jay timmons, president and ceo of the national association of manufacturers and the chairman and ceo of verizon. thank you for being with us. say hello. >> thank you, mr. chairman and join you in welcoming our distinguished panel of industry leaders. i appreciate especially their efforts on behalf of the law of the sea and willingness to explain how the convention will help them create private sector jobs and every major ocean industry including shipping, fishing, telecommunications, oil and energy gas and the united states succession to the law of the sea treaty. this is not a support and has been unanimous going back to 2003. we initiated the process that resulted in the committee vote to hospital law of the sea to the senate on that occasion. a few years later at a foreign relations committee hearing on october 4, 2007, a business panel identified and only that powerful unequivocal testimony, but the major industry backed at the convention and appeal for ratification. and the pace of the united states economic activity. this is the paramount issue with the voters. more over becaus