September 17, 2026
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
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.
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:
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:
; 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: