,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ejcj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #af1 
#bjbj ,mr4 ,coons 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,graham1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 and ,mr4       
,whitehouse7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations
  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide for            
negotiations for the establishment or   
designation of a trust fund administered
 by the international community for the 
prevention and reduction of marine      
debris1 including marine plastic        
pollution1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,unify ,nations ,in ,trash          
,elimination for our ,oceans ,act of    
#bjbj or the ,,unite for our ,oceans    
,act of #bjbj4  #b4 ,definitions ,in    
this ,act3  7#a7 ,appropriate committees
 of ,congress ,the term appropriate     
committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the 
,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and  

,transportation1 and the ,committee on  
,finance of the ,senate2 and  7,b7 the  
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the    
,committee on ,financial ,services1 the 
,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and  
the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of   
the ,house of ,representatives4  7#b7   
,marine debris ,the term marine debris  
means any persistent solid material that
 is manufactured or processed and       
directly or indirectly1 intentionally or
 unintentionally1 disposed of or        
abandoned into the marine environment or
 the ,great ,lakes4  7#c7 ,marine       
plastic pollution ,the term marine      
plastic pollution means any plastic     
material directly or indirectly         
discarded1 disposed of1 or abandoned in 
the marine or coastal environment1      
including microplastics4  7#d7          
,microplastics ,the term microplastics  
means small particles or fragments of   
plastic measuring less than #e          
millimeters in diameter4  7#e7          
,secretary ,except as otherwise         

specifically provided1 the term         
,secretary means the ,secretary of      
,state4  #c4 ,findings2 sense of        
,congress  7a7 ,findings ,congress makes
 the following findings3  7#a7 ,a large 
portion of the world's population       
depends on oceans and marine            
environments for food security and      
economic livelihoods4  7#b7 ,marine     
debris1 including marine plastic        
pollution1 is a global problem that     
directly and indirectly threatens marine
 habitats and species1 economic growth1 
and human health and safety4  7#c7 ,each
 year1 billions of pounds of trash and  
other pollutants enter the ocean1 a     
large proportion of which is plastic4   
7#d7 ,the increasing production1        
consumption1 and improper disposal of   
plastic products1 including single-use  
plastic products1 contributes           
substantially to the issue of marine    
debris4  7#e7 ,in #bjaf1 the ,united    
,states generated the largest amount of 
plastic waste of any country in the     

world4  7#f7 ,a significant portion of  
marine debris1 including marine plastic 
pollution1 originates from land-based   
activities1 and the movement of such    
debris has significant impacts on marine
 environments4  7b7 ,sense of ,congress 
,it is the sense of ,congress that--    
7#a7 the ,united ,states must improve   
domestic production1 consumption1 and   
end-of-life practices to achieve a      
comprehensive and sustainable life-cycle
 system for products2  7#b7 it is       
critical to support and enhance the     
capacity of countries to manage their   
waste systems and marine and coastal    
ecosystems sustainably2 and  7#c7       
international efforts to enhance the    
control of the transboundary movements  
of plastic waste1 including the ,basel  
,convention on the ,control of          
,transboundary ,movements of ,hazardous 
,wastes and their ,disposal1 adopted by 
the ,united ,nations ,march #bb1 #aihi1 
and ongoing discussions on potential    
agreements relating to marine debris1   

provide meaningful frameworks to reduce 
marine debris1 including marine plastic 
pollution4  #d4 ,establishment or       
designation of ,trust ,fund for ,marine 
,debris and ,plastic ,pollution  7a7 ,in
 general ,the ,secretary shall seek to  
enter into negotiations with foreign    
countries and the ,united ,nations1 the 
,international ,bank for ,reconstruction
 and ,development1 the ,global          
,environment ,facility1 and other       
relevant international organizations for
 the purposes of-- 7#a7 establishing a  
new trust fund1 or designating an       
existing trust fund1 to serve as the    
,trust ,fund for ,marine ,debris and    
,plastic ,pollution 7in this ,act       
referred to as the ,trust ,fund72 and   
7#b7 establishing an ,advisory ,board to
 the ,trust ,fund in accordance with    
section #h4  7b7 ,purpose ,the          
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in subsection    
7a71 to require that the ,trust ,fund   
use funds contributed to the ,trust     

