SLC Times

Senator Mike Lee from Utah has introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate that acknowledges the significance of the Panama Canal to American interests. The resolution highlights the canal's importance in trade, national security, and geopolitics while emphasizing the need to maintain its neutrality against global adversaries like China. Co-sponsors of this resolution include Senators Rick Scott, Tommy Tuberville, and Marsha Blackburn.

The resolution details historical aspects of the canal's creation, noting that initial efforts by Colombia and French investors failed, leading to U.S. involvement. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903 granted the United States access to construct and control the canal after supporting Panama’s independence from Colombia.

Constructed between 1904 and 1914 at a significant cost in both money and lives, the Panama Canal was not initiated or built by Panama itself but rather by American efforts. It serves as a crucial maritime route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with over 14,000 vessels passing through in 2023 alone. A significant portion of these vessels are connected to U.S. ports.

The resolution also revisits historical treaties such as those signed under President Carter in 1977 which transferred control of the canal to Panama while reserving U.S. rights for defense purposes under certain conditions.

Concerns have been raised about China's growing influence in the region over recent years, including agreements involving major infrastructure projects with Chinese companies managing key ports along the canal. This expansion is viewed as a potential threat due to intelligence-gathering risks associated with Chinese presence.

Given these developments, Senator Lee's resolution urges recognition of American contributions to building the canal while stressing its ongoing strategic importance for regional security and economic interests. It also calls on maintaining neutrality per existing treaties.