[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S4399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 111-2

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
treaty transmitted to the Senate on April 2, 2009, by the President of 
the United States:
  Annex VI to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic 
Treaty (Treaty Document No. 111-2).
  I further ask unanimous consent that the treaty be considered as 
having been read the first time; that it be referred, with accompanying 
papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be 
printed; and that the President's message be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith Annex VI on Liability Arising From 
Environmental Emergencies to the Protocol on Environmental Protection 
to the Antarctic Treaty (Annex VI), adopted on June 14, 2005, at the 
twenty-eighth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting held in Stockholm, 
Sweden. I also transmit for the information of the Senate the report of 
the Department of State, which includes an Overview of Annex VI.
  The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the 
``Protocol'') together with its Annexes I-IV, adopted at Madrid on 
October 4, 1991, and Annex V to the Protocol, adopted at Bonn on 
October 17, 1991, received the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification on October 7, 1992, and entered into force for the United 
States on January 14, 1998, and May 24, 2002, respectively.
  In Article 16 of the Protocol, the Parties undertook to elaborate, in 
one or more Annexes, rules and procedures relating to liability for 
damage arising from activities taking place in the Antarctic Treaty 
area and covered by the Protocol. Annex VI sets forth rules and 
procedures relating to liability arising from the failure of operators 
in the Antarctic to respond to environmental emergencies.
  I believe Annex VI to be fully in the U.S. interest. Its provisions 
advance the U.S. goals of protecting the environment of Antarctica, 
establishing incentives for Antarctic operators to act responsibly, and 
providing for the reimbursement of costs incurred by the United States 
Government when it responds to environmental emergencies caused by 
others.
  As the report of the Department of State explains, Annex VI will 
require implementing legislation, which will be submitted separately to 
the Congress for its consideration.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
Annex VI and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                         Barack Obama  
The White House, April 2, 2009.

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