,fund to provide support for activities 
that--  7#a7 prevent and reduce marine  
debris1 including marine plastic        
pollution2 and  7#b7 promote sustainable
 consumption and production of          
resources4  7c7 ,board of ,trustees     
7#a7 ,composition ,the ,secretary shall 
seek1 pursuant to negotiations described
 in subsection 7a71 to establish a      
,board of ,trustees for the ,trust      
,fund1 to be composed of individuals    
who-- 7,a7 are representatives of the   
countries that contribute funds to the  
,trust ,fund2 and  7,b7 have knowledge  
or experience in the fields of marine or
 environmental sciences1 marine debris  
or marine plastic pollution1 sustainable
 consumption and production of          
resources1 international relations1 or  
international funding programs4  7#b7   
,united ,states representative ,if the  
,board of ,trustees is established      
pursuant to negotiations described in   
subsection 7a71 there shall be a ,united
 ,states member of the ,board1 who shall

 be appointed by the ,president1 by and 
with the advice and consent of the      
,senate1 from among individuals who have
 knowledge or experience described in   
paragraph 7#a77;,b74  7d7 ,consultations
 ,the ,secretary shall conduct          
negotiations described in subsection 7a7
 in consultation with the ,administrator
 of the ,united ,states ,agency for     
,international ,development1 the        
,secretary of ,commerce1 the            
,administrator of the ,environmental    
,protection ,agency1 the ,secretary of  
the ,interior1 the ,administrator of the
 ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric    
,administration1 the ,united ,states    
,trade ,representative1 the ,chief      
,executive ,officer of the ,united      
,states ,international ,development     
,finance ,corporation1 and the heads of 
such other relevant ,united ,states     
,government agencies as the ,secretary  
considers appropriate4  #e4 ,grant      
authorities  7a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      

negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to provide the ,board of        
,trustees of the ,trust ,fund with      
authority to provide grants1 including  
grants for technical assistance and     
capacity building1 for eligible entities
 to lead and implement effective        
activities relating to the prevention or
 reduction of1 or education or research 
and development with respect to1 marine 
debris1 including marine plastic        
pollution1 including with respect to the
 following3  7#a7 ,preventing debris1   
including plastics1 from entering marine
 environments4  7#b7 ,reducing the      
amount of debris1 including plastic     
pollution1 in marine environments4  7#c7
 ,reducing the use and improper disposal
 of single-use plastics and other       
materials that pollute marine           
environments4  7#d7 ,encouraging the    
reuse1 recycling1 and use of sustainable
 alternatives to materials1 such as     
plastics1 including single-use plastics1
 and other materials4  7#e7 ,supporting 

the infrastructure and operation of     
sustainable waste and recycling systems1
 including the harmonization of such    
systems across regions4  7#f7           
,encouraging sustainable standards for  
product design and manufacturing to     
maximize reduction1 reuse1 and recycling
 of materials4  7#g7 ,supporting the    
research and development of new         
sustainable materials and processes that
 promote a comprehensive life-cycle     
approach for products4  7b7             
,coordination ,the ,secretary shall     
seek1 pursuant to negotiations described
 in section #d7;a71 to require the      
,board of ,trustees1 in providing grants
 for activities described in subsection 
7a71 to coordinate its activities with  
international organizations1 such as the
 ,united ,nations1 the ,international   
,bank for ,reconstruction and           
,development1 and the ,global           
,environment ,facility1 national and    
local governments1 civil society1       
nongovernmental organizations1 and the  

