Congress funds sea turtle rescue with $5 million per year

What it does

This bill sets up a new grant program in the Department of Commerce. The program gives money to groups that rescue and care for sea turtles. It provides $5 million each year from 2025 to 2030. It also sets up a special fund with $500,000 each year. Groups that get the money must have permits under the Endangered Species Act. They must also follow federal rules for caring for sea turtles.

Who it affects

Nonprofit groups, state fish and wildlife agencies, and universities get the money. These groups rescue sea turtles. Sea turtles and the public benefit from stronger protection.

One thing to notice

Groups must have Endangered Species Act permits to get the money. Some smaller rescue groups may not qualify.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

7 cosponsors: 4 Republicans, 3 Democrats.

• Mar 4, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Mar 4, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation”
• Mar 12, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably”
• Mar 22, 2026 — Passed the Senate · Congress.gov: “Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1503-1504; text of amendment in the…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

3 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 5 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $280,000 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 6 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 61% of bills with any report.

Ed Markey, who sponsored the bill, received $581,110 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• American Zoo and Aquarium Association — $100,000 in 2 reports
• Wildlife Conservation Society — $100,000 in 1 report
• New England Aquarium (neaq) — $80,000 in 2 reports

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• grant program — Money the government gives to groups to do specific work.
• Endangered Species Act — A federal law that protects animals at risk of dying out.
• permits — Official papers that say a group is allowed to do something.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.