(1) Veterans are among the greatest assets of 
the United States. 
(2) Veterans are highly skilled and trained indi-
viduals whose mission is to protect their commu-
nities. 
(3) Studies show that community-focused 
growth and engagement assists veterans with mental 
health and combat-related trauma. 
(4) SCUBA diving has been found to help im-
prove mental, physical, and emotional health and 
has been specifically linked to improvement in the 
symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE VETERANS ADVANC-
ING CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
establish a program, to be known as the ‘‘Veterans Ad-
vancing Conservation Grant Program’’, under which the 
Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
nonprofit organizations that train or employ veterans to 
conduct underwater marine and coastal conservation ac-
tivities. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award 
grants under this section to nonprofit organizations 
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that train or employ veterans to conduct activities 
described in subsection (a). 
(2) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an organization shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application in such form, at 
such time, and containing such information as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An organization awarded a 
grant under this section may use grant funds to train or 
employ veterans to conduct activities described in sub-
section (a), which may include— 
(1) response to coral disease; 
(2) restoration and rehabilitation of coral; 
(3) eradication of invasive species; 
(4) removal of marine debris; 
(5) rescue of marine mammals and reptiles; 
(6) scientific research and development relating 
to such activities; 
(7) tagging of sharks and other marine animals; 
(8) mapping of shipwrecks; 
(9) underwater survey work; 
(10) hurricane recovery; and 
(11) coastal restoration. 
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(d) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary of the Inte-
rior. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Of funds 
otherwise appropriated to the Secretary, the Secretary is 
authorized to make available not more than the following 
amounts to carry out this section: 
(1) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. 
(2) $1,200,000 for fiscal year 2025. 
(3) $1,400,000 for fiscal year 2026. 
(4) $1,600,000 for fiscal year 2027. 
(5) $1,800,000 for fiscal year 2028. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means an organization de-
scribed in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 
501(a) of that Code. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Ad-
ministrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
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(3) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(2) of title 
38, United States Code. 
Æ 
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