In a voice vote today, the U.S. Senate passed the “Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act” (S. 216), a bill that among other things would reauthorize the Marine Debris Program with $15 million annually for FY 2025-2029, require the Marine Debris Foundation Board of Directors to appoint a Chief Executive Officer, and make the Foundation eligible for nongovernmental funding and in-kind contributions from NOAA.
The legislation was subsequently received in the House of Representatives, where it was held at the desk. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House in April.