Airline passengers already pay a "9/11 Security Fee" on their tickets, and this proposal would change how that money gets spent. Right now, the law sets aside the first $250 million a year from that fee for an Aviation Security Capital Fund; the bill raises that guaranteed set-aside to $500 million a year starting in fiscal year 2026. It also creates a brand-new fund, seeded with the next $250 million a year in fee revenue, specifically to buy, install, and maintain security screening technology at airport checkpoints and exit lanes, including retroactive funding for equipment projects dating back to January 2023. Congress also states its position that all money from this passenger fee should go toward aviation security rather than other government spending, and that any remaining diversion of the fee to unrelated purposes should stop by 2027. The fee itself would not increase — only how the existing revenue already paid by travelers gets allocated.
Average Household Impact
- Aviation security fee set-aside — Minimum annual amount raised from $250M to $500M starting FY2026
- Checkpoint tech fund — New $250M-a-year fund created from the same passenger security fee revenue
Congressional Summary
Spending Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety Act of 2025 or the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025This bill allocates additional funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for aviation security, including checked baggage explosives detection equipment and security checkpoint technology.As background, TSA collects passenger civil aviation security service fees (often referred to as the 9/11 security fee or passenger security fee) on air carrier passengers originating at airports in the United States. In general, these fees are deposited into the Department of the Treasury general fund and applied towards debt reduction. A portion of these fees are allocated to TSA for aviation security.The bill requires that the first $500 million collected in each fiscal year from passenger security fees be deposited into the Aviation Security Capital Fund. This is an increase from the currently required $250 million. This fund provides for the costs associated with acquiring and installing in-line baggage screening systems (i.e., systems that use a conveyor belt infrastructure to automatically screen, sort, and track baggage) to accommodate checked baggage explosives detection equipment and for certain other airport security improvements.The bill also requires that the next $250 million collected in each fiscal year from passenger security fees be deposited into a new Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund for the costs associated with acquiring, deploying, and sustaining aviation security checkpoint and exit lane technology. TSA may use these funds retroactively for projects implemented on or after January 1, 2023.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-07-22
- Date Added
- 2026-07-18
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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