E1138 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks June 7, 1999 IN RECOGNITION OF MICHIO KUSHI PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL approved audit program, thus assuring that AVIATION SAFETY the FAA remains vigilant in its oversight of the HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH carrier's implementation of that program. The HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR domestic carrier would also conduct a periodic OF OHIO OF MINNESOTA review of the foreign carrier's operations to en- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sure continued compliance with the safety standards. In addition, the FAA would be di- Monday, June 7, 1999 Monday, June 7, 1999 rected to work with the International Civil Avia- Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, safety is our tion Organization to ensure that code-sharing recognize Michio Kushi, the 20th century de- highest responsibility in aviation. The Amer- oversight becomes a part of any foreign veloper of macrobiotics. This diet is the cata- ican travelling public has the right to expect authority's air safety regulatory framework. lyst for many of the mainstream dietary and the highest standards of safety when flying on The importance of this requirement cannot lifestyle changes currently taking place. a U.S. carrier or on a U.S. carrier's code be overstated. Currently, the FAA, which is re- The Standard Macrobiotic diet has been share partner. sponsible for safety oversight of our domestic practiced widely throughout history by all Last September, the aviation community re- carriers, conducts only limited review of for- major civilizations and cultures. The Diet cen- ceived a wake up call when SwissAir flight eign airlines participating in code-share agree- ters on whole cereal grains and their products 111 crashed off the shores of Nova Scotia. On ments with our airlines. For foreign airlines, and other plant quality. Twenty-five to thirty board this fatal flight were 53 U.S. passengers the FAA looks only at whether the flag country percent of daily food consists of vegetables who had purchased tickets from Delta Airlines has a good institutional structure for regulating and the remaining intake is comprised of for Delta flight 1111, but who flew on SwissAir, aviation safety. The FAA does not evaluate soups, beans and sea vegetables. Consump- through an arrangement called code-sharing. the safety of the foreign airline itself. tion of products such as meat and dairy prod- This accident brought home the realization Delta's recent suspension of its code-share ucts are typically avoided. Michio Kushi, the that, in a world of close alliances between do- with Korean Air underscores this point. The founder of macrobiotics, was born in Japan mestic and foreign airlines, the lines sepa- FAA had no safety concerns with the arrange- and graduated from Tokyo University, the Fac- rating domestic safety regulation and inter- ment because South Korea has a system for ulty of Law, Department of Political Science. national safety regulation have been blurred. It regulating safety that, on paper, appeared Influenced by the devastation of World War II, is clearly time to reassess our safety activities adequate. However, in this caseÐand pos- he decided to dedicate his life to the achieve- to make certain the American travelling public sibly in far too many other casesÐthere ap- ment of world peace and the development of flies safely, whether on a U.S. or a foreign pears to be little correlation between FAA's humanity. carrier. assessment of the foreign regulatory system As relationships between domestic and for- and the actual safety performance of a carrier. Kushi and his wife Aveline introduced eign carriers continue to grow through code macrobiotics to North America in the 1950s by That observation is not meant to fault FAA sharing, we need to take a hard look at wheth- for its efforts to assess the aviation regulatory establishing the first macrobiotic restaurant in er safety has kept pace. Since 1994, the num- New York. In the 1960s, the Kushis moved to systems of foreign governments. The FAA's ber of code-sharing alliances has more than assessment does provide valuable information Boston and founded Erewhon, the nation's doubledÐfrom 61 to 163. A passenger who pioneer natural foods distributor and manufac- about the structure and capabilities of a par- buys a ticket from a U.S. airline for a code- ticular country's civil aviation authority; it does turer. Over the last thirty years Michio Kushi sharing flight (ticketed as a flight by a U.S. air- has taught throughout the United States and not provide specifics about a particular foreign line) has a right to expect that the entire flight code-share partner, when the changing nature abroad, giving lectures and seminars on diet, will be operated under similar safety stand- health, consciousness and the peaceful meet- of international aviation demands such