S. 2086, Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023

October 21, 2024

Cost Estimate

As reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology on August 1, 2024

S. 2086, Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023 As reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology on August 1, 2024
By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars		2025	2025-2029	2025-2034
Direct Spending (Outlays)		*	*	*
Revenues		0	0	0
Increase or Decrease (-) in the Deficit		*	*	*
Spending Subject to Appropriation (Outlays)		1	19	34
Increases net direct spending in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2034?	No	Statutory pay-as-you-go procedures apply?		Yes
	No	Mandate Effects
Increases on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2034?	No	Contains intergovernmental mandate?		No
	No	Contains private-sector mandate?		No
* = between zero and $500,000.

S. 2086 would authorize the appropriation of $5 million annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for grants to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine turtles. Those grants would support marine turtle rescue and recovery, data collection, research; and the operating costs for research and rehabilitation facilities. In 2024, NOAA allocated $3 million for those activities.

S. 2086 also would authorize the appropriation of $500,000 annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for each of two interest-bearing trust funds. Under current law, one of those funds, the Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 annually through 2028. Therefore, CBO estimates the bill would authorize the appropriation of an additional $4 million over the 2025-2030 period for the two funds.

The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).

Table 1. Estimated Budgetary Effects of S. 2086
			By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
			2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2025-2029
Sea Turtle Rescue Grants
		Authorization	5	5	5	5	5	25
		Estimated Outlays	1	2	4	5	5	17
Trust Funds^a
		Authorization	*	1	*	1	1	3
	Estimated Outlays		*	*	1	*	1	2
Total Changes
	Authorization		5	6	5	6	6	28
	Estimated Outlays		1	2	4	5	6	19
Enacting the bill would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2034 period for the spending of interest credited to the trust funds. * = between zero and $500,000. a. S. 2086 would authorize the appropriation of $500,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-2030 for each of the two trust funds. Under current law, one fund is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 annually through 2028.

Using historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing S. 2086 would cost $19 million over the 2024-2029 period and $15 million after 2029. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Enacting the bill would increase direct spending because any interest credited to the trust funds would be available without further appropriation. Based on the projection of interest rates that underlie CBO’s baseline, CBO estimates that the amount of interest credited to the funds and subsequently spent would be less than $500,000 in every year and over the 2025-2034 period.

On January 30, 2024, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 2560, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 26, 2023. The two pieces of legislation would authorize the appropriation of different amounts for similar activities. H.R. 2560 would not authorize appropriations to trust funds that are credited with interest. CBO’s estimates for both pieces of legislation reflect those differences.

The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Kelly Durand and Aurora Swanson. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

Data and Supplemental Information

Table 1