Young, Colleagues Reintroduce Resolution Calling on U.S. Senate to Ratify UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a group of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing a resolution urging the U.S. Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS defines the rights and responsibilities of nations regarding the world’s oceans—including guidelines for businesses and the management of marine natural resources—and provides a legal framework to protect those rights while avoiding conflict.
“The United States cannot cede global leadership on these critical maritime issues to China,” said Senator Young. “We need a seat at the table to ensure American economic and national security interests are properly represented.”
UNCLOS is a comprehensive legal framework governing all uses of the world’s oceans and seas, and their resources. It also allows for further development of specific areas of the law of the sea. It is the globally recognized framework for dealing with all matters relating to the law of the sea, governing areas including, but not limited to, environmental control, marine scientific research, economic and commercial activities, and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters.
UNCLOS also sets limits on countries’ claims to ocean territory. China—an UNCLOS member—has repeatedly violated the Convention by making excessive claims to control international waters in the East and South China Seas, enflaming tensions with its neighbors and threatening the freedom of navigation for all countries. In 2016, an arbitral tribunal concluded that China had violated the rights of the Philippines, a treaty ally of the United States. China repudiated the decision and has continued to militarize the South China Sea, but because the United States is not a member of the Convention, it cannot participate in international legal proceedings that would prevent China from further violating its treaty obligations.
The Convention was opened for signature on December 10, 1982, and entered into force on November 16, 1994. The United States signed UNCLOS on July 29, 1994, but the U.S. Senate has not yet voted to ratify the Convention, despite urging from environmental, scientific, labor, military, and industry organizations. In particular, multiple Chiefs of Naval Operations and Secretaries of the Navy of both parties have called for the Senate to ratify the Convention.
In addition to Senator Young, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) also introduced the legislation.
Full text of the resolution can be found here.