,,iii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #cca ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bb1 #bjbe ,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,cassidy1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,young1 and ,mr4 ,king7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,calling upon the ,senate to give its advice and consent to the ratification of the ,united ,nations ,convention on the ,law of the ,sea4 ,whereas the ,united ,nations ,convention on the ,law of the ,sea 7,,unclos7 was adopted by the ,third ,united ,nations ,conference on the ,law of the ,sea in ,december #aihb and entered into force in ,november #aiid to establish a treaty regime to govern activities on1 over1 and under the world's oceans2 ,whereas the ,,unclos builds on four #aieh ,law of the ,sea conventions to which the ,united ,states is a party1 namely the ,convention on the ,territorial ,sea and the ,contiguous ,zone1 the ,convention on the ,high ,seas1 the ,convention on the ,continental ,shelf1 and the ,convention on ,fishing and ,conservation of the ,living ,resources of the ,high ,seas1 all done at ,geneva ,april #bi1 #aieh2 ,whereas the ,,unclos and an associated #aiid agreement relating to implementation of the treaty were transmitted to the ,senate on ,october #f1 #aiid1 and1 in the absence of ,senate advice and consent to ratification1 the ,united ,states is not a party to the treaty or the associated #aiid agreement2 ,whereas1 as of ,january #bjbe1 #agj parties have ratified ,,unclos1 including #aff ,united ,nations member states1 but not the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the ,united ,states1 like most other countries1 maintains that coastal ,states under the ,,unclos have the right to regulate economic activities in their ,exclusive ,economic ,zones 7,e,e,zs71 but do not have the right to regulate foreign military activities in their ,e,e,zs2 ,whereas the treaty's provisions relating to navigational rights1 including navigational rights in ,e,e,zs1 reflect the diplomatic position of the ,united ,states on the issue dating back to the adoption of the ,,unclos in #aihb2 ,whereas becoming a party to the treaty would codify the ,united ,states' current position of recognizing the provisions within the ,,unclos as customary international law2 ,whereas becoming a party to the treaty would give the ,united ,states standing to participate in discussions relating to the treaty and thereby improve the ability of the ,united ,states to intervene as a full party to disputes relating to navigational rights and to defend ,united ,states interpretations of the treaty's provisions1 including those relating to whether coastal states have a right under the ,,unclos to regulate foreign military activities in their ,e,e,zs2 ,whereas becoming a party to the treaty would allow the ,united ,states to be a member of the ,international ,seabed ,authority and thereby participate directly in setting and voting on the policies organizing and controlling mineral-related activities in the international seabed area as global demand for critical minerals increases2 ,whereas more than #ig percent of the global internet traffic relies on infrastructure located on the seabed of the world's oceans compared to space-based infrastructure2 ,whereas lack of full-party membership to ,,unclos limits the access and influence of the ,united ,states to critical territorial dispute management1 including matters involving pursuit and competition of extended outer continental shelf submissions1 facilitated primarily by ,article #gf1 which represents the main tool assisting sovereign authority delimitation agreements2 ,whereas relying on customary international norms to defend ,united ,states interests in those issues is not sufficient1 because customary international law is not universally accepted and is subject to change over time based on state practice2 ,whereas relying on other countries to assert claims on behalf of the ,united ,states at the ,permanent ,court of ,arbitration at ,the ,hague is woefully insufficient to defend and uphold ,united ,states sovereign rights and interests2 ,whereas the ,permanent ,court of ,arbitration1 in the ,july #ab1 #bjaf1 ruling on the case ,in the ,matter of the ,south ,china ,sea ,arbitration1 stated that the ,tribunal communicated to the ,parties and the ,u4,s4 ,embassy that it had decided that only interested ,states pa#aa;ies to the ,united ,nations ,convention on the ,law of the ,sea will be admitted as observers and thus could not accede to the ,u4,s4 request to send a representative to observe the hearing2 ,whereas1 on ,november #be1 #bjah1 the ,russian ,federation violated international norms and binding agreements1 including the ,,unclos1 in firing upon1 ramming1 and seizing ,ukrainian vessels and crews attempting to pass through the ,kerch ,strait2 ,whereas1 on ,may #be1 #bjai1 the ,international ,tribunal for the ,law of the ,sea ruled in a vote of #ai to #a that the ,russian ,federation shall immediately release the ,ukrainian naval vessels ,berdyansk1 ,nikopol and ,yani ,kapu1 and return them to the custody of ,ukraine and that the ,russian ,federation shall immediately release the #bd detained ,ukrainian servicemen and allow them to return to ,ukraine1 demonstrating the ,tribunal's rejection of the ,russian ,federation's arguments in that matter in relation to the ,law of the ,sea2 ,whereas1 despite the ,tribunal's ruling aligning with the position of the ,united ,states ,government on the ,november #be1 #bjah1 incident1 the continued nonparticipation of the ,united ,states in the ,,unclos limits the ability of the ,united ,states to effectively respond to the ,russian ,federation's actions and to any potential future