S. 318 would authorize appropriations for the Marine Debris Foundation that would match the contributions it receives from foreign governments and from tribal, regional, and nongovernmental organizations. (That nonprofit charitable foundation supports efforts to remove plastics, discarded fishing gear, rubber, and other harmful materials from the marine environment.) The bill also would authorize the foundation to use the federal matching funds to pay its employees for two years. Under current law, the foundation receives federal matching funds only for contributions from private individuals and state or local governments.
