[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S1584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ICAO NOISE STANDARDS

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I don't think there has been anyone in 
this body who has been more critical of the administration for the 
things that have taken place, for what has happened to our defense 
industry, for what has happened in many other problem areas that have 
come up, but I have to rise today to actually compliment the 
administration for an action that they took on March 14 of this year 
when they filed an article 84 action with the International Civil 
Aviation Organization, usually referred to as ICAO.
  ICAO was put together as an organization where all of the nations 
that with aviation and commercial aviation would agree to certain 
standards so there is some degree of uniformity. They got together and 
determined we would have a noise standard that was classified as 
chapter 3.
  The European Union, and I hate to say this, has demonstrated much 
arrogance. I guess they think that all of a sudden they have gone from 
a small fish in the pond to the big fish in the pond and they have 
totally disregarded agreements they have made. They signed an 
agreement, a trade agreement, an ICAO agreement with all of the other 
countries saying that by a certain date they would have to have chapter 
3 noise level.
  Then, not too long ago, they unilaterally decided they were going to 
abrogate that treaty and unilaterally say that they are going to not 
allow chapter 3 noise level unless it is done through new airplanes or 
re-engining, so a muffling system that takes it to the same noise level 
would not comply.
  This means we in the United States are discriminated against. I think 
everyone is aware the big competition worldwide now is Boeing aircraft 
in the United States and Airbus in Europe. As a result of this, it 
gives a tremendous advantage to Airbus over Boeing. They would be 
financially discriminating against the U.S. in a way that would cost 
the United States and depreciate the value of the inventory of many of 
our Boeing aircraft.
  The ``hush'' industry is a huge industry in the United States. They 
have been able to use this technology to bring down the noise level of 
existing aircraft to chapter 3 standards, and it shouldn't make any 
difference how we get to this level.
  The administration has taken this into consideration when on March 14 
they passed an article 84 against the European Union with ICAO. I think 
it is very significant. I know it will be a long and drawn out process, 
but I hope and I admonish the administration not to use the fact that 
it will be a long and drawn out process to go sideways or to cave in on 
this very critical issue to American workers and American 
manufacturers.
  I can assure the administration that we will be working with them 
very closely to correct this action to be able to use any method that 
can be used that is on the market today in order to reach the chapter 3 
noise standards.
  I yield the floor.

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