[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3618 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3618

 To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation 
    of chemical oxygen generators as cargo on any aircraft carrying 
      passengers or cargo in air commerce, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 1996

  Mr. Rush  (for himself, Mr. Poshard, Mr. Towns, Mr. Visclosky, Mrs. 
Collins of Illinois, Ms. Furse, Mr. Matsui, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Condit, Mr. 
Dixon, Mr. Bonior, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Clyburn, Mrs. Meek of 
   Florida, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Roemer, and Ms. Eshoo) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation 
    of chemical oxygen generators as cargo on any aircraft carrying 
      passengers or cargo in air commerce, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Airline Passenger Safety Act of 
1996''.

SEC. 2. AIR TRANSPORTATION OF OXIDIZING MATERIALS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 5114 the following:
``Sec. 5114a. Air transportation of oxidizing materials
    ``(a) Chemical Oxygen Generators.--A chemical oxygen generator may 
not be transported as cargo on any aircraft carrying passengers or 
cargo in air commerce (as defined in section 40102(a) of this title), 
regardless of whether the generator has been discharged.
    ``(b) Oxidizers and Oxidizing Materials.--Oxidizers and oxidizing 
materials (other than chemical oxygen generators) may be transported in 
the cargo compartment of an aircraft carrying passengers or cargo in 
air commerce (as defined in section 40102(a) of this title) only if the 
cargo compartment is equipped with--
            ``(1) a separate approved smoke detector or fire detector 
        system to give warning at the pilot or flight engineer station; 
        and
            ``(2) an approved built-in fire extinguishing system 
        controllable from the pilot or flight engineer station.
    ``(c) Procedures.--The Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe 
procedures for monitoring and enforcing regulations prescribed under 
this section.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning 
of chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 5114 the following:

``5114a. Air transportation of oxidizing materials.''.

SEC. 3. CARGO COMPARTMENT CLASSIFICATIONS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall modify 
regulations contained in part 25 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (relating to air worthiness standards for transport 
category airplanes), to require that each Class D cargo or baggage 
compartment (as defined in section 25.857 of such title) be equipped 
with--
            (1) a separate approved smoke detector or fire detector 
        system to give warning at the pilot or flight engineer station; 
        and
            (2) an approved built-in fire extinguishing system 
        controllable from the pilot or flight engineer station.

SEC. 4. PRACTICES AND TRAINING FOR HANDLING PASSENGER BAGGAGE AND 
              CARGO.

    (a) Evaluation.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall conduct an evaluation of the practices of, and 
training provided by, all air carriers for accepting passenger baggage 
and freight shipments (including company materials) and for identifying 
undeclared or unauthorized hazardous materials. The evaluation shall 
apply to any person, including ramp personnel, who accepts baggage or 
cargo for transport on passenger or cargo aircraft.
    (b) Revision of Practices and Training.--Based on the evaluation 
conducted under subsection (a), the Administrator shall require all air 
carriers to revise, as necessary, practices and training for accepting 
passenger baggage and freight shipments and for identifying undeclared 
or unauthorized hazardous materials that are offered for transport.
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