private sector4  7c7 ,priority ,the     
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to require the ,board of        
,trustees1 in providing grants under    
this section1 to prioritize awarding    
grants for activities that would most   
effectively-- 7#a7 reduce the amount of 
debris1 including plastics1 that enters 
marine environments2  7#b7 encourage    
practices to improve the sustainable    
consumption and production of resources 
and minimize waste generation2 and  7#c7
 remove debris1 including plastics1 from
 marine environments4  7d7 ,eligible    
entities ,the ,secretary shall seek1    
pursuant to negotiations described in   
section #d7;a71 to establish that       
entities eligible to receive grants     
under this section include national and 
local governments1 nongovernmental      
organizations1 and other appropriate    
interested entities as determined by the
 ,board of ,trustees4  7e7 ,prohibition 
on grants for certain high-,risk        

activities ,the ,secretary shall seek1  
pursuant to negotiations described in   
section #d7;a71 to prohibit the ,board  
of ,trustees from making grants for the 
purpose of activities that involve      
incineration or chemical recycling      
processes that produce fuel as the final
 product4  #f4 ,criteria and processes  
for environmental assessments of grant  
activities  7a7 ,in general ,the        
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to require the ,board of        
,trustees of the ,trust ,fund to develop
 criteria and processes to assess the   
environmental impacts1 and the impacts  
on the health and livelihoods of        
affected communities1 of activities     
funded by grants provided by the ,trust 
,fund4  7b7 ,consultation and           
availability ,the ,secretary shall seek1
 pursuant to negotiations described in  
section #d7;a71 to ensure that the      
assessments described in subsection 7a7 
involve consultation with1 and are      

available to--  7#a7 all affected groups
 and stakeholders in local communities  
where grant activities would occur2 and 
7#b7 the general public4  #g4           
,administration  7a7 ,appointment of an 
administrator ,the ,secretary shall     
seek1 pursuant to negotiations described
 in section #d7;a71 to require the      
,board of ,trustees of the ,trust ,fund1
 in consultation with appropriate       
officials1 to appoint an administrator  
to manage the day-to-day operations of  
the ,trust ,fund4  7b7 ,authority ,to   
solicit and accept contributions ,the   
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to authorize the ,trust ,fund to
 solicit and accept contributions from  
governments1 the private sector1 and    
nongovernmental entities of all kinds4  
7c7 ,accountability of funds and        
criteria for support ,as part of the    
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 take
 such actions as are necessary and      

within the authority of the ,secretary  
to ensure that the ,board of ,trustees  
will have in effect adequate procedures 
and standards to account for and monitor
 the use of funds contributed to the    
,trust ,fund1 including the costs of    
administering the ,trust ,fund2 and     
7#b7 seek approval from the ,board of   
,trustees on the criteria that should be
 used to determine the entities and     
activities that should receive support  
from the ,trust ,fund4  7d7 ,selection  
of entities and activities ,the         
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to require the ,board of        
,trustees to establish--  7#a7 standards
 and criteria for the selection of      
entities and activities to receive      
grants from the ,trust ,fund2 and  7#b7 
such rules and procedures as may be     
necessary--  7,a7 for cost-effective    
management of the ,trust ,fund2 and     
7,b7 to ensure transparency and         
accountability in the process of        

awarding grants4  7e7 ,transparency of  
operations ,the ,secretary shall seek1  
pursuant to negotiations described in   
section #d7;a71 to require the ,board of
 ,trustees to ensure full and prompt    
public disclosure of the proposed       
objectives1 financial organization1 and 
operations of the ,trust ,fund4  #h4    
,advisory ,board  7a7 ,in general ,the  
,secretary shall seek1 pursuant to      
negotiations described in section       
#d7;a71 to establish an ,advisory ,board
 to the ,trust ,fund to provide advice  
and guidance to the ,board of ,trustees 
of the ,trust ,fund with respect to--   
7#a7 the development and implementation 
of activities to receive support from   
the ,trust ,fund2 and  7#b7 leveraging  
contributions to the ,trust ,fund4  7b7 
,appointments ,the ,secretary shall     
seek1 pursuant to negotiations described
 in section #d7;a71 to require the      
members of the ,advisory ,board         
described in subsection 7a7 to consist  
of-- 7#a7 a broad range of individuals  

