| The bald eagle
is a beloved symbol of our nation. It is time to officially designate
it as the National Bird | | For nearly 250 years, the bald
eagle has served as an enduring symbol of freedom and America’s
founding principles, yet many Americans are surprised to learn that
though the bald eagle is as common and well-recognized as the Stars
and Stripes, it has still not been designated as our national
bird. In the days following the signing of the
Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and
John Adams were tasked with designing an official seal for our new
nation, yet the three were forced to pass the torch when they failed
to produce a design that could earn Congress’ approval. The task
ultimately fell to Charles Thomson, the Secretary of Congress. With
the help of William Barton, they borrowed from ancient Roman symbology
to create a seal with a prominently positioned eagle, which would
ultimately become the global reminder of American values we revere
today. As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s
248th birthday next week, I believe it is time to officially solidify
this important symbol of our nation by designating the bald eagle as
the national bird. I have partnered with Senators Markwayne Mullin
(R-OK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MI) and Tina Smith (D-MN) to introduce
legislation to officially recognize the bald eagle as our
national bird. Since June 20, 1782, the bald eagle has graced
official documents, currency, flags, public buildings and countless
other forms of American symbolism. I am excited to partner with my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take this important step, and
I look forward to its swift passage. Happy Trails,
 |
| Senator Lummis' Week in
Pictures | | On Tuesday, I met with Corbin from
Sheridan and Meeka from Green River who are participating in the
American Congress-Bungestag Youth Exchange Scholarship program. After
successfully completing their year-long program in Germany, it was
great to welcome them to our nation's capital.  I also had the
privilege of welcoming students from the Wyoming Rural Electric Youth Tour to D.C. as part of their
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s
Youth Tour. It is always
great to meet with Wyoming’s next generation of
leaders.   |
| Legislative Actions | |
Artificial intelligence has infinite potential to improve lives, yet
with any new technology, there is the potential for it to be exploited
by bad actors. Unfortunately, far too many people—especially
young girls and women—have become the victims of fake
AI-generated non-consensual images. I am proud to partner with Senator
Ted Cruz (R-TX) to introduce legislation to protect innocent people
from these malicious and dangerous deepfakes without limiting
innovation. The Tools to
Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on
Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act protects and
empowers victims of non-consensual “revenge pornography”
by criminalizing the publication of this imagery and requires social
media companies to remove such content upon notification from a
victim. 
| Working for
Wyoming | | This week,
my Republican colleagues and I blocked Senate Democrats’ efforts
to codify a ban on bump stocks. In January, I led
eight of my colleagues in partnering with multiple legal experts to
file an amici curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Garland
v. Cargill. The brief asserted that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco
and Firearms (ATF) ban on bump stocks under the National Firearms
Act was not only an egregious violation of the people of
Wyoming’s right to bear arms but also set a dangerous precedent
for federal bureaucrats interpreting federal law in expansive new ways
and enabled them to weaponize the Chevron doctrine to perpetuate this
administration’s gun-grabbing priorities. Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that
the ATF’s reversal on this question was illegal, and that the
ATF rule is unenforceable. Unfortunately, the legislation Senate
Democrats introduced earlier this week does not just ban bump stocks;
it is a trojan horse that impacts binary triggers and other devices
the ATF has previously stated were legal in opinion letters. While my
colleagues across the aisle will say otherwise, the people of Wyoming
recognize this legislation is a vehicle for Democrats to continue
chipping away at our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. I
will not allow Senate Democrats and this administration to unfairly
punish law-abiding citizens and wounded veterans who rely on bump
stocks, and I will continue to defend the people of Wyoming from this
brazen federal overreach. | |
| Grant Information | | The Active Transportation
Infrastructure Investment Program is a new and competitive grant
program created by the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs
Act to provide funding for safe and active transportation
facilities. The deadline has been extended to July 17,
2024. For more information, click
here. To apply, click
here. | | Wyoming Shoutout | | This week, the Bar
Association of the District of Columbia (BADC) announced the Heart
Mountain Wyoming Foundation’s Board Chair, Shirley Ann Higuchi,
will serve as the first Asian American president-elect of the
BADC. Higuchi has been chosen from
a select group of lawyers to serve in this esteemed role following her
years of dedicated service as President of the DC Bar, the
nation’s third-largest mandatory membership bar association, and
is well-equipped to fulfill her duties in this new role. Please join
me in congratulating Shirley on this well-deserved honor and wishing
her well as she assumes her new position.  | |
