Congress locks in airport security funding, blocking budget raids on passenger fees

What it does

This bill dedicates revenue from the 9/11 Security Fee (a per-passenger airline fee) exclusively to aviation security improvements, blocking its diversion to other federal purposes. It establishes two dedicated funds: the Aviation Security Capital Fund (receiving $250M annually through 2025, then $500M annually from 2026 onward) and the Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund (receiving $250M annually from 2026 onward), both funded from the security fee and available for TSA grants to airports and security contractors for screening equipment, technology upgrades, and personnel support.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a revenue-dedication statute: it carves out and locks in specific portions of existing passenger fees for defined security purposes, preventing fungible use elsewhere in the federal budget. This is a fiscal-control measure, not a new tax or subsidy.

What the text implies

• The retroactive grant authority (allowing TSA to approve projects back to January 1, 2023) may create accounting ambiguity and potential for after-the-fact justification of spending that was not originally budgeted under this framework.
• Doubling the Aviation Security Capital Fund from $250M to $500M annually (2026 onward) assumes the 9/11 Security Fee will remain at or above current collection levels; if passenger volumes decline or the fee is reduced, the fund may fall short of the mandated deposit amount.
• The bill does not specify how TSA will allocate grants between airports, technology vendors, and personnel support, creating discretion that could favor larger hub airports or particular contractors over smaller regional facilities.
• By 2027, the bill requires an end to all non-aviation-security uses of the 9/11 Security Fee; this may force other federal programs currently relying on that revenue stream to seek alternative funding or face cuts.
• The checkpoint technology fund's focus on 'exit lane technology' is unusual and may signal a specific security concern or vendor interest not explained in the bill text.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Ordinary travelers benefit from dedicated, predictable funding for airport security infrastructure and technology that directly improves their safety and screening experience. The bill restores the original purpose of a fee they already pay, preventing its diversion to unrelated federal spending, which strengthens public trust and ensures resources match stated intent.

Who stands to gain

• aviation security technology vendors
• airport operators and authorities
• TSA contractors and integrators
• baggage and passenger screening equipment manufacturers

Named in the bill

Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 9/11 Security Fee, section 44940 of title 49 USC, section 44923 of title 49 USC, Aviation Security Capital Fund, Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund

Where it stands

12 cosponsors: 8 Republicans, 4 Democrats.

• Jul 22, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Jul 22, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation”
• Apr 14, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

11 lobbying clients named this bill on 11 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $5,077,301 in lobbying spend. A filing names 8 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 92% of bills with at least one filing.

Jerry Moran, the sponsor, reported $396,550 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle. $5,000 of that came from 1 PAC tied to these lobbying clients.

• Delta Air Lines Inc — $1,460,000 on 1 filing
• American Association of Airport Executives — $1,172,100 on 1 filing
• U.S. Travel Association — $800,000 on 1 filing
• Airports Council International -- North America — $775,201 on 1 filing
• American Fed of Government Employees AFL-CIO — $390,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.