Senator Patty Murray On Lost

Dear Mr. Delavar:

Thank you for contacting me regarding U.S. ratification of the United Nations Law of the Seas Treaty. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue and I understand your concerns. As you may know, ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea has been a contentious issue for over thirty years. Establishing legal standards to govern activities on, over, and under the world's oceans, the Convention governs maritime commerce and provides some of the strongest protections for the marine environment. The United States signed the Law of the Sea Convention in 1994 after negotiators had amended or removed several controversial provisions in the Convention. The Senate, however, which maintains constitutional authority to provide final approval, has failed to ratify the treaty. On May 15, 2007, President Bush expressed his desire to have the Law of the Sea Treaty passed, but others in the Senate and elsewhere continue to state concerns regarding national security and limitations on control of the continental shelf near the United States. Despite consideration by the Foreign Relations Committee, of which I am not a member, the fate of the treaty is uncertain. With its lengthy coastline and its dependence on international trade, the protection of the world's oceans are of the utmost importance to Washington state. The Convention addresses important international issues concerning the world's oceans, and I believe that the Senate should give it fair consideration. Please know I will keep your thoughts in mind regarding this matter. Thank you for contacting me, and I encourage you to write again with your questions and comments. I hope all is well in Washougal.