Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 1409, designating June 20, 2010 as ``American Eagle Day,'' in recognition of the recovery of the American bald eagle from near extinction in the1960s. The bald eagle, our national bird, is a majestic animal and its symbolic importance in many aspects of United States history and government makes it richly deserving of celebration. Although an estimated 500,000 bald eagles lived in North America in the 1700s, only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles remained in the lower 48 states by 1963. This was an abhorrent environmental tragedy and a blow to the national psyche. Thankfully, due to dedicated conservation efforts over the last 40 years, the bald eagle was officially removed from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in 2007, and its total population is now more than 100,000. The full recovery of the bald eagle from the threat of extinction in the U.S. is a source of inspiration to those who hope to conserve wildlife and save endangered species. Furthermore, I applaud the use of funds from the sale of bald eagle commemorative coins to continue rebuilding the bald eagle population and raising awareness of the bald eagle. My hope is that, with the support of Congress, the bald eagle need never again face neglect, and will continue to be celebrated by future generations. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.”