violations by the ,russian ,federation and any other signatory of ,,unclos2 ,whereas the past ,secretary of ,defense1 the ,honorable ,lloyd ,austin1 stated that the ,united ,states has long treated the ,,unclos's provisions related to navigation and overflight as reflective of longstanding and customary international law4 ,our military already acts in a manner consistent with these rights and freedoms1 so accession to the ,convention will not impact the manner in which we conduct our operations1 in response to a question for the record from ,senator ,mazie ,hirono on ,january #ba1 #bjba2 ,whereas the past ,chief of ,naval ,operations1 ,admiral ,lisa ,franchetti1 stated that the ,united ,states played a major role in drafting the ,convention1 and it is favorable to ,u4,s4 interests on all significant issues as a result4 ,further1 our ,navy already acts in a manner consistent with the ,convention's navigational and overflight provisions4 ,accession would not impose any additional constraints on the ,navy's ability to fly1 sail1 and operate wherever international law allows1 in response to advance policy questions on ,september #ad1 #bjbc1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,chief of ,naval ,operations1 ,admiral ,lisa ,franchetti1 further stated that the ,united ,nations ,convention on the ,law of the ,sea would give our objections to excessive maritime claims a stronger legal foundation that does not rely exclusively on customary international law4 ,when protesting excessive maritime claims asserted by the ,people's ,republic of ,china in the ,south ,china ,sea1 the ,russian ,federation in the ,arctic region1 and others1 the ,united ,states would come from a position of increased authority and influence1 in response to advance policy questions on ,september #ad1 #bjbc1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the ,commander1 ,north ,american ,aerospace ,defense ,command and ,united ,states ,northern ,command1 ,general ,gregory ,m4 ,guillot1 stated1 ,i support ,u4,s4 accession to the ,law of the ,sea ,convention 7,,unclos74 ,,unclos provides a comprehensive regime for the governance of the world's oceans1 including the ,arctic1 and ,u4,s4 accession would further demonstrate our commitment to an international rules-based order4 ,acceding to the treaty would enable ,u4,s4 representation during critical international negotiations that impact the maritime domain1 provide an additional mechanism to counter countries like ,russia and ,china that continue to exploit our absence from key ocean governance diplomatic forums1 and ultimately help protect our nation's rights and interests in this critical sphere of operations1 in response to advance policy questions on ,july #bc1 #bjbc1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the ,commander1 ,north ,american ,aerospace ,defense ,command and ,united ,states ,northern ,command1 ,general ,gregory ,m4 ,guillot1 further stated in regard to ,united ,states ratification of the ,,unclos1 ,i believe accession to the ,law of the ,sea ,convention 7,,unclos7 would help the ,u4,s4 protect its interests in the ,arctic3 ,accession would demonstrate our commitment to a rules-based order1 ensure our best interests are represented during international negotiations regarding territorial disputes and challenges to longstanding maritime customs and practices1 and improve our ability to advocate for our ocean governance interests around the globe1 including in the ,arctic4 ,engagement through ,,unclos is particularly critical today as multiple nations vie for access and control in the ,arctic and seek to modify international norms to accommodate expansionist ambitions around the globe in general1 and in the ,arctic in particular4 ,finally1 accession would preclude ,russia and ,china from exploiting ,u4,s4 absence in forums1 in response to advance policy questions on ,july #bc1 #bjbc1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,secretary of the ,navy1 ,honorable ,carlos ,del ,toro1 stated that accession would lock in the customary rights and freedoms reflected in the ,,unclos1 and would give the ,u4,s4 a seat at the table to set the course for future law of the sea discussions on a coequal level with member states like ,china and ,russia4 ,china continues a more aggressive posture in the ,south ,china ,sea4 ,as widely reported1 ,chinese warships1 law enforcement vessels1 and other ,,prc-flagged vessels have failed to respect the rights of maritime nations under the ,convention4 ,as a party to the ,convention1 ,u4,s4 objections to these violations would have more force and credibility1 and would enhance its ability to respond to excessive maritime claims1 land reclamation1 and militarization efforts by ,china in the ,south ,china ,sea1 in response to a question for the record from ,senator ,hirono on ,july #ac1 #bjba2 ,whereas the past ,commander of the ,united ,states ,indo-,pacific ,command1 ,admiral ,john ,c4 ,aquilino1 stated that there's really two main reasons to ratify the ,,unclos3 as the group gets together1 it would be certainly beneficial if we had a seat at the table when there were discussions occurring as it applied to potential adjustments and the interpretations of those international laws and the second reason is it puts us in an increased position of credibility''' we adhere to the ,,unclos treaty in our operations1 and it would make our position much stronger if we were signatories1 on ,march #bc1 #bjba1 at his nomination hearing before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,commander of ,united ,states ,indo-,pacific ,command1 retired ,admiral ,philip ,s4 ,davidson1 stated that our accession to the ,,unclos would help our position legally across the globe and would do nothing to