[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 843 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 843
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue
Assistance Grant Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 4, 2025
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Graham, Mr. Van
Hollen, and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue
Assistance Grant Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and
Rehabilitation Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. SEA TURTLE RESCUE, REHABILITATION, AND RESPONSE.
Section 408 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C.
1421f-1) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``(10) Sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations specific to address sea turtle rescue,
rehabilitation, and response, the Secretary of Commerce
and the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service shall include separate eligibility for grants
under this subsection to address the purposes described
in paragraph (2) with respect to sea turtles.
``(B) Conditions of grant.--A grant awarded under
this subsection to address sea turtle rescue,
rehabilitation, and response shall--
``(i) include the equivalent grant criteria
and administration authorities and requirements
described under paragraph (3), subparagraphs
(A) and (B) of paragraph (4), and paragraphs
(5) through (9), developed, as appropriate, and
awarded separately for sea turtles and in
consultation with the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service in lieu of the Marine Mammal
Commission; and
``(ii) in addition to the considerations
under paragraph (4)(B), also consider
rehabilitation of stranded sea turtles.
``(C) Eligibility criteria.--In order to apply for
a grant awarded under this subsection to address sea
turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response, an entity
shall--
``(i) submit an application described in
paragraph (5) to the Secretary of Commerce with
respect to sea turtles;
``(ii) be authorized by and in compliance
with--
``(I) an authorization issued under
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1539(a)(1)(A)) with respect to sea
turtles; or
``(II) a cooperative agreement
entered into under section 6 of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1535) with respect to sea
turtles;
``(iii) comply with the standard conditions
for care and maintenance of captive sea turtles
prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior
when relevant facilities will be utilized for
such purposes; and
``(iv) comply with all relevant data
reporting, requirements, such as the Sea Turtle
Stranding and Salvage Network data collection
requirements.'';
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Rescue and Rapid Response Funds.--
``(1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States--
``(A) an interest-bearing fund to known as the
`Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid
Response Fund'; and
``(B) an interest-bearing fund to be known as the
`Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response
Fund'.
``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts in the funds established under
paragraph (1) shall be available only for use by the Secretary
to provide emergency assistance.''; and
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting
``marine mammal rescue and response'' after
``to carry out the'';
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C);
(iii) by inserting after clause (ii) of
subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) Authorization of appropriations with respect
to sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response.--
There is authorized to be appropriated for the
Secretary of Commerce to carry out the sea turtle
rescue, rehabilitation, and response grant program
under subsection (b)(10), $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2030, to remain available until
expended.''; and
(iv) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated
by clause (ii), by inserting ``or (B)'' after
``subparagraph (A)''; and
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Rescue and rapid response funds.--There is authorized
to be appropriated--
``(A) to the Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue
and Rapid Response Fund $500,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2030; and
``(B) to the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and
Rapid Response Fund $500,000 for each of fiscal years
2025 through 2030.''.
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