[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 77 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

103d CONGRESS

  1st Session

                            S. CON. RES. 77

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United States position 
on the disinsection of aircraft at the 11th meeting of the Facilitation 
       Division of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 77

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas the United States has a responsibility to protect the health and safety 
        of United States air travelers in the United States and abroad;
Whereas the United States ended the practice of aircraft cabin disinsection 15 
        years ago after determining that the process was ineffective and posed a 
        possible health risk to aircraft passengers;
Whereas 27 countries require disinsection of aircraft cabins by the spraying of 
        an insecticide while passengers are on board the aircraft or by a 
        residual pesticide treatment which is not registered for use in the 
        United States;
Whereas nearly 10,000,000 people fly every year from the United States to 
        countries that require disinsection of aircraft;
Whereas United States pilots and flight attendants on flights to such countries 
        are repeatedly exposed to the chemicals used in disinsection of 
        aircraft;
Whereas approximately 53,000,000 Americans, more than 20 percent of the 
        population, suffer chronic respiratory problems that put them at special 
        risk to aircraft cabin disinsection procedures;
Whereas no tests have been conducted to determine whether insecticides used for 
        aircraft cabin disinsection are safe for use in unventilated aircraft 
        cabins or for people with chemical sensitivities or breathing 
        conditions;
Whereas there has been a decrease in the number of insecticides registered for 
        aircraft cabin disinsection by the Environmental Protection Agency by 
        reason of the health concerns raised with respect to such insecticides, 
        and there is no indication that insecticides produced in foreign 
        countries which might serve to replace such insecticides present any 
        less threat to health;
Whereas Annex 9 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, done at 
        Chicago, December 7, 1944, states that ``Contracting States shall ensure 
        that their procedures for disinsecting or any other remedial measure are 
        not injurious to the health of passengers and crew and cause the minimum 
        of discomfort to them'';
Whereas the Facilitation Division of the International Civil Aviation 
        Organization is scheduled to meet in the Spring of 1995 to discuss 
        changes to the standards set forth in Annex 9 to the Convention; and
Whereas the United States will be a participant at that meeting: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the United States delegation to 
the Spring 1995 meeting of the Facilitation Division of the 
International Civil Aviation Organization--
            (1) seek to amend the Convention on International Civil 
        Aviation, done at Chicago, December 7, 1944, to end aircraft 
        disinsection practices that threaten the health of aircraft 
        passengers and crew; and
            (2) make every effort to gain the support and cosponsorship 
        of other member nations of the organization in that amendment.

            Passed the Senate October 4 (legislative day, September 
      12), 1994.

            Attest:






                                                             Secretary.