SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025
The SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025 would create two new, dedicated funds within the Department of Homeland Security (via the Transportation Security Administration) to invest in aviation security technology and checkpoint equipment. Funded by the existing 9/11 Security Fee collected from airline passengers, the bill aims to ensure revenues are used exclusively for aviation security improvements (e.g., passenger and baggage screening, security technology upgrades, and security personnel support). It also sets explicit limits on diverting these revenues to non-security purposes and provides for retroactive grant authority to cover projects already implemented since 2023. The act would begin allocating new funds in fiscal 2026, with specific minimum collection levels to feed these funds each year. In short, the bill institutionalizes a staged, fee-funded approach to financing advanced security technology at airports, while insisting on the dedicated, non-divertible use of the 9/11 Security Fee and giving TSA grant authority to deploy and sustain checkpoint enhancements.
Key Points
- 1Creates two dedicated funds funded by the 9/11 Security Fee: the Aviation Security Capital Fund and the Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund (ASCT Fund) within DHS/TSA.
- 2Aviation Security Capital Fund: starting in FY2026, the first $500,000,000 per year from the fee goes to this Fund; prior years (FY2004–FY2025) required the first $250,000,000 per year. Funds may be used to make grants for security capital projects.
- 3ASCT Fund: begins contributing after the Capital Fund has received its initial funding, with at least $250,000,000 per year to be deposited into the ASCT Fund (and the fee to be set so that this amount is collected). Used to fund procurement, deployment, and sustainment of aviation security checkpoint and exit-lane technology.
- 4Retroactive grant authority: TSA may approve grant uses for projects that were implemented on or after January 1, 2023, enabling potential reimbursement or support for recent checkpoint technologies.
- 5Sense of Congress: reinforces that the 9/11 Security Fee is intended solely to improve aviation safety and security and that its proceeds should not be diverted to other purposes; diversions should end no later than 2027.