Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2560) to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2560

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 2023''. SEC. 2. SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILITATION GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program, to be known as the ``Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Grant Program'', to encourage and facilitate coordinated rapid response and rescue by awarding grants for the purposes described in subsection (c).

(b) Designation of Stranding and Rehabilitation Regions.-- The Secretary shall designate geographic regions of the United States as stranding and rehabilitation regions for the purposes of carrying out this section.

(c) Purposes.--The purposes of the Program are to provide for--

(1) the recovery, short- or long-term care, transportation, and treatment of stranded marine turtles;

(2) the release of rescued and recovered marine turtles;

(3) the collection of data and samples from stranded marine turtles for scientific research related to marine turtle health; and

(4) facility operation costs that are directly related to activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).

(d) Equitable Distribution of Funds.--The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that funds awarded under this section are distributed equitably among stranding and rehabilitation regions, taking into account--

(1) the number of stranding and rehabilitation events that occurred in each stranding and rehabilitation region in the preceding 5 years; and

(2) the conservation priorities and recovery needs of species of marine turtles that are threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

(e) Application.--An applicant for a grant under this section shall submit an application in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe.

(f) Grant Criteria.--

(1) Development of criteria.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, establish by regulation appropriate criteria for awarding grants under this section.

(2) Stakeholder engagement.--As part of the process for developing and finalizing criteria under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, provide opportunities for engagement with representatives from stranding and rehabilitation regions and representatives of State governments and public and private organizations with an established record in coordination, rescue, rehabilitation, and release, as well as related scientific research, marine conservation, and forensic science, with respect to stranded marine turtles.

(3) Required criteria.--The criteria developed under paragraph (1) shall prioritize applicants with an established record of coordination, rescuing, rehabilitation, scientific research, and forensic science with respect to stranded and rehabilitated marine turtles or conducting scientific research and forensic science on stranded and rehabilitated marine turtles.

(g) Limitations.--

(1) Maximum amount of grant.--No grant awarded under this section may exceed $150,000 in any 12-month period.

(2) Matching requirement.--The non-Federal share of the costs of an activity conducted with a grant awarded under the Program shall be not less than 50 percent of such costs, including in-kind services and the use of property.

(h) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) Marine turtle.--The term ``marine turtle'' means any member of the family Cheloniidae or Dermochelyidae.

(2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Grant Program established under subsection (a).

(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Commerce.

(4) Stranding.--The term ``stranding'' means an event in which--

(A) a marine turtle is dead and is--

(i) on a beach or shore of the United States; or

(ii) in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters); or

(B) a marine turtle is alive and is--

(i) on a beach or shore of the United States and unable to return to the water;

(ii) on a beach or shore of the United States and in need of medical attention; or

(iii) in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters), and in need of medical attention or other necessary intervention to aid its likelihood of survival.

(5) Stranding and rehabilitation region.--The term ``stranding and rehabilitation region'' means a geographic region designated by the Secretary under subsection (b).

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Mr. TIFFANY. 2560, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Keating's bill would establish a Federal grant program for the recovery, care, and treatment of stranded sea turtles in the United States.

All six turtle species found in U.S. waters are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. According to the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, their partners cared for more than 2,000 sea turtles over the last 2 years. H.R. 2560 will build on the network of these organizations and further support sea turtles.

At our full committee markup of this bill last October, an amendment in the nature of a substitute was offered by Representative Luna of Florida to incorporate feedback from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to include rehabilitation as an intent of the legislation. In addition, to ensure its compliance with floor protocols, the ANS ensured the program would be funded through NOAA's general authorities.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time and am prepared to close.

Sea turtles are an iconic species that capture the hearts and minds of many. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, due to the hard work of organizations such as the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, the National Aquarium, and others, more than 2,000 sea turtles have been rescued and rehabilitated over the last 2 years.

H.R. 2560 will complement the great work of these organizations. I again thank Mr. Keating, Mrs. Luna, and my colleagues on the committee for their collaborative work on this legislation.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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