U.S. House passes bill to officially designate bald eagle as national bird

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to officially designate the bald eagle as the national bird. This follows a similar vote in the Senate, and the bill now awaits President Biden's signature to become law. The bald eagle has long been a symbol of the United States, featured on currency and government seals. However, it was never legally recognized as the national bird until now, thanks to efforts by Minnesota resident Preston Cook. Cook discovered the lack of official designation while researching for a book. After years of lobbying, he successfully gained bipartisan support for the bill, which highlights the bald eagle's recovery from near extinction and its significance in American culture.