Secure America's Skies: The Need for Guaranteed TSA & ATC Funding Protect Aviation Workers Demand that Congress pass permanent safeguards ensuring safety personnel are paid during government disruptions.TAKE ACTION The People Who Keep U.S. Aviation Safe Can't Afford to Work for Free. Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) screen nearly a billion passengers a year. Air traffic controllers (ATCs) manage more than 40,000 flights per day in the U.S. Yet, both workforces are forced to work without pay and used as bargaining chips whenever political battles prevent government operations from being funded on time—a dynamic that has become more and more common in recent years. What Do Funding Lapses Really Cost? Fall 2025: 43-Day Government Shutdown $6.1B Economic harm from lost travel 6M+ Travelers impacted 10% Reduction in flight capacity, across 40 airports 10K+ Flights delayed/cancelled 88K Fewer trips per day Check out the full impacts Spring 2026: 76-day DHS shutdown 1100+ TSA officers left 4-6 MONTHS to train/onboard new officers 3+ HOUR Wait times in Houston and New Orleans Real People, Critical Jobs, No Room for Missed Paychecks TSOs are essential to the safety, security, and reliability of our nation’s travel system. Day after day, they protect millions of travelers and support the flow of commerce that powers the U.S. economy. At an average annual salary of $40,000, when the government shuts down and these officers must work without getting paid, they are forced to get a second job or rely on community donations to cover basic needs—or they leave the security checkpoint entirely. When TSA Isn’t Paid, Everyone Pays 1 Industry-wide damage Airlines, hotels, restaurants, car rentals, tourism operators—all downstream from airport operations, and all feel the pain when air travel is disrupted. The travel industry supports 15 million American jobs. 2 Workforce attrition spiral Funding lapses drive officer departures → reduced staffing → longer lines → further economic harm. Each lapse compounds the next. Congress Has the Keys to a Permanent Solution TSA and ATC funding falls under discretionary appropriations, which is subject to lapse when full-year budgets aren't passed. At the same time, TSOs and ATCs are classified as essential workers and cannot walk off the job, making them uniquely vulnerable to being used as leverage in funding disputes. As we’ve seen, this has happened repeatedly: the 2018/2019 shutdown, the Fall 2025 shutdown and the February-April 2026 DHS shutdown represent a pattern, not an anomaly. Keep America Flying Act S. 3031 / H.R. 5851 Guarantees TSA officers and air traffic controllers receive pay during any future government funding lapse, regardless of shutdown status. Aviation Funding Stability Act S. 1045 Ensures air traffic controllers continue to be compensated during funding disruptions, protecting the operational backbone of U.S. aviation. Aviation Funding Solvency Act H.R. 6086 Companion House legislation ensuring continuity of pay for essential federal aviation workers when annual appropriations lapse Travel is America’s Economic Engine. It Runs Through the Airport The U.S. travel industry represents $1.3 trillion and 15 million jobs. None of it functions if the front door – airport security – is understaffed or demoralized. From major airlines to small-town tourism bureaus, hundreds of businesses and organizations across all 50 states are counting on Congress to resolve this issue permanently – before the next shutdown grinds America’s airports to a halt. U.S. Travel Spending (Inflation Adjusted 2025 Dollars, in Billions)
