HR 347

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 13, 2025

Mr. Keating introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

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.

“(D) Sunset.—The authority of the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out this paragraph shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph.”;

(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)(1)(A), by inserting “marine mammal rescue and response” after “to carry out the”. <all>