Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARKEY. 118, S. 843.

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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, in a few moments, I will ask for unanimous consent to pass S. 843, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act.

The bipartisan Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act, which is coled by Senator Cornyn of Texas, will provide funding for the incredible institutions that are leading rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts for the endangered and threatened sea turtles that become stranded along on our coasts and in our bays.

Our current rescue efforts are largely volunteer and underfunded, forcing stranding networks from Cape Cod to the gulf to shell out to keep our shelled friends safe.

This legislation tackles this pressing issue by making sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation activities authorized for dedicated funding under an existing program.

Unlike marine mammals, sea turtles don't have a designated program in statute to support their rescue, despite facing similar stranding challenges.

Right now, turtles require rescue, but without this bill, their rescuers don't have the resources required to save them.

This bill addresses a gap in our Nation's marine stranding system and solves it.

I thank my colleagues for the bipartisan support on this legislation, especially my long-time partner Senator Cornyn and again ask for unanimous consent to pass the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act.

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