Story highlights National Bison Legacy Act must get Senate approval before heading to the President's desk

After a huge decline during westward expansion, an estimated 500,000 bison now exist in the U.S.

(CNN) The U.S. House voted Tuesday evening to adopt the North American bison as the national mammal of the United States, bringing the iconic animal one step closer to receiving the recognition many groups have pushed for.

The National Bison Legacy Act, which must get Senate approval before heading to the President's desk for his signature, aims to honor the historical and contemporary significance of the majestic animal.

"No other indigenous species tells America's story better than this noble creature," Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Missouri, said in a statement.

Clay and several other members of the House and the Senate across both parties wrote and co-sponsored the bill.

"The American bison is an enduring symbol of strength, native American culture and the boundless Western wildness," Clay said.

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