; Whereas Admiral Richardson further stated that becoming a part of [UNCLOS] would give us a great deal of credibility, and particularly as it pertains to the unfolding opportunities in the Arctic and that this provides a framework to adjudicate disputes on July 30, 2015, before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; 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 that our efforts would be greatly strengthened by Senate ratification of UNCLOS on September 17, 2015, before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; Whereas the Commander of the 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 that our efforts would be greatly strengthened by Senate ratification of UNCLOS on September 17, 2015, before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; Whereas Admiral Harris further stated that I think that by not signing onto it that we lose the creditability for the very same thing that we're arguing for … which is the following—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 Committee on Armed Services of the Senate