H.R. 7941

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7941 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7941

To ensure the passenger security fee paid by airline passengers is used 
exclusively for aviation security, establish a Transportation Security 
Trust Fund to support the operations and personnel of the 
Transportation Security Administration, and ensure continuity of 
aviation security operations during a lapse in appropriations, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 16, 2026

Mr. Langworthy (for himself, Mr. Lawler, and Ms. Malliotakis) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To ensure the passenger security fee paid by airline passengers is used 
exclusively for aviation security, establish a Transportation Security 
Trust Fund to support the operations and personnel of the 
Transportation Security Administration, and ensure continuity of 
aviation security operations during a lapse in appropriations, and for 
other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Pay TSA Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY FUNDING.

(a) Repeal of Diversion of Passenger Security Fees.--Section 44940 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (f); and
(2) by striking subsection (i).
(b) Transportation Security Trust Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Department 
of Homeland Security a fund to be known as the ``Transportation 
Security Trust Fund'' (referred to in this Act as the 
``Fund'').
(2) Deposits.--Amounts collected from fees imposed under 
section 44940 of title 49, United States Code (commonly known 
as the ``9/11 Security Fee''), shall be deposited into the Fund 
and available without further appropriation and without fiscal 
year limitation.
(3) Use of funds.--Amounts in the Fund shall be available 
to the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration for activities to strengthen aviation security, 
including relating to the following:
(A) Salaries, benefits, training, and workforce 
support for Administration personnel.
(B) Passenger and baggage screening operations.
(C) Aviation security checkpoint and screening 
technology.
(D) Airport security infrastructure and equipment.
(E) Research, development, and deployment of 
advanced aviation security systems.
(4) Restriction on diversion of funds.--Amounts deposited 
in the Fund--
(A) shall be used only for the aviation security 
purposes specified in paragraph (3); and
(B) may not be transferred to the general fund of 
the Treasury or used for deficit reduction or other 
non-aviation security purposes.
(c) Availability of Funds During a Lapse in Appropriations.--
(1) Availability.--
(A) In general.--If during any period during any 
fiscal year the discretionary appropriations Act 
providing funding for the Transportation Security 
Administration, or continuing appropriations for the 
Transportation Security Administration, are not enacted 
into law, amounts in the Fund shall be available 
without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation 
to the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration for the continuation of programs, 
projects, and activities necessary to maintain aviation 
security operations.
(B) Aviation security capital fund.--
Notwithstanding section 44923(h) of title 49, United 
States Code, during any period described in 
subparagraph (A), amounts available in the Aviation 
Security Capital Fund established under such section 
44923(h) shall be available to the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration to carry out the 
activities described in such subparagraph, subject to 
the priorities described in this subsection.
(2) Priority for tsa personnel.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration shall prioritize the use of funds made 
available pursuant to paragraph (1) for the following:
(i) Salaries, benefits, and overtime 
compensation of Transportation Security 
Officers and other personnel necessary to 
conduct passenger and baggage screening and 
aviation security operations.
(ii) Staffing levels required to maintain 
the safe and efficient operation of aviation 
security screening checkpoints and related 
security functions.
(iii) Other operational expenses directly 
supporting frontline aviation security 
personnel.
(B) Application.--Amounts made available under this 
paragraph shall first be applied to carry out 
subparagraph (A)(i).
(3) Secondary uses for security infrastructure and 
technology.--After the funding requirements described in 
paragraph (2) have been satisfied, remaining amounts made 
available pursuant to paragraph (1) may be used for the 
following:
(A) The procurement, deployment, and sustainment of 
aviation security checkpoint technology.
(B) Baggage screening equipment and related 
aviation security infrastructure.
(C) Maintenance and modernization of airport 
security systems.
(D) Grants to airports for aviation security 
technology improvements.
(4) Rate for operations.--Funds made available under this 
subsection shall be provided at a rate for operations not 
greater than the rate for operations provided for the 
Transportation Security Administration programs, projects, and 
activities described in this subsection during the immediately 
preceding fiscal year.
(5) Duration of authority.--The authority provided under 
this subsection shall remain in effect for the period beginning 
on the first day of a lapse in appropriations and ending on the 
date on which--
(A) the applicable regular appropriation Act 
providing funding for the Transportation Security 
Administration is enacted into law; or
(B) continuing appropriations for the 
Transportation Security Administration are enacted into 
law.
(6) Terms and conditions.--Funds made available under this 
subsection shall be subject to the terms, conditions, and 
limitations applicable to the Transportation Security 
Administration programs, projects, and activities on the date 
immediately preceding the date on which the applicable lapse of 
appropriations occurs for the immediately preceding fiscal 
year.
(d) Aviation Security Technology and Infrastructure Account.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Fund an 
account to be known as the ``Aviation Security Technology and 
Infrastructure Account'' (referred to in this subsection as the 
``Account'').
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Account is to support the 
modernization, procurement, deployment, and sustainment of 
aviation security technology and infrastructure necessary to 
enhance the safety and efficiency of passenger and baggage 
screening operations.
(3) Availability of funds.--Amounts in the Account shall be 
available until expended to the Administrator of the 
Transportation Security Administration for aviation security 
technology and infrastructure investments only after the 
funding requirements necessary to support Transportation 
Security Administration personnel and operational aviation 
security activities have been satisfied, including the 
compensation and staffing requirements described in subsection 
(c)(2).
(4) Authorized uses.--Amounts made available under this 
subsection may be used for the following:
(A) Procurement, deployment, and sustainment of 
aviation security checkpoint technology.
(B) Computed tomography screening systems and 
related screening equipment.
(C) Credential authentication technology and 
related passenger screening systems.
(D) Airport security screening infrastructure and 
associated equipment.
(E) Exit lane and perimeter security technology.
(F) Grants to airports for aviation security 
technology deployment and modernization.
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