Airport Alert: House Subcommittee Approves FY25 DHS Appropriations Bill; Good News for Airports

House Subcommittee Approves FY25 DHS Appropriations Bill
June 4, 2024

After a brief markup that largely focused on border and immigration issues, the House Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved its fiscal year 2025 (FY25) spending bill by voice vote. The bill provides $64.81 billion, $2.2 billion above the budget request for DHS, including TSA and CBP.
 
AAAE and airport advocacy efforts in support of additional TSA funding were successful! The approved Subcommittee recommendations restore funding for the law enforcement officer reimbursement grant program and state and local-led canine teams, continue to require TSA to staff exit lanes, and almost double the amount of funding for computed tomography systems to screen carry-on baggage as compared to the budget request.
 
Next Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee will consider this spending bill. We anticipate a more contentious debate, focusing mainly on border security and immigration matters. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Subcommittee Acting Ranking Member Lauren Underwood (D-IL) made it clear this morning that they oppose the bill in its current form and will work to “improve it” next week.
 
The report, which contains many more details on what has been funded in the bill and key policy direction, will be released 24 hours before the full Committee markup. AAAE staff will provide an update with those details following its release.
 
Links:
•    Bill
•    Subcommittee Bill Summary
•    A table of included Community Project Funding requests
•    Video of Subcommittee markup