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.