[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           UNITED STATES POSITION ON DISINSECTION OF AIRCRAFT

  Mr. FORD. Proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 77, a concurrent resolution regarding United States position 
on the disinsection of aircraft at the 11th meeting of the Facilitation 
Division of the International Civil Aviation Organization, submitted 
earlier today by Senator Leahy, and others; that the concurrent 
resolution and preamble be agreed to, en bloc; that the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements appear in 
the Record as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 77) was considered, and 
agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, was agreed to as 
follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 77

       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 be 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.

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