U.S. Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho has joined a bipartisan group of senators in supporting the Spending Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety (SAFEGUARDS) Act. The legislation aims to ensure that money collected from airline passengers through the 9/11 Passenger Security Fee is used specifically for aviation security.
Currently, airline passengers pay $5.60 per one-way ticket as a security fee intended to fund airport safety measures. However, since 2014, more than $13 billion from these fees have been redirected to purposes unrelated to security. The proposed bill would stop this diversion and direct the funds back into airport security improvements.
“Passenger security fees should be used as intended—to fund aviation security activities,” said Crapo. “Years of diverting these funds have hampered TSA’s ability to implement modernized screening technologies, particularly at checkpoints with high passenger volumes.”
The SAFEGUARDS Act proposes allocating $500 million each year from the Passenger Security Fee revenue for checked bag explosive detection systems and setting aside another $250 million annually for upgrades to checkpoint technology, including exit lanes.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for screening millions of travelers and their luggage every day across 2,400 security lanes at 420 airports nationwide. In Idaho, TSA operates screening checkpoints at all six major commercial airports: Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA), Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN), Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH), Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport (LWS), and Magic Valley Regional Airport (TWF).
The full text of the legislation is available online.
