•HRES 339 IH 
[UNCLOS] would give us a great deal of credibility, and 
particularly as it pertains to the unfolding opportunities 
in the Arctic’’, and, ‘‘this provides a framework to adju-
dicate disputes’’, on July 30, 2015, before the Senate 
Armed Services Committee; 
Whereas the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and 
Pacific Security Affairs, the Honorable David Shear, 
stated, ‘‘that while the United States operates consistent 
with the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, 
we’ve seen positive momentum in promoting shared rules 
of the road’’, and, ‘‘our efforts would be greatly strength-
ened by Senate ratification of UNCLOS’’, on September 
17, 2015, before the Senate Armed Services Committee; 
Whereas the Commander of United States Pacific Command, 
Admiral Harry B. Harris, stated that ‘‘all maritime 
claims must be derived from land features in accordance 
with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea 
Convention, and any disputes should be settled peacefully 
and in accordance with international law’’, and, ‘‘our ef-
forts would be greatly strengthened by Senate ratification 
of UNCLOS’’, on September 17, 2015, before the Senate 
Armed Services Committee; 
Whereas the Commander of United States Pacific Command, 
Admiral Harry Harris, stated ‘‘I think that by not sign-
ing onto it that we lose the creditability for the very same 
thing that we’re arguing for’’, and ‘‘which is the fol-
lowing—accepting rules and norms in the international 
arena. The United States is a beacon—we’re a beacon on 
a hill but I think that light is brighter if we sign on to 
UNCLOS’’, on February 23, 2016, at a hearing before 
the Senate Armed Services Committee; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:21 May 19, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR339.IH
HR339
•HRES 339 IH 
Whereas the past Commander of United States Pacific Com-
mand, retired Admiral Dennis Blair, stated, ‘‘if we want 
to focus on the Asia-Pacific going forward, we’re going 
to have to find a way to pass the Law of the Sea because 
it does hurt us and it is striking to us that the Chinese 
have signed and they’re obligated but don’t want to do 
it’’, and ‘‘we have not signed but want them to do it, 
right? So it’s ironical to many in the region’’ on July 13, 
2016, before the Senate Subcommittee on East Asia, the 
Pacific, and International Cyber Security: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) affirms that it is in the national interest for 
the United States to become a formal signatory of 
the United Nations Convention of the Law of the 
Sea; 
(2) urges the United States Senate to give its 
advice and consent to the ratification of the United 
Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea 
(UNCLOS); and 
(3) recommends the ratification of UNCLOS 
remain a top priority for the administration, having 
received bipartisan support from every President 
since 1994, and having most recently been under-
scored by the strategic challenges the United States 
faces in the Asia-Pacific region and more specifically 
in the South China Sea. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:21 May 19, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR339.IH
HR339