an as- ards. Yet, put simply, there is not a process sessment. ing of East and West. In 1978, the Kushis within the Department of Transportation (DOT) founded the Kushi Institute, an educational or- This legislation will respond to the challenge for assuring that a foreign code-share partner of increasing the safety margin for the Amer- ganization for the training of future leaders of operates under safety standards similar to society, including macrobiotic teachers, coun- ican traveling public by establishing a process those governing U.S. airlines. for making meaningful safety judgments about selors, cooks and lifestyle advisers. In 1986, A look at the world's aviation safety record Michio Kushi founded One Peaceful World, an foreign airlines. establishes the need for prompt action. There I urge my colleagues to join me in co-spon- international information network and friend- is a wide disparity in the accident rates for dif- ship society of macrobiotic friends, families, soring this legislation. ferent regions, with Africa and South and Cen- f business, educational center, and other asso- tral America, for example, having an overall ciations to help guide society and contribute to accident rate considerably higher than the TRIBUTE TO THE MENNONITE world health and world peace. In the 1980s, world average. This suggests strongly that COLLEGE OF NURSING Kushi began meeting with government and so- some carriers are not offering a similar level of cial leaders at the United Nations, the World safety as U.S. carriers. Unfortunately, DOT HON. THOMAS W. EWING Health Organization, and the White House. does not have a comprehensive mechanism in The health benefits of a macrobiotic diet have OF ILLINOIS place to determine whether particular foreign IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES attracted the attention of leading medical pro- carriers have safety deficiencies before code- fessionals. The American Cancer Society re- sharing arrangements are approved. Monday, June 7, 1999 ports that a macrobiotic diet may lower the Accordingly, I am introducing legislation Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to risk of cancer. today with my colleagues, ranking Aviation honor the Mennonite College of Nursing in The Smithsonian Institution will announce Subcommittee member Mr. LIPINSKI and Ms. Bloomington, Illinois on the occasion of their the acquisition of the Michio Kushi Family Col- JOHNSON of Texas, that will dramatically im- 80th year. Not only is this an historic marker lection on Macrobiotics and Alternative and prove DOT's organizational capability to as- on the College's time line, but on July 1, 1999, Complementary Health Care during a special sess whether a proposed foreign code share this fine institution will combine with Illinois day-long event at the National Museum of meets safety standards similar to those re- State University, ensuring that its fine tradi- American History in Washington, D.C. on quired of our U.S. carries. tions and quality educational programs con- Wednesday, June 9. The events include a The legislation would require a U.S. carrier tinue far into the next century. symposium featuring Michio Kushi and his seeking to code share with a foreign air carrier The Mennonite College of Nursing was wife Aveline Kushi, an exhibit of macrobiotic to conduct a comprehensive safety audit, in- founded in 1919, as the Mennonite Sanitarium food and books, and an awards presentation cluding on-site inspections, of the foreign car- Training School, with the purpose of providing to Mr. and Mrs. Kushi for their significant role rier's operations. Prior to receiving DOT ap- a Christian ministry though the operation of a in the development of alternative and com- proval of a foreign code share, the U.S. air hospital and a diploma school of nursing. plementary health care and to the formation of carrier must certify to the Federal Aviation Ad- Since its founding, the school has provided the natural and whole foods movement. ministration (FAA) that the foreign air carrier cutting edge training for its students. In the I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in ap- meets the standards set forth in its FAA-ap- early 1980's and to meet the changes nursing plauding the dedication and hard work of the proved safety audit program. In turn, the FAA education needed by changing health care de- Kushis in helping to educate the world's popu- would be required to conduct a comprehen- livery systems, the Board of Directors decided lation on the benefits of the macrobiotic diet. sive annual review of each domestic carrier's to transition Mennonite Hospital School of CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1139 Nursing into Mennonite College of Nursing, Laborers' Local Union 1330. Richard has dedi- MASAKOWSKI ANNIVERSARY awarding a four-year baccalaureate degree, cated many years of his life to protecting the the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.