with experience and leadership in the   
fields of international development1    
international finance1 sustainable      
consumption and production of resources1
 waste management1 materials science1   
marine sciences1 and environmental      
policy2 and  7#b7 representatives of    
relevant international organizations1   
such as the ,united ,nations1 the       
,international ,bank for ,reconstruction
 and ,development1 and the ,global      
,environment ,facility1 and             
nongovernmental organizations with      
on-the-ground experience addressing     
marine debris1 including marine plastic 
pollution4  7c7 ,prohibition on payment 
of compensation ,the ,secretary shall   
seek1 pursuant to negotiations described
 in section #d7;a71 to prohibit any     
member of the ,advisory ,board described
 in subsection 7a7 from receiving       
compensation for services performed as a
 member of the ,board1 other than travel
 expenses 7including per diem in lieu of
 subsistence74  7d7 ,united ,states     

representative ,notwithstanding any     
other provision of law 7including an    
international agreement71 a             
representative of the ,united ,states on
 the ,advisory ,board described in      
subsection 7a7 may not accept           
compensation for services performed as a
 member of the ,advisory ,board1 except 
that such representative may accept     
travel expenses 7including per diem in  
lieu of subsistence71 while away from   
the representative's home or regular    
place of business in the performance of 
services for the ,advisory ,board4  #i4 
,reports to ,congress  7a7 ,annual      
reports by ,secretary ,not later than #b
 years after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act1 and annually thereafter   
until the ,trust ,fund terminates1 the  
,secretary shall submit to the          
appropriate committees of ,congress a   
report on the ,trust ,fund that         
includes--  7#a7 in the first such      
report-- 7,a7 a description of--  7i7   
the goals of the ,trust ,fund2  7ii7 the

 activities supported by the ,trust     
,fund during the year preceding         
submission of the report2 and  7iii7    
private and governmental contributions  
to the ,trust ,fund during that year2   
7,b7 the criteria that have been        
established to determine the activities 
to receive support from the ,trust      
,fund2 and  7,c7 a statement of whether 
the criteria described in subparagraph  
7,b7 are acceptable to the ,secretary1  
the ,administrator of the ,environmental
 ,protection ,agency1 and the           
,administrator of the ,united ,states   
,agency for ,international ,development2
 and  7#b7 in each subsequent report1 a 
description of each matter specified in 
clauses 7ii7 and 7iii7 of paragraph     
7#a77;,a74  7b7 ,government             
,accountability ,office report ,not     
later than #d years after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of ,congress a report        

evaluating the effectiveness of the     
,trust ,fund that includes-- 7#a7 an    
assessment of the effectiveness of the  
activities supported by the ,trust ,fund
 in preventing and reducing marine      
debris1 including marine plastic        
pollution2 and  7#b7 an assessment of   
the merits of the ,united ,states       
continuing to make financial            
contributions to the ,trust ,fund4  #aj4
 ,authorization of appropriations  7a7  
,in general ,there is authorized to be  
appropriated to the ,secretary          
#aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years   
#bjba and #bjbb for contributions to the
 ,trust ,fund4  7b7 ,supplement not     
supplant ,the amounts authorized to be  
appropriated by subsection 7a7 shall    
supplement and not supplant any other   
amounts authorized to be appropriated   
for bilateral or multilateral activities
 related to-- 7#a7 the prevention or    
reduction of marine debris1 including   
marine plastic pollution2 or  7#b7      
economic development4  7c7              

,certification requirement ,before the  
initial obligation or expenditure of    
amounts appropriated pursuant to the    
authorization of appropriations under   
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall    
submit to the appropriate committees of 
,congress--  7#a7 a certification that  
adequate procedures and standards have  
been established to ensure              
accountability for and monitoring of the
 use of funds contributed to the ,trust 
,fund1 including the use of such funds  
for the costs of administering the      
,trust ,fund2 and  7#b7 an explanation  
of the basis for that certification4