MARITIME Act

The MARITIME Act would require the Secretary of State, within 120 days of enactment, to report to Congress on U.S. efforts to promote policies—both domestically and internationally—about how sea level rise affects a country’s statehood and its maritime zones. The bill establishes a policy that sea level rise should not cause any country to lose its statehood or its UN membership, and it should not diminish the maritime zones (such as territorial seas and exclusive economic zones) that island and coastal states rely on. It also encourages countries, particularly those in the Pacific, to memorialize and publish their coastal baselines consistent with the law of the sea. The report would review current initiatives, assess how the U.S. is fostering bilateral and multilateral efforts, identify barriers, and list countries and organizations that have adopted related policies. The act frames this as a Congress-driven effort to maintain the legitimacy and stability of maritime rights in the face of climate change.