US President Barack Obama urged the Senate to ratify the 2013 United Nations treaty on arms sales, the White House said in a statement Friday.

The Arms Trade Treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly in April 2013, is designed to regulate the international weapons trade to reduce the risk that transferred arms will be used to commit atrocities. It requires signatory countries to monitor their exports to ensure conventional weapons aren’t used to commit human rights violations or terrorism.

"I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Treaty, and that it give its advice and consent to ratification of the Treaty, subject to the understandings and declarations set forth in the accompanying report," the statement quoted Obama as saying. The United States signed the treaty in September 2013, but ratification requires approval of two-thirds of the Senate. No additional legislation is required to bring Washington into compliance with the treaty. To date, 91 nations have ratified the treaty, in addition to 42 that have signed but not ratified it.