H.R. 8902

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8902 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8902

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.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 19, 2026

Ms. Pou introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

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.

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 ``Workforce Assurance for 
Transportation and Critical Homeland Personnel Act of 2026'' or the 
``WATCH Personnel Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGHER RATES OF PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION 
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration shall--
(1) not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, set the minimum annual salary for a Transportation 
Security Officer to $40,000 for fiscal year 2026; and
(2) for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
adjust the minimum annual salary for a Transportation Security 
Officer as provided by subsection (b).
(b) Adjustment of Salary for Inflation.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall adjust the minimum 
annual salary for a Transportation Security Officer, on October 
1, 2026, and at the beginning of each fiscal year thereafter, 
to reflect the percentage (if any) of the increase in the 
average of the Consumer Price Index for the preceding 12-month 
period compared to the Consumer Price Index for fiscal year 
2026.
(2) Special rules for calculation of adjustment.--In 
adjusting under paragraph (1) the minimum annual salary for a 
Transportation Security Officer, the Administrator--
(A) shall round the amount of any increase in the 
Consumer Price Index to the nearest dollar; and
(B) may ignore any such increase of less than 1 
percent.
(3) Consumer price index defined.--In this subsection, the 
term ``Consumer Price Index'' means the Consumer Price Index 
for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics of the Department of Labor.

SEC. 3. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY 
ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL.

(a) In General.--There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year 
2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for 
the period beginning on February 14, 2026, during which interim or 
full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2026 are not in effect, such 
sums as are necessary--
(1) to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay 
differentials, benefits, and other payments otherwise payable 
on a regular basis to employees of the Transportation Security 
Administration; and
(2) to provide a $10,000 bonus to each Transportation 
Security Officer employed and working for the Transportation 
Security Administration as of February 14, 2026.
(b) Limitation on Treatment of Bonuses.--A bonus paid under 
subsection (a)(2) shall not be considered basic pay for purposes of 
retirement, life insurance, or any other employee benefit.
(c) Limitation to Individuals Affected by Lapse in 
Appropriations.--Amounts provided under subsection (a) may not be used 
to provide pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, or other 
payments under paragraph (1) of that subsection or a bonus under 
paragraph (2) of that subsection to an employee of the Transportation 
Security Administration for any portion of the period described in 
subsection (a) for which the employee is provided with such pay, 
allowances, pay differentials, benefits, or other payments using 
amounts other than amounts provided under subsection (a).
(d) Charge to Future Appropriations.--Expenditures made pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, 
or authorization whenever an Act in which such applicable 
appropriation, fund, or authorization is included is enacted into law.
(e) Terms and Conditions.--Pay, allowances, pay differentials, 
benefits, and other payments provided by the Transportation Security 
Administration using amounts provided under subsection (a) shall be 
subject to the requirements, authorities, conditions, and limitations 
applicable with respect to the provision of pay, allowances, pay 
differentials, benefits, and other payments by the Transportation 
Security Administration under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations 
and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4; 139 Stat. 9).

SEC. 4. TERMINATION.

Appropriations and funds made available and authority granted under 
section 3 shall be available until whichever of the following first 
occurs:
(1) The enactment into law of an appropriation (including a 
continuing appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are 
made available in section 3.
(2) The enactment into law of the applicable regular or 
continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any 
appropriation for such purpose.
(3) September 30, 2026.

SEC. 5. RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect as if enacted on February 13, 2026.
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