In 2016, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes drafted the National Bison Range Restoration Act. That legislation was incorporated into S. 3019, the “Montana Water Rights Protection Act”, which was introduced on December 11, 2019. After amendments, in December 2020 the Montana Water Rights Protection Act was incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (HR 133), which was passed by the House and Senate on December 21, 2020, and signed into law by the President on December 27, 2020, becoming Public Law 116-260.