Donohue: Law of the Sea Treaty Will Create Jobs, Protect National Security, and Enhance U.S. Leadership
‘Legal Certainty Provided by the Treaty Essential to Strong Economic Growth,’ Says Donohue
WASHINGTON, D.C.—In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue urged the Senate to give its advice and consent to the Law of the Sea Treaty.
“The Treaty would be a boon to the U.S. economy by providing American companies the legal certainty and stability they need to hire and invest,” said Donohue. “It would benefit the energy industry by providing sovereign rights to seabed resources up to 600 miles off our coasts. A wide range of domestic industries—including aerospace, defense, and consumer electronics—need the Treaty to enable access to a new source of mineral resources—including rare earth minerals— which lie in massive deposits on and beneath the deep seabed floor.”
“At any given time, hundreds of U.S. flag ships and ships owned by U.S. companies rely on the freedom of navigation rights codified in the Treaty while crossing the world’s oceans,” he stated. “While we can always rely on the U.S. Navy to ensure lawful passage of U.S.-flagged and owned ships, it only makes sense to join with the international community in establishing and protecting lawful passage on the high seas.”
“As the world’s pre-eminent maritime power with one of the longest coastlines, the U.S. has more than any other country to gain—and to lose—based on how the Treaty’s terms are interpreted and applied,” Donohue added. “Our national interests are best protected by being an active participant in this process. Senate approval is imperative to expand U.S. territory beneath the oceans, protect vital national security interests, develop new commercial interests, and create jobs.”
Donohue’s complete testimony is available at: https://www.uschamber.com/issues/testimony/testimony-hearing-united-nations-law-sea-convention