[Senate Report 119-41]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 118
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-41
_______________________________________________________________________
SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND
REHABILITATION ACT OF 2025
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND
TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 843
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
July, 16 2025.--Ordered to be printed
------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
59-010 WASHINGTON : 2025
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred nineteenth congress
first session
TED CRUZ, Texas, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
TED BUDD, North Carolina JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico
JOHN CURTIS, Utah JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
TIM SHEEHY, Montana ANDY KIM, New Jersey
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
Brad Grantz, Majority Staff Director
Lila Harper Helms, Democratic Staff Director
Calendar No. 118
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-41
=======================================================================
SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILITATION
ACT OF 2025
------------
July 16, 2025.--Ordered to be printed
------------
Mr. Cruz, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 843]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 843) to require the Secretary
of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant
Program, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with an amendment and recommends that the bill, as amended, do
pass.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\At the markup, S. 843 was ordered to be reported without
amendment, but post-markup, a technical amendment required the bill to
be reported favorably with an amendment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 843, Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and
Rehabilitation Act of 2025, is to integrate sea turtle rescue
and response into an existing stranding program at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Background and Needs
There are six species of sea turtles found in U.S. waters,
all of which are listed and protected under the Endangered
Species Act.\2\ Sea turtles play an important role in
maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and their protection is
critical for the preservation of marine biodiversity.
Specifically, sea turtles help control populations of
jellyfish, maintain healthy seagrass beds, and contribute to
nutrient cycling in both ocean floor and beach ecosystems.\3\
Because they are a migratory species with a lifespan across
decades, sea turtles are also considered an indicator of the
overall health of the ocean and the impact of human
activities.\4\ In addition to their ecological importance, sea
turtles are a part of coastal communities' culture and
traditions, and their presence can draw in tourists, generating
both economic benefits and occasional safety issues for both
humans and turtles.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\``Sea Turtles,'' NOAA Fisheries (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
sea-turtles); Public Law 93-205.
\3\James R. Spotila, Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their
Biology, Behavior, and Conservation, JHU Press, 2004.
\4\``Why Sea Turtles Matter,'' National Park Service (https://
www.nps.gov/guis/learn/nature/sea-turtles-matter.htm).
\5\``Turtles, Tourism, and Traffic--Keeping Hawai'I Honu Safe,''
NOAA Fisheries ( https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/turtles-
tourism-and-traffic-keeping-hawaii-honu-safe).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
While most of their lives are spent at sea, sea turtles
return to land to lay eggs and nest every year. Sea turtles
face threats both on and off the land and are often harmed by
bycatch,\6\ loss of nesting and foraging habitats, marine
debris entanglement, and vessel strikes. In addition to
bycatch, other factors such as red tide, viral disease, and
cold stunning during the winter can lead to turtle
strandings,\7\ both on land or in water when a sea turtle
cannot function properly due to injury, illness, or some other
problem.\8\ Six of the world's seven sea turtle species are
found in U.S. waters: Kemp's ridley, green turtle, loggerhead,
hawksbill, olive ridley, and leatherback. Three of these turtle
species are found in Mississippi, including Kemp's ridley
turtle, the world's most critically endangered sea turtle.\9\
In 2024, there were 916 sea turtle strandings in Massachusetts
and 799 sea turtle strandings in Texas.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\Ibid.
\7\``Frequent Questions: Northern Gulf of Mexico Sea Turtle
Strandings,'' NOAA Fisheries (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/
marine-life-distress/frequent-questions-northern-gulf-mexico-sea-
turtle-strandings).
\8\Ibid.
\9\``Sea Turtle Strandings and Rehabilitation,'' Institute for
Marine Mammal Studies (https://imms.org/sea-turtle-rehabilitation/).
\10\Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Database,'' NOAA
Fisheries (https://connect.fisheries.noaa.gov/content/cb3f4647-9e4f-
4f3d-9edf-e7a87a1feef6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOAA established the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage
Network in 1980 to respond to and document all stranding
incidents in the United States.\11\ This network includes other
Federal and State agencies, academic institutions, and private
organizations that respond to and document stranded sea
turtles, transport them to rehabilitation facilities for care,
perform necropsies of dead turtles, and collect other
information to identify causes of stranding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\``Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network,'' NOAA Fisheries
(https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/sea-
turtle-stranding-and-salvage-network).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOAA has an existing stranding grant program, the John H.
Prescott Marine Mammal Stranding Grant program, which for more
than 20 years has provided funding response to stranded whales,
dolphins, seals, and other marine mammals.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\``John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant
Program,'' NOAA (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/john-h-prescott-
marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Provisions
S. 843 would do the following:
Require the Secretary of Commerce to work with the
Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
develop separate grant application criteria for the Sea
Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program under the John
H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant
Program.
Require the grant application to be submitted to the
Secretary of Commerce and that all applicants must
comply with existing law, standard conditions for sea
turtle care, and the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage
Network data collection requirements.
Establish a new interest-bearing fund in the
Treasury, the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and
Rapid Response Fund, for emergency assistance for sea
turtles.
Authorize appropriations with respect to Sea Turtle
Rescue for the existing Joseph R. Geraci Mammal Rescue
and Rapid Response Fund and the new Sea Turtle Rescue,
Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund.
