Legislative status and recent House action

HR 9191, the National Fossil Act of 2026, is currently under consideration in the Senate. On September 17, 2026, the bill was received in the Senate, read twice, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

This referral follows action in the House of Representatives, where the bill was passed on September 16, 2026. The House approved the measure by voice vote after considering it under a suspension of the rules, a procedure typically used for non-controversial legislation. The floor proceedings included forty minutes of debate before the vote.

What the proposal would change

The National Fossil Act of 2026 seeks to establish two new national symbols related to paleontology. If enacted, the bill would formally designate:

  • The Mammut americanum (American Mastodon): As the national fossil mammal.

  • The Tyrannosaurus rex: As the national fossil dinosaur.

The bill is categorized under the policy area of Government Operations and Politics. It was introduced on June 8, 2026, by Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN-9).

Committee and budget context

The bill’s path through the legislative process has included review by the House Committee on the Judiciary, which ordered the bill reported on July 15, 2026.

Regarding the potential fiscal impact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a cost estimate for the legislation on August 18, 2026. This estimate was based on the version of the bill as ordered reported by the House Judiciary Committee.

Legislative records and documentation

As of September 2026, the legislative record for HR 9191 includes the following:

  • Bill Text: There are three versions of the bill text available for review.

  • Summaries: One official summary version has been produced.

  • Subject Classifications: Congress.gov identifies the bill’s primary subjects as Government Operations and Politics, Mammals, National symbols, and Reptiles.

  • Text Analysis: LawLinter’s analysis of the bill covers three distinct sections.

The bill remains active as it awaits further action from the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.