The United States is joining the European Union and spacefaring nations to advance an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities because the long-term sustainability of our space environment is at serious risk from space debris and irresponsible actors. President Barack Obama's 2010 U.S. National Space Policy directed that The United States will pursue bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of space. The United States has been consulting with the European Union over the last four-plus years. The United States views the European Union's proposed draft Code of Conduct as a good foundation for developing a non-legally binding International Code of Conduct focused on the use of voluntary and pragmatic transparency and confidence-building measures to help prevent mishaps, misperceptions, and mistrust in space. The U.S. Department of Defense tracks roughly 22,000 objects in orbit, of which 1,100 are active satellites – in other words, about 6,000 metric tons of debris orbiting the Earth.