I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3748 
To require the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on the 
promotion of certain policies regarding the effects of sea level rise on 
the statehood and maritime zones of countries, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2025 
Mr. BERA (for himself, Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. CASE, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, and Mr. 
KRISHNAMOORTHI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of State to submit to Congress 
a report on the promotion of certain policies regarding 
the effects of sea level rise on the statehood and mari-
time zones of countries, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maintaining Area 
Rights and Integrity Through International Maritime En-
forcement Act’’ or the ‘‘MARITIME Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Increasing sea levels pose an existential 
threat to low-lying island States in the Pacific 
Ocean. 
(2) Maritime zones are critical for the econo-
mies of the Pacific Islands, which depend on exclu-
sive rights to resources. 
(3) New trends are developing in the practices 
and views of States on the need for stable maritime 
zones in the face of sea level rise, as reflected in the 
approach taken by the members of the Pacific Is-
lands Forum and the Alliance of Small Island 
States. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States that— 
(1) sea level rise driven by climate change 
should not cause any country to lose its statehood or 
its membership in the United Nations, its specialized 
agencies, or other international organizations; 
(2) the United States is committed to working 
with other countries on issues relating to sea level 
rise and statehood to advance these objectives; 
(3) sea level rise driven by climate change 
should not diminish the maritime zones on which is-
land States and other coastal States rely, including 
for food and livelihoods; 
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(4) the United States is committed to pre-
serving the legitimacy of maritime zones, and associ-
ated rights and entitlements, that have been estab-
lished consistent with international law as reflected 
in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the 
Sea and that are not subsequently updated despite 
sea level rise caused by climate change; 
(5) countries should support the initiative of the 
Pacific Islands Forum and the Alliance of Small Is-
land States to take steps now to determine, memori-
alize, and publish their coastal baselines in accord-
ance with the international law of the sea as set out 
in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the 
Sea; and 
(6) the United States will encourage countries 
to adopt similar policies on the issue of statehood 
and the preservation of maritime zones. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the efforts of the United States 
to promote the adoption, by foreign countries and inter-
national organizations, of policies that are complementary 
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to United States policies regarding the effects of sea level 
rise on the statehood and maritime zones of countries. 
(b) REPORT CONTENTS.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A comprehensive review of the initiatives of 
the Department of State and other relevant depart-
ments and agencies to promote the adoption of poli-
cies described in subsection (a) by foreign countries 
and international organizations. 
(2) An assessment of how the Department of 
State and other relevant departments and agencies 
are establishing or expanding bilateral and multilat-
eral efforts to encourage the adoption of policies de-
scribed in subsection (a) in international fora. 
(3) An assessment of any legal, policy, 
logistical, financial, or administrative barrier to pro-
moting the adoption of policies described in sub-
section (a). 
(4) A list of countries and international organi-
zations that have adopted policies described in sub-
section (a). 
(c) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex. 
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(d) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate. 
Æ 
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