S 843 — Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

Summary

Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 and expands the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program to include separate grants to rescue sea turtles. The grants must be used forthe recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled sea turtles;responses to rescue stranded sea turtles;the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded sea turtles for scientific research or health assessments;facility operating costs that are directly related to activities to assist sea turtles; or development of stranding network capacity where facilities do not exist or are sparse.In addition, the bill establishes the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund.

Bill Text

Published by the reporting committee Not generated — this is the committee's own “Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported”.

Text to be removed appears in [brackets]. Newly inserted text is italicised in the official report and cannot be marked in this plain-text rendition — read the official PDF ↗ for the authoritative formatting.

changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

 MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972

 * * * * * * *

 [16 U.S.C. 1421f-1]

SEC. 408. MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE AND RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM AND RAPID 
 RESPONSE FUND.

 (a) * * *
 (b) John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue And Response Grant 
Program.--
 (1) * * *

 * * * * * * *

 (9) * * *
 (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.

 * * * * * * *

 [(c) Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue And Rapid Response 
Fund.--
 [(1) In general.--There is established in the 
 Treasury of the United States an interest-bearing fund, 
 to be known as the ``Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal 
 Rescue and Rapid Response Fund'' (referred to in this 
 section as the ``Rapid Response Fund'').
 [(2) Use of funds.--Amounts in the Rapid Response 
 Fund shall be available only for use by the Secretary 
 to provide emergency assistance.]
 (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.
 (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
 (1) In general.--
 (A) Authorization of appropriations.--There 
 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
 the marine mammal rescue and response grant 
 program $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
 2023 through 2028, to remain available until 
 expended, of which for each fiscal year--
 (i) $6,000,000 shall be made 
 available to the Secretary of Commerce; 
 and
 (ii) $1,000,000 shall be made 
 available to the Secretary of the 
 Interior.
 (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.
 [(B)] (C) Derivation of funds.--Funds to 
 carry out the activities under this section 
 shall be derived from amounts authorized to be 
 appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) or 
 (B) that are enacted after the date of 
 enactment of the James M. Inhofe National 
 Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
 [(2) Joseph r. geraci marine mammal rescue and rapid 
 response fund.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
 to the Rapid Response Fund $500,000 for each of fiscal 
 years 2023 through 2028.]
 (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.
 (e) * * *
 (f) * * *

 * * * * * * *

Source: S. Rept. 119-41 · govinfo

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes new grant programs and funding specifically for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1

  (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.

  This adds a new grant category to support sea turtle rescue efforts.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(b)

  (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.

  This establishes specific conditions for grants related to sea turtle rescue.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(b)

  (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.

  This adds specific eligibility criteria for organizations applying for sea turtle rescue grants.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(c)

  subsection (c) → (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'.

  This creates new funds specifically for marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rapid response.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(d)(1)

  (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.

  This authorizes significant funding specifically for the sea turtle rescue program.

• 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1(d)(2)

  paragraph (2) → (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.

  This provides additional funding for the existing marine mammal rescue fund alongside the new sea turtle fund.

Action History

1. March 24, 2026

   Message on Senate action sent to the House.

2. March 24, 2026

   Received in the House.

3. March 24, 2026

   Held at the desk.

4. March 22, 2026

   Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

5. March 22, 2026

   Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1503-1504; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1504)

6. July 16, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-41.

7. July 16, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-41.

8. July 16, 2025

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 118.

9. March 12, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

10. March 04, 2025

    Introduced in Senate

11. March 04, 2025

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsors

• Edward J. Markey · Primary
• John Cornyn · Cosponsor
• Thomas Tillis · Cosponsor
• Lindsey Graham · Cosponsor
• Chris Van Hollen · Cosponsor
• Cory A. Booker · Cosponsor
• Richard Blumenthal · Cosponsor
• David McCormick · Cosponsor

Subjects