limit our military operations in the manner in which we're conducting them now1 on ,april #ag1 #bjah1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,commander of ,united ,states ,pacific ,command1 retired ,admiral ,harry ,b4 ,harris1 stated ,i believe that ,,unclos gives ,russia the potential to1 quote1 unquote own almost half of the ,arctic ,circle1 and we will not have that opportunity because of1 we're not a signatory to ,,unclos1 on ,march #ae1 #bjah1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,commander of ,united ,states ,pacific ,command1 retired ,admiral ,harry ,b4 ,harris1 stated1 ,i think that by not signing onto it that we lose the credibility for the very same thing that we're arguing for1 and which is the following-accepting rules and norms in the international arena4 ,the ,united ,states is a beacon-we're a beacon on a hill but ,i think that light is brighter if we sign on to ,,unclos1 on ,february #bc1 #bjaf1 at a hearing before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,chairman of the ,joints ,chief of ,staff1 retired ,general ,joseph ,f4 ,dunford1 stated that by remaining outside the ,convention1 the ,united ,states remains in scarce company with ,iran1 ,venezuela1 ,north ,korea1 and ,syria and by failing to join the ,convention1 some countries may come to doubt our commitment to act in accordance with international law1 on ,july #i1 #bjae1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,president and ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,chamber of ,commerce1 ,thomas ,j4 ,donahue1 stated that we support joining the ,convention because it is in our national interest-both in our national security and our economic interests1becoming a party to the ,treaty benefits the ,u4,s4 economically by providing ,american companies the legal certainty and stability they need to hire and invest1 and companies will be hesitant to take on the investment risk and cost to explore and develop the resources of the sea-particularly on the extended continental shelf 7,,ecs7-without the legal certainty and stability accession to ,,los provides1 on ,june #bh1 #bjab1 before the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,president and ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,chamber of ,commerce1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,j4 ,donahue1 further stated that the benefits of joining cut across many important industries including telecommunications1 mining1 shipping1 and oil and natural gas1 and joining the ,convention will provide the ,u4,s4 a critical voice on maritime issues-from mineral claims in the ,arctic to how ,international ,seabed ,authority 7,,isa7 funds are distributed1 on ,june #bh1 #bjab1 before the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate2 ,whereas the past ,commandant of the ,united ,states ,coast ,guard1 retired ,admiral ,paul ,zukunft1 stated on ,february #ab1 #bjaf1 ,with the receding of the icepack1 the ,arctic ,ocean has become the focus of international interest41 ,all ,arctic states agree that the ,law of the ,sea ,convention is the governing legal regime for the ,arctic ,ocean''' yet1 we remain the only ,arctic nation that has not ratified the very instrument that provides this accepted legal framework governing the ,arctic ,ocean and its seabed41 and ,ratification of the ,law of the ,sea ,convention supports our economic interests1 environmental protection1 and safety of life at sea1 especially in the ,arctic ,ocean42 ,whereas the past ,chief of ,naval ,operations1 retired ,admiral ,michael ,gilday1 stated that acceding to the ,convention would strengthen our strategic position on issues pertaining to the ,south ,china ,sea and the ,arctic4 ,the ,united ,states would have increased credibility when responding to excessive maritime claims and militarization efforts in the ,south ,china ,sea4 ,with respect to the ,arctic1 becoming a party to the ,convention would allow the ,u4,s4 to position itself to safeguard access for the purposes of maritime traffic1 resource exploitation1 and other human activities1 while ensuring other states comply with the law of the sea1 in response to advance policy questions on ,july #cj1 #bjai1 before the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate2 and ,whereas the past ,united ,states ,special ,representative of ,state for the ,arctic and former ,commandant of the ,coast ,guard1 retired ,admiral ,robert ,papp1 ,jr41 stated that as a non party to the ,law of the ,sea ,convention1 the ,u4,s4 is at a significant disadvantage relative to the other ,arctic ,ocean coastal ,states1those ,states are parties to the ,convention1 and are well along the path to obtaining legal certainty and international recognition of their ,arctic extended continental shelf1 and becoming a ,party to the ,law of the ,sea ,convention would allow the ,united ,states to fully secure its rights to the continental shelf off the coast of ,alaska1 which is likely to extend out to more than #fjj nautical miles1 on ,december #aj1 #bjad1 before the ,subcommittee on ,europe1 ,eurasia1 and ,emerging ,threats of the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 affirms that it is in the national interest for the ,united ,states to become a formal signatory of the ,united ,nations ,convention on the ,law of the ,sea 7,,unclos71 done at ,montego ,bay ,december #aj1 #aihb2 7#b7 urges the ,united ,states ,senate to give its advice and consent to the ratification of the ,,unclos2 and 7#c7 recommends the ratification of the ,,unclos remain a top priority for the ,federal ,government1 the importance of which was most recently underscored by the strategic challenges the ,united ,states faces in the ,indo-,pacific1 the ,arctic1 and the ,black ,sea regions4