S. 843 — Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

This section amends the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (16 U.S.C. 1421f–1) to include sea turtles by (1) establishing separate grant eligibility under subsection (b)(10), subject to appropriations, for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response, with grant conditions mirroring existing marine mammal criteria (developed in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service instead of the Marine Mammal Commission) and eligibility requiring Endangered Species Act (ESA) authorizations or cooperative agreements, compliance with sea turtle care standards, and data reporting such as Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network requirements; (2) establishing a new interest-bearing Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund in the Treasury parallel to the existing Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund, with both available only for emergency assistance by the Secretary of Commerce; and (3) authorizing appropriations under subsection (d) of $5 million annually for FY2025 through FY2030 for sea turtle grants and $500,000 annually for FY2025 through FY2030 for each rescue fund. (As background, the program supports grants to states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories, and qualified rescue entities for marine mammal unusual mortality events and strandings; this expansion applies parallel authorities to sea turtles, which are primarily managed under the ESA.)