SENATORS COONS, CURTIS LEAD BIPARTISAN GROUP OF COLLEAGUES TO REAUTHORIZE CONSERVATION LEGISLATION PROTECTING TROPICAL FORESTS AND CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Sen. Chris Coons issued the following press release:

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, and John Curtis (R-Utah) today introduced the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2026.

This legislation reauthorizes the debt-for-nature swap program that allows developing countries that meet certain criteria to be relieved of debt owed to the United States in exchange for protecting and preserving tropical forests and coral reefs. The Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation act was first passed in 1998 and most recently was authorized at $20 million per year for FY 2028 through FY 2032. Since its inception, this program has helped protect m...