Senate Opens "Law of the Sea Treaty" Hearings

Almost every country on the planet has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).... except the United States.

America has actually followed most provisions of the treaty since 1983 and all of the provisions since 1994. President Bill Clinton signed the treaty in 1994 and sent it to the U.S. Senate, but it has never been taken up by the full Senate... until now.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to open hearings on UNCLOS today.

Update: The hearings on September 27 included Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, and Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Patrick Walsh all speaking in favor of the treaty. The committee will hear from others, including opponents of the treaty, on October 4.