The level of fear and loathing in the U.S. Senate about the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has little to do with the facts. It's akin to the black-helicopter mentality, the irrational dread by militia groups that an evil world government will chopper in soon and steal our sovereignty.

But this 1982 treaty actually confirms U.S. sovereignty over ocean resources across an area larger than the Louisiana Purchase or the Alaska Purchase. The roster of those who urge that our nation join the convention includes top current military leaders, who see it as enhancing national security, as well as President George W. Bush.

The United States was a leader in negotiating the treaty to begin with. And when President Ronald Reagan raised objections to its provisions about deep seabed mining, our nation was able to get that part of the treaty amended satisfactorily.

In fact, future exploration of the seabed for petroleum and other natural resources can only unfold rationally with the help of an agency the treaty created.

Right now, Russia, which is a party to the treaty, wants to gain access to the minerals in the Arctic seabed. It makes zero sense for the United States to sit on the sidelines and let other nations divide up the oceans, using sensible rules that we helped write.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty last October. The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative issued its annual report card on the oceans last month and cited continuing U.S. absence from this treaty as a black mark. It's time for the full Senate to act.