Sponsors
The bill strengthens pay and short-term pay protections for frontline TSA officers to improve retention and airport security, but it increases federal costs and budgetary pressure, creating risks of reallocated funds, administrative burdens, and limited long-term benefit increases for recipients.
Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) will receive a one-time $10,000 bonus and uninterrupted pay during a potential FY2026 funding gap, increasing immediate take-home pay and preventing pay interruptions.
TSOs will have a legally defined minimum annual pay of at least $40,000 starting FY2026 with future increases indexed to the CPI‑U, improving pay security and preserving purchasing power over time.
Higher and more-stable pay plus protection from funding interruptions should improve TSA staffing continuity and retention, supporting consistent airport security and service for travelers.
Raising minimum pay and paying bonuses/bridging pay increases DHS/TSA personnel costs and federal spending, which may raise budgetary pressure on taxpayers and the federal budget.
These costs are charged against future appropriations and could require higher future appropriations or reallocation, reducing funds available for other TSA priorities or programs if Congress does not fully fund them.
Programs and contractors reliant on the temporary authority face a risk of abrupt funding gaps if Congress does not act before September 30, 2026, potentially disrupting services or projects.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Sets a $40,000 minimum salary for TSOs in FY2026 with annual CPI-U adjustments and provides interim FY2026 funding plus a one-time $10,000 bonus to TSOs employed Feb 14, 2026.
Introduced April 28, 2026 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress April 28, 2026
Sets a $40,000 minimum annual salary for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) in FY2026, requires the TSA Administrator to make annual CPI-based adjustments thereafter, and authorizes interim FY2026 funding to maintain TSA pay and provide a one-time $10,000 bonus to each TSO working on February 14, 2026. The bill makes these changes effective retroactively to February 13, 2026 and limits interim funding availability through the end of FY2026 or earlier if regular appropriations are enacted. The TSA Administrator must set the FY2026 minimum within 90 days of enactment and adjust the minimum on October 1, 2026 and each fiscal year start based on the prior 12-month change in the CPI-U (rounding to the nearest dollar and omitting increases under 1%). Interim appropriations are “such sums as necessary” to continue standard pay and pay a $10,000 bonus but the bonus is not counted as basic pay for retirement or other benefits.