Protect 9/11 Aviation Security Fee: Aviation Security Too Important to Divert Funds

Details on the Administration’s 2020 budget continue to come out this week. Included in it was a proposal to increase the 9/11 Aviation Security fee by one dollar, despite the fact that a portion of the funds currently being collected are being diverted to general deficit reduction.

The fee is currently capped at $5.60 per one-way-trip. These funds are collected to support the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its airport security measures. However, in 2013, Congress began diverting one-third of the revenue collected from airline passenger security fees to pay down the general deficit. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, $1.36 billion will be diverted away from aviation security.

Before following through on the Administration’s request and increasing this fee on travelers, action must be taken to guarantee all of the money be used for its intended purpose of funding TSA.

Congress has introduced bi-partisan legislation that does this and immediately ends this diversion.

Aviation security is too important to be diverting needed funds. Without the FASTER Act in place, we cannot accept another fee increase. Contact your Representative and Senators through the GBTA Legislative Action Center, and tell them to co-sponsor the FASTER Act before any additional funds are diverted away from air safety.