the national fossil dinosaur, respectively, of the United States. They then would join the bald eagle, bison, rose, and oak tree as official national symbols of the United States.
“The American mastodon has been recognized as Indiana’s state fossil since 2022,” Rep. Houchin said. “The mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex have captured the imagination of Americans for generations and deserve a place among our nation’s official symbols.”
The American mastodon is the official state fossil of both Indiana and Michigan and has been discovered at sites throughout both states, according to Rep. Houchin’s staff, and the T. rex remains one of the most recognizable dinosaurs in the world.
“America’s story didn’t begin in 1776. It began millions of years earlier, with creatures like the mastodon and T. rex roaming the land we now call home,” said Rep. Dingell. “Recognizing them as national symbols is a reminder that discovery is part of who we are as a country.”
The legislation is supported by Stanley Totten, curator of the Hanover College Museum of Natural History and professor emeritus of geology at Hanover College, located in Hanover, Indiana.