SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sea Turtle Rescue As-
sistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. SEA TURTLE RESCUE ASSISTANCE AND REHABILI-
TATION 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 encour-
age and facilitate coordinated rapid response and rescue 
by awarding grants for the purposes described in sub-
section (c). 
(b) DESIGNATION OF STRANDING AND REHABILITA-
TION REGIONS.—The Secretary shall designate geographic 
regions of the United States as stranding and rehabilita-
tion 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 re-
lated to marine turtle health; and
(4) facility operation costs that are directly re-
lated 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 rehabili-
tation region in the preceding 5 years; and 
(2) the conservation priorities and recovery 
needs of species of marine turtles that are threat-
ened 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 Sec-
retary 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 con-
sultation with the Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service, provide opportunities for en-
gagement 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 sci-
entific research, marine conservation, and forensic 
science, with respect to stranded marine turtles. 
(3) REQUIRED CRITERIA.—The criteria devel-
oped 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 ma-
rine 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-Fed-
eral 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 tur-
tle’’ 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 navi-
gable waters), and in need of medical at-
tention or other necessary intervention to 
aid its likelihood of survival. 
(5) STRANDING
AND
REHABILITATION
RE-
GION.—The term ‘‘stranding and rehabilitation re-
gion’’ means a geographic region designated by the 
Secretary under subsection (b). 
Passed the House of Representatives April 11, 2024. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2560 
AN ACT 
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish 
the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Pro-
gram, and for other purposes.