Seal of the United States Senate its talons, surrounded by the words "United States Senate," is commonly used by Senate offices and is often displayed on items sold in the Senate gift shop. Even more commonly seen perhaps is a version of the Great Seal of the United States (which also depicts an eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch in its claws) surrounded by a similar inscription. These often appear on Senate web pages, on podiums when senators speak, and other situations. The House of Representatives also uses similar designs for their unofficial seals, and since the United States Congress as a whole does not
Great Seal of the United States [[File:National seal.JPG|thumb|The reverse side of the Great Seal of the United States, as seen in [[Freedom Plaza]].]] At the [[Freedom Plaza]] in [[Northwest, Washington, D.C.|Northwest Washington, D.C.]], there is a monument to the Great Seal of the United States. This includes a plaque of the seal, followed by an inscription that reads: In 1776 the continental congress adopted a resolution calling for the creation of a seal for the new nation. In June 1782 the United States Congress approved a design which was manufactured in September of that year. In early 1881 the Department of State selected a new design