SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILITATION ACT OF 2025

SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILITATION ACT OF 2025

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 53 (Sunday, March 22, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 53 (Sunday, March 22, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S1503-S1504] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILITATION ACT OF 2025 Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 118, S. 843. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the bill by title. The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 843) to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program. There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with an amendment, as follows: (The part of the bill intended to be inserted is printed in italic.) S. 843 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 be 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.''. Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, in a few moments, I will ask for unanimous consent to pass S. 843, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act. The bipartisan Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act, which is coled by Senator Cornyn of Texas, will provide funding for the incredible institutions that are leading rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts for the endangered and threatened sea turtles that become stranded along on our coasts and in our bays. Our current rescue efforts are largely volunteer and underfunded, forcing stranding networks from Cape Cod to the gulf to shell out to keep our shelled friends safe. This legislation tackles this pressing issue by making sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation activities authorized for dedicated funding under an existing program. Unlike marine mammals, sea turtles don't have a designated program in statute to support their rescue, despite facing similar stranding challenges. Right now, turtles require rescue, but without this bill, their rescuers don't have the resources required to save them. [[Page S1504]] This bill addresses a gap in our Nation's marine stranding system and solves it. I thank my colleagues for the bipartisan support on this legislation, especially my long-time partner Senator Cornyn and again ask for unanimous consent to pass the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendment be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The committee-reported amendment was agreed to. The bill (S. 843), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows: S. 843 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 be 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 fun

Referenced legislation: S843, S843