Sponsor
Ben Ray Luján
Senator · D-NM
Senator · D-NM
Sets a $40,000 TSO pay floor for FY2026, requires annual CPI-U adjustments thereafter, provides interim funding to continue TSA pay, and awards a $10,000 one-time bonus to eligible TSOs.
Official title: A bill making continuing appropriations for essential Transportation Security Administration pay and operations during the lapse in appropriations beginning on February 14, 2026, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 28, 2026 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress April 28, 2026
The bill secures immediate pay boosts and pay-continuity protections for TSOs—helping retention and airport-security continuity—but raises federal personnel costs, may strain appropriations or force tradeoffs in agency budgets, leaves the bonus outside basic-pay benefits, and creates short-term funding and administrative risks.
Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) receive a one-time $10,000 bonus and are guaranteed continued pay/benefits during an FY2026 appropriations gap, giving immediate financial relief and preventing pay interruptions.
TSO minimum pay is raised to at least $40,000 in FY2026 and the minimum is indexed to CPI‑U after FY2026, increasing baseline pay and helping preserve purchasing power over time.
Higher baseline pay, indexing, and guaranteed pay during gaps should improve retention and reduce turnover among screening staff, supporting continuity of airport security operations for travelers.
Raising TSO minimums, paying a $10,000 bonus, and bridging pay during a funding gap increase DHS/TSA personnel costs and overall federal spending, which may require higher appropriations, reallocation of agency funds, or additional taxpayer burden.
The $10,000 bonus is excluded from basic pay and therefore does not increase retirement or Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance benefits, reducing its value for long-term retirement/benefit calculations.
A 1% de minimis waiver for cost-of-living indexing could produce years without small COLA increases, slightly eroding real pay in low-inflation periods.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Sets a $40,000 minimum annual salary for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) for fiscal year 2026 and requires annual CPI-U-based adjustments in future years. Provides interim appropriations to continue standard TSA pay and benefits while FY2026 appropriations lapse, and authorizes a one-time $10,000 bonus for TSOs employed and working as of February 14, 2026; the act is retroactive to February 13, 2026.