4 versions

CosmeticWhat changed in REFERRED IN SENATEcompared with REPORTED IN HOUSE (Sep 8, 2026)

Technical corrections only. v4 reflects the bill's passage by the House of Representatives on September 16, 2026, and its subsequent referral to the Senate, updating procedural headers and removing House-specific reporting details. No substantive policy changes were made to the bill's text regarding the designation of national fossil mammals and dinosaurs.

Skipping v3 (ENGROSSED IN HOUSE). Those versions changed too little to need their own analysis, so they reuse REPORTED IN HOUSE's. Changes are measured from the most recent version analyzed on its own.

H.R. 9191119th CongressIntroduced Jun 8, 2026

National Fossil Act of 2026

Passed HouseGovernment Operations and PoliticsNarrow

View bill text

Sponsor: Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
Committees: Judiciary Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 17, 2026

This analysis was written for v2 (REPORTED IN HOUSE, Sep 8, 2026). REFERRED IN SENATE changed too little to need its own, so it reuses that one rather than a rewrite. The differences between the two are summarized above. View v2

Bottom line

The National Fossil Act of 2026 formally establishes the American mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil mammal and dinosaur, respectively, by updating the U.S. Code.

What it actually does

This bill amends chapter 3 of title 36, United States Code, to officially designate the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) as the national fossil mammal and the Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil dinosaur of the United States. It also makes conforming amendments to the chapter heading and table of sections within title 36 to reflect the inclusion of these fossil designations.

Section 2(a)

Designation of National Fossil Mammal and Dinosaur

prominently featuredstraightforward

This section amends chapter 3 of title 36, United States Code, to officially recognize two specific fossils as national symbols. It designates the genus Mammut americanum, commonly known as the American mastodon, as the national fossil mammal. Simultaneously, it designates the Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil dinosaur. Additionally, it updates the chapter heading of chapter 3 to include 'AND FOSSIL' and adds a new entry to the table of sections for 'National fossil mammal and dinosaur', ensuring these designations are properly integrated into the U.S. Code.

About this analysis. AI-Generated from the official bill text and available committee reports. Gaps in available data are noted explicitly. Verify important details with the official Congress.gov record.

CosmeticWhat changed in REFERRED IN SENATEcompared with REPORTED IN HOUSE (Sep 8, 2026)

H.R. 9191119th CongressIntroduced Jun 8, 2026

National Fossil Act of 2026

Passed HouseGovernment Operations and PoliticsNarrow

View bill text

Sponsor: Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
Committees: Judiciary Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 17, 2026

Bottom line

The National Fossil Act of 2026 formally establishes the American mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil mammal and dinosaur, respectively, by updating the U.S. Code.

What it actually does

Section 2(a)

Designation of National Fossil Mammal and Dinosaur

prominently featuredstraightforward