Sponsors (12)
The bill secures continuous aviation security operations and dedicated, multiyear funding for screening technology by locking fees into a trust, but it reduces congressional budgetary control and flexibility and may delay some airport modernization projects.
Travelers and airport security staff will see TSA checkpoint operations and passenger screening continue uninterrupted during federal appropriations lapses because Transportation Security Officers can remain paid and working.
Airports and local governments will get stable, dedicated funding and grant support for checkpoint and baggage screening technology and other airport security modernization, enabling multi‑year procurement and deployment of screening systems.
Taxpayers and airports will be protected from having aviation security fee revenues diverted to the Treasury general fund because the bill preserves those fee revenues for aviation security purposes.
Passengers and taxpayers may face reduced congressional oversight because fee revenues become available without further appropriation or fiscal‑year limits.
Taxpayers could lose budgetary flexibility because shifting aviation fee revenues into a dedicated trust reduces Congress's ability to reallocate funds during broader fiscal shortfalls or competing priorities.
TSA programs could be constrained during funding lapses because making funds available at prior‑year rates may limit the agency's ability to scale or change programs if needs increase mid‑year.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Redirects 9/11 Security Fee receipts into a DHS trust fund to fund TSA aviation security operations and a tech/infrastructure account, usable during appropriations lapses.
Introduced March 16, 2026 by Nicholas A. Langworthy · Last progress March 16, 2026
Creates a Transportation Security Trust Fund inside the Department of Homeland Security to receive amounts collected from the 9/11 Security Fee and makes those amounts available to the Transportation Security Administration for specified aviation security purposes without needing new annual appropriations. It allows TSA to draw on the Fund during appropriations lapses to maintain frontline aviation security operations (with pay and staffing prioritized) and establishes a separate Aviation Security Technology and Infrastructure Account to support screening technology and airport grants once personnel and operations needs are met.