SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8770 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8770

     To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish funds for
       investments in aviation security, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2026

 Mr. Strong (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Garbarino, Mr.
    Guest, Mr. Evans of Colorado, and Mr. Mackenzie) introduced the
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
                                Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

     To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish funds for
       investments in aviation security, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Spending Aviation Fees for
Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety
Act of 2026'' or the ``SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the fee collected in accordance with section 44940 of
        title 49, United States Code (commonly known as the ``9/11
        Security Fee''), is an airline passenger-paid fee established
        with the express purpose of sustaining the safety and security
        of the aviation system of the United States;
            (2) revenue generated from the 9/11 Security Fee should be
        used exclusively to fund activities, programs, equipment, and
        initiatives that directly improve the security of commercial
        aviation, including passenger and baggage screening, security
        technology upgrades, and the support of personnel responsible
        for aviation security;
            (3) the use of the 9/11 Security Fee for purposes unrelated
        to aviation security undermines public trust and the original
        intent of the fee, and all proceeds from the fee should be
        reserved and expended solely for measures that strengthen the
        safety and security of the traveling public within the aviation
        sector; and
            (4) the diversion of 9/11 Security Fee revenue to other
        purposes should be ended no later than 2027, in accordance with
        section 44940(i)(4) of title 49, United States Code, as it read
        on the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. AVIATION SECURITY FUNDS.

    (a) Improving the Aviation Security Capital Fund.--Subsection (h)
of section 44923 of title 49, United States Code (relating to the
Aviation Security Capital Fund), is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking the second, third, and
        fourth sentences and inserting the following new sentences:
        ``Beginning in fiscal year 2027 and for each fiscal year
        thereafter, the first $500,000,000 derived from fees received
        under section 44940(a)(1) shall be available to be deposited in
        the Fund. The Administrator of the Transportation Security
        Administration shall impose the fee authorized by such section
        so as to collect at least $500,000,000 in each of such fiscal
        years for deposit into the Fund.''; and
            (2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting the
        following new paragraph:
            ``(2) Disbursement authority.--Amounts in the Fund shall be
        available to the Administrator of the Transportation Security
        Administration to make grants under this section or enter into
        related agreements to carry out this section.''.
    (b) Establishment of the Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology
Fund.--Section 44923 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (h) the following new
        subsection:
    ``(i) Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is established within the
        Department of Homeland Security a fund to be known as the
        `Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund' (in this
        subsection referred to as the `ASCT Fund').
            ``(2) Funding.--Beginning in fiscal year 2027 and for each
        fiscal year thereafter, after the first $500,000,000 is
        deposited into the Aviation Security Capital Fund pursuant to
        subsection (h)(2), the next $250,000,000 from fees received
        under section 44940(a)(1) shall be available to be deposited in
        the ASCT Fund. The Administrator of the Transportation Security
        Administration shall impose the fee authorized by such section
        so as to collect not less than $250,000,000 in each of such
        fiscal years for deposit into the ASCT Fund. Amounts in the
        ASCT Fund shall be available until expended to the
        Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration to
        fund the testing, procurement, deployment, installation, and
        sustainment of aviation security checkpoint technology.
            ``(3) Disbursement authority.--Amounts in the ASCT Fund
        shall be available to the Administrator of the Transportation
        Security Administration to make grants under this section or
        enter into related agreements to carry out this section.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (1) of section 44940(j) of
title 49, United States Code, as redesignated pursuant to subsection
(b), is amended by striking ``section 44923(h)'' and inserting
``subsections (h) and (i) of section 44923''.
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