S. 2378 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jul 22, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryDirects more security fees toward airport equipment
When you buy a plane ticket, you pay a small security fee that goes to the Transportation Security Administration. Right now, some of that money goes to pay down the national debt instead of airport security. This bill changes that by requiring the first $500 million collected each year from these passenger fees to fund baggage screening systems and equipment that detects explosives in checked luggage. It also creates a new fund that directs the next $250 million annually to pay for security checkpoint technology at airports.
How it affects you
If you fly, you already pay this security fee on your tickets. This bill doesn't change what you pay, but it redirects where that money goes—keeping more of it at airports for equipment upgrades rather than debt reduction. The changes mean airports can invest in newer baggage screening and checkpoint technology, though the summary doesn't spell out what that means for your experience at security lines.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jul 22, 2025)
Spending Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety Act of 2025 or the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025
This bill allocates additional funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for aviation security, including checked baggage explosives detection equipment and security checkpoint technology.
As background, TSA collects passenger civil aviation security service fees (often referred to as the 9/11 security fee or passenger security fee) on air carrier passengers originating at airports in the United States. In general, these fees are deposited into the Department of the Treasury general fund and applied towards debt reduction. A portion of these fees are allocated to TSA for aviation security.
The bill requires that the first $500 million collected in each fiscal year from passenger security fees be deposited into the Aviation Security Capital Fund. This is an increase from the currently required $250 million. This fund provides for the costs associated with acquiring and installing in-line baggage screening systems (i.e., systems that use a conveyor belt infrastructure to automatically screen, sort, and track baggage) to accommodate checked baggage explosives detection equipment and for certain other airport security improvements.
The bill also requires that the next $250 million collected in each fiscal year from passenger security fees be deposited into a new Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund for the costs associated with acquiring, deploying, and sustaining aviation security checkpoint and exit lane technology. TSA may use these funds retroactively for projects implemented on or after January 1, 2023.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 2378
A BILL
SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) · Introduced Jul 22, 2025 · Transportation and Public Works · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 14, 2026: “Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.”