IV
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 307
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United States position on
the disinsection of aircraft at the eleventh meeting of the Facilitation
Division of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 5, 1994
Mr. DEFAZIO introduced the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred jointly to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Public Works
and Transportation
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United
States position on the disinsection of aircraft at the
eleventh meeting of the Facilitation Division of the Inter-
national Civil Aviation Organization.
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 fifteen years ago after determining that
the process was ineffective and posed a possible health
risk to aircraft passengers;
Whereas twenty-seven countries require disinsection of air-
craft cabins by the spraying of an insecticide while pas-
HCON 307 IH
sengers are on board the aircraft or by a residual pes-
ticide treatment which is not registered for use in the
United States;
Whereas nearly ten million 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 fifty-three million Americans, more
than 20 percent of the population, suffer chronic res-
piratory problems that put them at special risk to air-
craft 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 insecti-
cides registered for aircraft cabin disinsection by the En-
vironmental Protection Agency by reason of the health
concerns raised with respect to such insecticides, and
there is no indication that insecticides produced in for-
eign countries which might serve to replace such insecti-
cides 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 disinsection or any other remedial measures are not
injurious to the health of passengers and crew and cause
the minimum of discomfort to them’’;
HCON 307 IH
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 meet-
ing: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
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 Avia-
tion Organization—
(1) seek to amend the Convention on Inter-
national 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 orga-
nization in that amendment.
Æ