,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bjhf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #ba1 #bjbc,mr4   
,m>key 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4   
,van ,holl51 ,mr4 ,graham1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 
& ,mr4 ,c>p]7 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 ( #bjbc4  #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 & samples1 includ+    
tagg+ in=mation1 f /r&$ m>9e turtles =  
sci5tific rese>* or assessm5ts1 or bo?1 
t in=m ! und]/&+ ( causes ( mortality2 &
  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&+s t occurr$ 9 ea* /r&+      
region 9 ! prec$+ #e ye>s2  7#b7        
region-specific factors t increase risks
 ( /r&+s2 &  7#c7 ! cons]vation         
priorities & recov]y ne$s ( species (   
m>9e turtles t are ?reat5$ or endang]$  
"u ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc    

7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq474  7e7     
,applications  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,an        
applicant = a grant "u ?is section t is 
an eligible applicant describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#b7 %all submit an application
 9 su* =m & mann] z ! ,secret>y %all    
prescribe4  7#b7 ,eligible applicants   
,an entity is an eligible applicant if !
 entity is-- 7,a7 a nonpr(it memb] ( !  
,sea ,turtle ,/r&+ & ,salvage ,network2 
7,b7 an ,indian ,tribe2  7,c7 an        
in/itution ( high] education2 or  7,d7  
ano!r public or private organization )  
an e/abli%$ record 9 ! rescue1 recov]y1 
rehabilitation1 transportation1 or      
release ( /r&$ m>9e turtles4  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-- 7,a7 /r&+ regions2   
7,b7 ,indian ,tribes2  7,c7 in/itutions 
( high] education2 &  7,d7 public or    
private organizations ) an e/abli%$     
record 9-- 7i7 ! rescue1 recov]y1       
rehabilitation1 transportation1 or      
release ( /r&$ m>9e turtles2 or  7ii7   
sci5tific rese>*1 m>9e cons]vation1 or  
=5sic sci5ce1 ) respect to /r&$ m>9e    
turtles4  7#c7 ,requir$ crit]ia ,9      
develop+ crit]ia "u p>agraph 7#a71 !    
,secret>y %all prioritize aw>d+ grants  
to applicants ) an e/abli%$ record (    
rescu+1 recov]+1 rehabilitat+1          
transport+1 or releas+ /r&$ m>9e turtles
 or conduct+ sci5tific rese>* p]t95t to 
! causes ( /r&+s4  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 ( rescue1        
recov]y1 rehabilitation1 transportation1
 or release 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 #bjbd ?r\gh #bjbi to rema9         
available until exp5d$4  7j7 ,def9itions
 ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,indian ,tribe ,! 
t]m ,indian ,tribe has ! mean+ giv5 !   

t]m 9 section #d ( ! ,indian            
,self-,det]m9ation & ,education         
,assi/ance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74  
7#b7 ,in/itution ( high] education  7,a7
 ,9 g5]al ,! t]m in/itution ( high]     
education means an educational          
in/itution 9 any ,/ate1 di/rict1        
commonweal?1 t]ritory1 or possession ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 :i*-- 7i7 admits z      
regul> /ud5ts only p]sons hav+ a        
c]tificate ( graduation f a s*ool       
provid+ second>y education1 or !        
recogniz$ equival5t ( su* a c]tificate2 
7ii7 is legally au?oriz$ )9 su* ,/ate1  
di/rict1 commonweal?1 t]ritory1 or      
possession to provide a program (       
education beyond second>y education2    
7iii7 provides an educational program = 
:i* a ba*elor's degree or any o!r high] 
degree is aw>d$2  7iv7 is a public or   
o!r nonpr(it in/itution2 &  7v7 is      
accr$it$ by a nationally recogniz$      
accr$it+ ag5cy or association4  7,b7    
,inclusions ,! t]m in/itution ( high]   
education includes a rese>* f\ndation   

ma9ta9$ by an in/itution ( high]        
education describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a74  
7#c7 ,m>9e turtle ,! t]m m>9e turtle    
means any memb] ( ! family ,*eloniidae  
or ,d]mo*elyidae4  7#d7 ,program ,! t]m 
,program means ! ,sea ,turtle ,rescue   
,assi/ance ,grant ,program e/abli%$ "u  
subsection 7a74  7#e7 ,secret>y ,! t]m  
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,comm]ce4 
7#f7 ,/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
  7ii7 9 ,/ate1 di/rict1 commonweal?1   
t]ritory1 or possession1 or ,f$]al1     
wat]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 or  7iii7      
outside ( its natural habitat & is 9 !  
,unit$ ,/ates2 or  7,b7 a m>9e turtle is
 alive & is-- 7i7 on a bea* or %ore ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates & 9 ne$ ( m$ical att5tion 
or o!r necess>y int]v5tion to aid its   
likelihood ( survival2  7ii7 9 ,/ate1   
di/rict1 commonweal?1 t]ritory1 or      
possession1 or ,f$]al1 wat]s ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates & 9 ne$ ( m$ical att5tion or o!r 
necess>y int]v5tion to aid its          

likelihood ( survival2 or  7iii7 outside
 ( its natural habitat1 is unable to    
return unassi/$1 & is 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4
  7#g7 ,/r&+ region ,! t]m /r&+ region  
means a geographic region designat$ by !
 ,secret>y "u subsection 7b74  7#h7     
,unit$ ,/ates ,! t]m ,unit$ ,/ates means
 any l& or wat] ( ! sev]al ,/ates ( !   
,unit$ ,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 !
 ,commonweal? ( ,pu]to ,rico1 ,guam1    
,am]ican ,samoa1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,virg9 
,isl&s1 ! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn      
,m>iana ,isl&s1 & any o!r commonweal?1  
t]ritory1 or possession ov] :i* ! ,unit$
 ,/ates has jurisdiction1 includ+       
int]nal wat]s1 ,/ate wat]s1 ! t]ritorial
 sea1 & ! exclusive economic zone ( !   
,unit$ ,/ates4