Airport Alert: Senators Introduce Legislation to End Aviation Security Fee Diversion

September 9, 2021 

Today, Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced in the Senate the Funding for Aviation Screeners and Threat Elimination Restoration Act or the "FASTER Act", a bill to ensure that revenues collected from passengers as aviation security fees are used to help finance the costs of aviation security. Since 2013, Congress has diverted one-third of this security fee revenue and deposited it into the general fund of the Treasury to pay for unrelated government spending. This bill would repeal this diversion, thereby redirecting billions of dollars back to TSA, and would prevent Congress from raiding these funds in the future. Absent a change to current law, by the end of fiscal year 2027, more than $19 billion of aviation security fee revenues will have been diverted. 

The Senate bill is a companion to H.R. 1813, which House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS), House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY), and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced earlier this year on March 11. The FASTER Act was also introduced in the previous Congress but not enacted into law. 

In their joint press release, Senators Markey and Blumenthal highlighted the critical role TSA plays in ensuring the safety of America's air travelers, and the importance of having the agency properly resourced to satisfy this responsibility. Senator Markey said, "In light of evolving threats, the TSA needs ample resources to fulfill its mission, support its workforce, and deploy the latest and greatest security technologies. We must also ensure that the money passengers pay for their own security is actually used to protect the flying public." Senator Blumenthal added, "Consumers rightly expect the September 11th Security Fee be used for its intended purpose: to prevent future threats and maintain safety in our skies. The FASTER Act will put an end to the diversion of this vital funding and restore critical investments in the TSA's workforce and cutting-edge technology." 
 
AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli highlighted the association's strong support for the FASTER Act, stating, "With travelers returning to the skies, Congress needs to end the security fee shell game and redirect scarce resources to staffing, technology, and other critical security needs. We appreciate Senators Markey and Blumenthal's leadership in doing just that." 

AAAE staff will keep you informed on further action on this important legislation in the House and Senate.