TSA officers screen millions of travelers a day, but during a government funding lapse that began on February 14, 2026, they were expected to keep working without pay. This bill would guarantee that TSA employees continue to receive their regular pay, benefits, and allowances during the shutdown, using emergency appropriations that would later be charged back to the normal TSA budget once Congress passes a spending bill. The legislation is retroactive to February 13, 2026, and would stay in effect until regular funding is restored or the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.
Congressional Summary
Transportation Security Administration Pay Act of 2026This bill provides continuing appropriations to provide pay and benefits to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees during the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown that began on February 14, 2026. (A partial government shutdown is currently in effect for TSA and other DHS agencies because the FY2026 DHS appropriations bill has not been enacted and continuing appropriations for DHS are not in effect.)Specifically, the bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments otherwise payable on a regular basis to TSA employees during the period in which interim or full-year FY2026 appropriations are not in effect.The bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriations legislation, or (2) September 30, 2026. The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on February 13, 2026.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-03-17
- Date Added
- 2026-03-30