Washington (September 11, 2024) - On the 23^rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today called for the passage of his Funding for Aviation Screeners and Threat Elimination Restoration (FASTER) Act to bolster funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its workforce, ensuring that the agency has the necessary funds and resources to secure America’s air travelers and pay its dedicated Transportation Security Officers (TSO) and invest in twenty-first century security technology.

In 2013, Congress began diverting one-third of the revenue collected from an airline passenger security fee – known as the September 11 Security Fee, as it was established after September 11 – to pay for unrelated government spending. Each year, roughly $1.6 billion is diverted from TSA’s core safety functions. More than $6 billion in total will be diverted by FY 2027 unless current law is changed. The FASTER Act would eliminate this diversion, ensure that passenger security fees go solely towards aviation security, and prevent Congress from raiding the funds in the future. The legislation would also give TSA access to September 11 Security Fee revenue during a lapse in appropriations, giving TSA much-needed flexibility to pay TSOs in the event of a future shutdown.

“The tragedy of 9/11 laid bare the importance of aviation security,” said Senator Markey. “Just as Americans rely on the TSA to ensure their traveling safety, the TSA must be able to rely on regular funding. My legislation ensures funds from the September 11 Security Fee are delivered to TSA without diversions or delays.”

The FASTER Act is endorsed by American Federation of Government Employees AFL-CIO Council 100, the Air Line Pilots Association, Airports Council International-North America, American Association of Airport Executives, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, U.S. Travel, and the Global Business Travel Association.

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