HR5732-119

What This Bill Does

The Keep Air Travel Safe Act creates a temporary funding backstop for the Transportation Security Administration during a shutdown. If TSA appropriations lapse, the TSA Administrator must continue all TSA programs, projects, and activities that were funded from TSA accounts in the preceding fiscal year, including direct-loan and loan-guarantee costs if any. Operations continue at a rate no greater than the prior-year regular appropriation or, if there was no regular appropriation, the continuing-resolution rate. The authority begins on the first day of the lapse and ends when the regular appropriation or continuing resolution for the fiscal year becomes law, or 180 days after the lapse begins, whichever comes first. The continued funding remains subject to prior-year terms and conditions and uses unobligated balances from section 90003 of Public Law 119-21.

Who Benefits and How

Air travelers benefit because TSA screening and aviation security programs can continue during a funding lapse. Airport security operations benefit from a statutory funding bridge rather than immediate shutdown disruption. TSA screening personnel benefit if program continuation reduces furlough or unpaid-work uncertainty. Airport operators benefit from reduced risk of checkpoint closures or severe screening slowdowns during a shutdown.

Who Bears the Burden and How

TSA budget officials must calculate prior-year operating rates, track the 180-day limit, and use eligible unobligated balances. The TSA Administrator must continue covered programs while staying within prior-year terms and conditions. Homeland Security appropriations staff must reconcile the temporary authority once a new appropriation or continuing resolution is enacted. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of using existing balances to keep TSA operating during a lapse.

Key Provisions

• Requires TSA programs, projects, and activities to continue during a TSA appropriations lapse.
• Limits operations to prior-year regular appropriation or continuing-resolution rates.
• Provides authority from the first day of the lapse until a new funding law or 180 days, whichever comes first.
• Uses unobligated balances from section 90003 of Public Law 119-21.
• Preserves prior-year terms and conditions for continued TSA activities.