Airport Alert: House DHS Subcommittee Unveils FY23 Funding Recommendations. Key Airport Priorities Addressed

In advance of consideration on June 16, the House Appropriations Committee unveiled its proposed Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its component agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  In total, the bill provides $60.3 billion in discretionary funding for DHS, $2.7 billion above the FY22 enacted level. 

Notable recommendations contained in the draft bill include funding for some critical airport priorities. Specifically, the bill:

• Provides $94.1 million to restore funding for TSA personnel to monitor exit lanes at airports instead of shifting these costs to airports;
• Includes $615.8 million to support a TSA initiative to pay its workforce at levels commensurate with other federal agencies and to extend other rights and labor protections to the agency's workforce; and
• Includes funding for 250 additional CBP officers, 500 technicians, and 500 mission support staff. 

Transportation Security Administration:  

In total, the House recommends $9.77 billion for TSA, an increase of $1.28 billion above FY22 and $280 million below the request. The bill does not include statutory language negating the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act provision that requires TSA to staff security exit lanes from the sterile areas of the airport or statutory language to allocate all aviation security fees directly to TSA instead of some being required for deficit reduction. Instead, the Subcommittee funded pay and worker protections with additional appropriated dollars.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection: 

In total, the House recommends $15.74 billion for CBP, an increase of $893.1 million above FY22 and $338.1 million above the request.

What's Next?

The Subcommittee is scheduled to mark up the legislation at 9:00 am on June 16. AAAE will keep you updated on the bill's progress. Links to the House FY 2023 DHS Appropriations bill and press release can be found here. 

More funding details about TSA and CBP priorities will be contained in the Subcommittee report, which is not released until 24 hours before the full Appropriations Committee considers the FY23 DHS spending bill. That is scheduled for June 24.