Legislative History
S. 843, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation
Act of 2025, was introduced on March 4, 2025, by Senator Markey
(for himself and Senators Cornyn, Tillis, Graham, Van Hollen,
and Booker) and was referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate. On March 12, 2025,
the Committee met in open Executive Session and, by voice vote,
ordered S. 843 reported favorably without amendment. After the
markup, the bill needed a technical fix, which required S. 843
to be reported favorably with an amendment.
H.R. 347, the House companion bill to S. 843, was
introduced on January 13, 2025, by Representative Keating and
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives. Fifteen Representatives were later added as
cosponsors.
118th Congress
S. 2086, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and
Rehabilitation Act of 2023, was introduced on June 21, 2023, by
Senator Markey (for himself and Senators Cornyn, Van Hollen,
Graham, Wicker, and Carper) and was referred to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Senator
Tillis was later added as a cosponsor. On July 31, 2024, the
Committee met in open Executive Session and, by voice vote,
ordered S. 2086 reported favorably with an amendment (in the
nature of a substitute).
H.R. 2560, the House companion bill to S. 2086, was
introduced on April 10, 2023, by Representative Keating and was
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives. Twelve Representatives and one Resident
Commissioner were later added as cosponsors. On October 26,
2023, that Committee met in open Executive Session and ordered
H.R. 2560 reported, as amended, by unanimous consent. On April
11, 2024, the House passed H.R. 2560 under suspension of the
rules by a vote of 332-80.
117th Congress
S. 4432, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Act of 2022, was
introduced on June 16, 2022, by Senator Markey (for himself and
Senator Cornyn) and was referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Senators Graham, Van
Hollen, Booker, and Inhofe were later added as cosponsors.
H.R. 7918, a House companion bill to S. 4432, was
introduced on May 31, 2022, by Representative Keating and was
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives. Representatives Jayapal, Lynch, DelBene, and
Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon were later added as
cosponsors. On December 8, 2022, that Committee met in open
Executive Session and ordered H.R. 7918 reported, as amended,
by unanimous consent.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
S. 843 would authorize the appropriation of $5 million
annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service for grants to rescue and rehabilitate
stranded marine turtles. Those grants would support marine
turtle rescue and recovery, data collection, research, and the
operating costs for research and rehabilitation facilities. In
2024, NOAA allocated $3 million for those activities.
S. 843 also would authorize the appropriation of $500,000
annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for each of two
trust funds that are credited with interest on unspent
balances. Under current law, the Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal
Rescue and Rapid Response Fund is authorized to be appropriated
$500,000 annually through 2028. Therefore, CBO estimates the
bill would authorize the appropriation of a total of $4 million
over the 2025-2030 period for the two funds.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall
within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS UNDER S. 843
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
----------------------------------------------------------------
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2025-2030
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea Turtle Rescue Grants:
Authorization.............................. 5 5 5 5 5 5 30
Estimated Outlays.......................... 2 5 6 5 5 5 28
Trust Funds\a\:
Authorization.............................. * 1 * 1 1 1 4
Estimated Outlays.......................... * * 1 * 1 1 3
Total Changes:
Authorization.............................. 5 6 5 6 6 6 34
Estimated Outlays.......................... 2 5 7 5 6 6 31
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* = between zero and $500,000.
Enacting the bill also would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 in every year and over the 2025-2035
period for the spending of interest credited to the trust funds.
\a\S. 843 would authorize the appropriation of $500,000 annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for each of
the two trust funds. Under current law, one fund is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 annually through
2028.
CBO assumes that S. 843 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025
and that the authorized amounts will be available in each year.
Using historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that
implementing S. 843 would cost $31 million over the 2025-2030
period and $3 million after 2030, assuming appropriation of the
authorized amounts.
Enacting the bill would increase direct spending because
any interest credited to the trust funds would be available
without further appropriation. Based on the projection of
interest rates that underlie CBO's baseline, CBO estimates that
the amount of interest credited to the funds and subsequently
spent would be less than $500,000 in every year and over the
2025-2035 period.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Johnny Willing
and Aurora Swanson. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel
Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Regulatory Impact Statement
Because S. 843 does not create any new programs, the
legislation will have no additional regulatory impact, and will
result in no additional reporting requirements. The legislation
will have no further effect on the number or types of
individuals and businesses regulated, the economic impact of
such regulation, the personal privacy of affected individuals,
or the paperwork required from such individuals and businesses.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of
2025''.
Section 2. Sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response
This section would add an additional eligibility to the
John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant
Program to fund the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program
for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response. Eligible
entities and grant conditions would be consistent with
equivalent criteria and requirements as under the John H.
Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program. Grant
participants would be required to comply with standard
conditions for care of sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Stranding
and Salvage Network data collection requirements.
This section would establish a parallel fund to the Joseph
R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund, only
for use to provide emergency assistance. It would authorize
appropriations of $5 million for each fiscal year from 2025
through 2030 for the purpose of sea turtle rescue,
rehabilitation, and response, within the Prescott Program. This
section would also authorize appropriations of $500,000 for the
Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund
and $500,000 for the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and
Rapid Response Fund for each fiscal year from 2025 through
2030.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, 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) * * *
* * * * * * *
[all]