What is the status of a treaty that has been signed but not yet ratified?
For many nations, including the United States, a signature on a treaty is only the first step toward acceptance of the treaty’s terms. The U.S. Constitution gives the executive branch the power “to make Treaties” to negotiate their terms and sign them but signed treaties do not become law, nor is the United States bound by their terms, until they have been approved by a two-thirds majority of the Senate. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations conducts hearings on treaties that have not yet been ratified before they are sent to the Senate floor for a vote on ratification.