If an international agreement enters into force with respect to the United States, any provision of subchapter I, this subchapter, or subchapter III, and any regulation issued under any such provision, which is not inconsistent with such international agreement shall continue in effect with respect to United States citizens. In the implementation of such international agreement the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall make every effort, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the provisions of that agreement, to provide for the continued operation of exploration and commercial recovery activities undertaken by United States citizens prior to entry into force of the agreement. The Administrator shall submit to the Congress, within one year after the date of such entry into force, a report on the actions taken by the Administrator under this section, which report shall include, but not be limited to—

1. (1) a description of the status of deep seabed mining operations of United States citizens under the international agreement; and
2. (2) an assessment of whether United States citizens who were engaged in exploration or commercial recovery on the date such agreement entered into force have been permitted to continue their operations.

(Pub. L. 96–283, title II, § 202, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 576.)