; Whereas the past Commander of United States Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, stated that UNCLOS is widely accepted after a lot of years of deliberation by many, many countries, most countries in my Area of Responsibility (AOR) , and, when we’re not a signatory, it reduces our overall credibility when we bring it up as a choice of how you might solve a dispute of any kind , on April 16, 2015, before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; Whereas the past Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, retired Admiral Paul Zukunft, stated on February 12, 2016, With the receding of the icepack, the Arctic Ocean has become the focus of international interest. , and All Arctic states agree that the Law of the Sea Convention is the governing legal regime for the Arctic Ocean … yet, we remain the only Arctic nation that has not ratified the very instrument that provides this accepted legal framework governing the Arctic Ocean and its seabed. , and Ratification of the Law of the Sea Convention supports our economic interests, environmental protection, and safety of life at sea, especially in the Arctic Ocean. ; Whereas the past Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert, further stated, remaining outside Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) is inconsistent with our principles, our national security strategy and our leadership in commerce and trade , and, virtually every major ally of the U.S. is a party to LOSC, as are all other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and all other Arctic nations , on June 14, 2012, before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate