A resolution calling upon the Senate to give its advice and consent to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
This is a Senate resolution (S. Res. 331) that urges the United States Senate to give its advice and consent to ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The resolution frames UNCLOS as aligning with U.S. national interests by affirming U.S. positions on ocean governance, enabling formal U.S. participation in international negotiations and dispute resolution, and allowing the United States to join the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and other key maritime bodies. It presents arguments that ratification would strengthen U.S. credibility and leverage in strategic areas such as the Indo-Pacific, the Arctic, and the Black Sea, and would provide a firmer legal foundation for navigational rights, exclusive economic zones, and seabed resource governance. The measure expresses the Senate’s view that ratification should be a top federal priority, but, as a resolution, it does not itself enact treaty obligations; ratification would require separate action by the Senate. The resolution compiles extensive background and endorsements in its “Whereas” clauses, including historical UNCLOS development, the United States’ current stance on EEZs and navigational rights, and statements from former military leaders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other officials supporting ratification. It argues that participation would give the United States standing to influence treaty implementation, defend U.S. interpretations, and address strategic challenges more effectively than relying on customary international law alone.
Key Points
- 1The Senate affirms that joining UNCLOS is in the national interest of the United States and that the United States should become a formal signatory.
- 2The Senate urges its own advice and consent to the ratification of UNCLOS, moving toward U.S. participation as a party to the treaty.
- 3The resolution states that ratification should remain a top priority for the federal government, citing strategic considerations in the Indo-Pacific, the Arctic, and the Black Sea regions.
- 4The measure relies on the historical and policy rationale laid out in its “Whereas” clauses, including: UNCLOS background; U.S. positions on navigational rights and EEZ regulation; and the expectation that ratification would codify U.S. practice as customary international law and improve influence in international maritime governance (e.g., ISA, dispute resolution).
- 5The resolution references broad support from U.S. defense leaders, naval officers, and business leaders (e.g., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) to illustrate a consensus view that UNCLOS ratification benefits national security, economic interests, and the rule-based international order.