Your airport security fee now legally must fund security.
H.R. 8770 — Spending Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety Act of 2026 · Filed by Dale Strong (R-AL) · 6 cosponsors · Introduced May 12, 2026 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This bill redirects aviation security fees (the 9/11 Security Fee paid by airline passengers) to dedicated funds for aviation security equipment and technology upgrades. Starting in 2028, it requires the TSA to collect at least $500 million annually for an Aviation Security Capital Fund and $250 million for a new Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund, ensuring these passenger-paid fees are spent exclusively on aviation security rather than diverted to other government purposes.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to legally mandate that passenger-paid aviation security fees be spent on their stated purpose—aviation security—rather than diverted to other government uses. It is a fiscal accountability measure, not a new program or tax.
What the text implies
- The bill does not create new revenue; it redirects existing passenger fees. If TSA cannot collect the mandated minimums ($500M + $250M = $750M annually), the bill's mechanism may force fee increases on travelers to meet statutory targets.
- The 'prior termination' language suggests some 9/11 Security Fees currently flow to the general Treasury. This bill ends that diversion, potentially reducing general-fund revenue available for other DHS or federal purposes—a fiscal trade-off not explicitly quantified.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
aviation security technology vendors and contractors; checkpoint equipment manufacturers