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S.Con.Res. 77
Agreed to October 5, 1994
One Hundred Third Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
four
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.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
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