,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #ddcb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #af1 #bjbb,mr4   
,m>key 7= himself & ,mr4 ,cornyn7       
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to require ! ,secret>y (      
,comm]ce to e/abli% ! ,sea ,turtle      
,rescue ,assi/ance ,grant ,program4  #a4
 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,sea ,turtle ,rescue ,assi/ance ,act (  
#bjbb4  #b4 ,sea ,turtle ,rescue        
,assi/ance ,grant program  7a7          
,e/abli%m5t ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a 
grant program to be kn[n z ! ,sea       
,turtle ,rescue ,assi/ance ,grant       
,program1 to enc\rage & facilitate      
coord9at$ rapid response & rescue by    
aw>d+ grants = ! purposes describ$ 9    
subsection 7c74  7b7 ,designation ( /r&+
 regions ,! ,secret>y %all designate    
geographic regions ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates z  
/r&+ regions = ! purposes ( c>ry+ out   
?is section4  7c7 ,purposes ,! purposes 

( ! ,program are to provide =-- 7#a7 !  
recov]y1 %ort- or long-t]m c>e1         
transportation1 & treatm5t ( /r&$ m>9e  
turtles2  7#b7 ! release ( rescu$ &     
recov]$ m>9e turtles2  7#c7 ! collection
 ( data & samples f /r&$ m>9e turtles = 
sci5tific rese>* or assessm5ts reg>d+   
m>9e turtle heal?1 includ+ tagg+        
in=mation2 &  7#d7 facility op]ation    
co/s t are directly relat$ to activities
 describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a71 7#b71 &     
7#c74  7d7 ,equitable di/ribution (     
funds ,! ,secret>y %all ensure1 to !    
ext5t practicable1 t funds aw>d$ "u ?is 
section are di/ribut$ equitably among   
/r&+ regions1 tak+ into acc\nt-- 7#a7 ! 
numb] ( /r&+ ev5ts t occurr$ 9 ea* /r&+ 
region 9 ! prec$+ #e ye>s2  7#b7        
region-specific factors t increase risks
 ( m>9e turtle /r&+ ev5ts2 &  7#c7 !    
cons]vation priorities & recov]y ne$s ( 
species ( m>9e turtles t are ?reat5$ or 
endang]$ "u ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( 
#aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq474    
7e7 ,application ,an applicant = a grant

 "u ?is section %all submit an          
application 9 su* =m & mann] z !        
,secret>y %all prescribe4  7f7 ,grant   
crit]ia  7#a7 ,developm5t ( crit]ia ,!  
,secret>y %all1 9 consultation ) !      
,director ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,fi% &      
,wildlife ,s]vice1 develop crit]ia =    
aw>d+ grants "u ?is section & provide   
su* crit]ia = =mal public notice &      
comm5t4  7#b7 ,/akehold] engagem5t ,z "p
 ( ! process = develop+ & f9aliz+       
crit]ia "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y   
%all1 9 consultation ) ! ,director ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates ,fi% & ,wildlife ,s]vice1 
provide opportunities = engagem5t )     
repres5tatives f /r&+ regions &         
repres5tatives ( public & private       
organizations ) an e/abli%$ record 9    
rescue1 rehabilitation1 & release1 z    
well z relat$ sci5tific rese>*1 m>9e    
cons]vation1 & =5sic sci5ce1 ) respect  
to /r&$ m>9e turtles4  7#c7 ,requir$    
crit]ia ,! crit]ia develop$ "u p>agraph 
7#a7 %all prioritize applicants ) an    
e/abli%$ record ( rescu+1               

rehabilitation1 sci5tific rese>*1 &     
=5sic sci5ce ) respect to /r&$ m>9e     
turtles or conduct+ sci5tific rese>* &  
=5sic sci5ce on /r&$ m>9e turtles4  7g7 
,acceptance ( donations ,= ! purposes ( 
c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y may  
solicit1 accept1 receive1 hold1 adm9i/]1
 & use gifts1 devises1 & beque/s )\t any
 fur!r approval or adm9i/rative action4 
7h7 ,liability waiv]  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a  
p]son :o is act+ "u ! au?ority ( an     
entity aw>d$ a grant "u ?is section is  
deem$ to be an employee ( ! gov]nm5t =  
purposes ( *apt] #aga ( title #bh1      
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ) respect to       
actions ( ! p]son t-- 7,a7 are 9 support
 ( rescue ef=ts2  7,b7 are 9 accordance 
) ! purposes ( subsection 7c72 &  7,c7  
reflect s\nd pr(essional judgm5t & are  
consi/5t ) ! directions ( any on-site   
coord9ator or incid5t comm&]4  7#b7     
,limitation ,p>agraph 7#a7 does n apply 
to actions ( a p]son describ$ 9 t       
p>agraph t are grossly neglig5t or t    
con/itute willful misconduct4  7i7      

,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re are 
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to !         
,secret>y to c>ry out ?is section       
#e1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbc    
?r\gh #bjbh to rema9 available until    
exp5d$4  7j7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3
 7#a7 ,m>9e turtle ,! t]m m>9e turtle   
means any memb] ( ! family ,*eloniidae  
or ,d]mo*elyidae4  7#b7 ,program ,! t]m 
,program means ! ,sea ,turtle ,rescue   
,assi/ance ,grant ,program e/abli%$ "u  
subsection 7a74  7#c7 ,secret>y ,! t]m  
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,comm]ce4 
7#d7 ,/r&+ ,! t]m /r&+ means an ev5t 9  
:i*-- 7,a7 a m>9e turtle is dead & is-- 
7i7 on a bea* or %ore ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2
 or  7ii7 9 wat]s "u ! jurisdiction ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates 7includ+ any navigable    
wat]s72 or  7,b7 a m>9e turtle is alive 
& is-- 7i7 on a bea* or %ore ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates & unable to return to ! wat]2    
7ii7 on a bea* or %ore ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 & 9 ne$ ( m$ical att5tion2 or  7iii7 9 
! wat]s "u ! jurisdiction ( ! ,unit$    
,/ates 7includ+ any navigable wat]s71 & 

9 ne$ ( m$ical att5tion or o!r necess>y 
int]v5tion to aid its likelihood (      
survival4  7#e7 ,/r&+ region ,! t]m /r&+
 region means a geographic region       
designat$ by ! ,secret>y "u subsection  
7b74