The MARITIME Act establishes U.S. policy to ensure that rising sea levels do not diminish the sovereign status or established maritime zones of coastal nations, and mandates a report on diplomatic efforts to promote this stance internationally.
Ami Bera
Representative
CA-6
The MARITIME Act establishes the official U.S. policy that rising sea levels must not diminish a nation's sovereignty or shrink its established maritime zones, such as fishing and economic areas. The law commits the U.S. to supporting international efforts, particularly those by Pacific island nations, to officially map and secure their coastlines under existing international law. Furthermore, it mandates the Secretary of State to report on diplomatic efforts to encourage other nations to adopt this protective stance.
MARITIME Act Pledges U.S. Support to Protect Island Nations' Sovereignty and Fishing Zones from Rising Sea Levels
The new Maintaining Area Rights and Integrity Through International Maritime Enforcement Act, or the MARITIME Act, is a big deal for small island nations facing the reality of climate change. This bill establishes a firm U.S. policy: rising sea levels should not strip any country of its sovereign status, its membership in the United Nations, or the maritime zones—like crucial fishing and resource areas—it relies on for its economy and food security (Sec. 3).
Essentially, this is the U.S. saying, "If your island disappears or shrinks due to climate change, you don't lose your country status or your access to the ocean territory you legally claimed before the water rose." This policy specifically commits the U.S. to upholding these zones, provided they were established correctly under international law, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Sec. 3).
Why Your Neighbor’s Fishing Rights Matter
If you’re wondering why the U.S. is focusing on the maritime zones of countries thousands of miles away, think of it this way: these Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) are the equivalent of a country’s backyard farm. For island nations, their EEZs are often their entire economy, providing fish and resources. Without stable boundaries, their entire livelihood—and sometimes their very ability to feed themselves—is at risk. This act provides a crucial layer of legal security, preventing climate change from becoming a tool for international boundary disputes or economic collapse for vulnerable states (Sec. 2).
This policy also encourages vulnerable coastal countries to act now. The U.S. supports efforts by groups like the Pacific Islands Forum to proactively map and document their coastal baselines before the sea level changes them permanently. This is like getting your property surveyed and registered before your river floods and changes the land boundaries—it locks in your rights based on the original map (Sec. 3).
The Diplomatic Homework Assignment
The MARITIME Act doesn't just make a statement; it requires action. Within 120 days of the bill becoming law, the Secretary of State must submit a detailed report to Congress on how the U.S. is pushing this policy around the world. This report needs to cover all the diplomatic initiatives currently underway, what challenges the State Department is running into (legal, financial, etc.), and list every country or international body that has already adopted a similar policy (Sec. 4).
This reporting requirement means the U.S. isn't just talking the talk; it’s putting resources behind advocating for this position in every international forum. The goal is to build a global consensus that climate change shouldn't be allowed to erase nations or their economic rights. For busy people, this means the U.S. is leading an effort to stabilize international law in the face of environmental upheaval, which ultimately benefits global stability and trade.