Sponsors (7)
The bill prioritizes dedicating passenger-paid fees to strengthen aviation security and technology—improving screening and planning—but likely raises costs for travelers and reduces fiscal flexibility for other programs, with some uncertainty about enforcement and timing.
Air travelers, TSA, and airport workers will get sustained, targeted funding for screening, checkpoint technology, and security personnel, improving airport security and reducing screening gaps.
TSA and airports gain more predictable, dedicated capital and grant funding that enables multi-year planning and steadier deployment and sustainment of security upgrades.
Travelers may have greater confidence that passenger security fees are used for aviation security rather than unrelated programs, restoring some public trust in how fees are spent.
Airline passengers and taxpayers will likely face higher or sustained passenger-paid aviation security fees because TSA must set fees to collect specified minimums.
Dedicating fee revenue exclusively to aviation security reduces budgetary flexibility for DHS/TSA and could crowd out other priorities (or force trade-offs) if travel demand drops.
Ending fee diversion cuts funds that previously supported other government programs, shifting budget pressure onto other funding sources or programs.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Directs the 9/11 Security Fee starting FY2027 to deposit $500M to the Aviation Security Capital Fund and $250M to a new ASCT Fund annually to fund security equipment and checkpoint tech.
Official title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish funds for investments in aviation security, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Dale Strong · Last progress July 14, 2026
Directs passenger-paid aviation security fees (the 9/11 Security Fee) to be used specifically for aviation security by reserving set annual amounts for existing and new funds beginning in fiscal year 2027. It requires the TSA to set the fee to collect at least $500 million for the Aviation Security Capital Fund and an additional $250 million for a new Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology (ASCT) Fund each year, and expresses the nonbinding sense of Congress that fee revenue should not be diverted to unrelated purposes.