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S. 843Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)Passed Senate

Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

Sponsored by Edward J. MarkeySen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
Introduced March 4, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated March 23, 2026 at 4:30 AM UTC

The Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Commerce to set up a grant program specifically for rescuing, rehabilitating, and responding to sea‑turtle emergencies. It amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to include sea turtles as a distinct grant category, establishes eligibility and reporting requirements, and creates a dedicated Treasury fund for rapid response. The law provides $5 million annually for grants and $500,000 annually for emergency response funding, benefiting organizations and agencies that work on sea‑turtle conservation and rescue.

Key Provisions

  • Adds “sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response” as a new eligible activity for grants under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, allowing the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to award separate sea‑turtle grants.
  • Sets eligibility rules for applicants, requiring an Endangered Species Act authorization or cooperative agreement for sea turtles, compliance with interior‑department care standards, and reporting to the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network.
  • Creates a new interest‑bearing Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund in the Treasury to provide emergency assistance for sea‑turtle incidents.
  • Appropriates $5 million each fiscal year from 2025 through 2030 for the sea‑turtle rescue grant program, and $500,000 each year for the rapid‑response fund.
  • Mandates coordination between the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in administering these grants and funds.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

March 24, 2026 • 2:11 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 4, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

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

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 4, 2025

SenateCommittee

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

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 12, 2025

SenateCommittee

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

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

July 16, 2025

SenateCalendars

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

July 16, 2025

SenateFloor

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

March 22, 2026

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 24, 2026

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 24, 2026 • 2:02 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

March 24, 2026 • 2:11 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 843 on the floor

1 Democrat
Edward J. Markey
Sen. Edward J. MarkeyD-MA · Mar 22, 2026

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 118, S. 843. Mr. President, in a few moments, I will ask for unanimous consent to pass S.…

Record

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued March 22, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 843

AN ACT

To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025.

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.

.

Passed the Senate March 22, 2026.

Secretary