Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak in support of an amendment that I introduced yesterday that addresses the issue of toxins entering the ventilation systems on commercial aircraft. This amendment is designed to ensure the FAA has the necessary information to protect the American public from exposure to harmful contaminants while flying. Specifically, here is what the amendment would do: First, it would require FAA to complete a study of cabin air quality within 1 year; second, the amendment would provide FAA with the authority to mandate that airlines allow air quality monitoring on their aircraft for the purposes of the study; and third, the amendment would authorize FAA to mandate installation of sensors and air filters if the study demonstrates that these steps would provide a public health benefit. This amendment is necessary because the air in the passenger cabin is a mixture of recirculated cabin air and fresh air that is compressed in the airplane engines. Sometimes the air you breathe on an airplane gets contaminated with engine oils or hydraulic fluids that are heated to very high temperatures, often appearing as a smelly haze or smoke. That haze or smoke that enters the cabin air is a toxic soup and can contain carbon monoxide gas as well as chemicals that can damage your nervous system called tricresylphosphates, TCPs.”