Keep America Flying Act of 2026
This bill provides continuing appropriations to pay air traffic controllers, other essential Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, and certain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees during the period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., the government shutdown).
Specifically, the bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations to pay and provide benefits to
The bill also provides appropriations for payments to FAA and TSA contractors who are providing support to these employees.
The bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) September 30, 2026.
The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3031 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 205
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3031
Making continuing appropriations for essential Federal Aviation
Administration and Transportation Security Administration pay and
operations in the event of a Federal Government shutdown, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 22 (legislative day, October 21), 2025
Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Lankford, and Mr. Sullivan)
introduced the following bill; which was read the first time
October 22, 2025
Read the second time and placed on the calendar
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
Making continuing appropriations for essential Federal Aviation
Administration and Transportation Security Administration pay and
operations in the event of a Federal Government shutdown, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Keep America Flying Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year
2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for
the period beginning October 1, 2025, during which interim or full-year
appropriations for fiscal year 2026 are not in effect--
(1) such sums as are necessary to provide standard rates of
pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other
payments otherwise payable on a regular basis to air traffic
controllers and other essential operational personnel of the
Federal Aviation Administration whose services are required for
the safe and orderly operation of the national airspace system;
(2) such sums as are necessary to provide standard rates of
pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other
payments otherwise payable on a regular basis to employees of
the Transportation Security Administration engaged in screening
operations, aviation security duties, or related mission-
support functions necessary to carry out security screening
under chapter 449 of title 49, United States Code;
(3) such sums as are necessary to provide for payments to
contractors of the Federal Aviation Administration whom the
Secretary of Transportation determines are providing support to
the personnel described in paragraph (1); and
(4) such sums as are necessary to provide for payments to
contractors of the Transportation Security Administration whom
the Administrator or Acting Administrator of the Transportation
Security Administration determines are providing support to the
personnel described in paragraph (2).
(b) Charge to Future Appropriations.--Expenditures made pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund,
or authorization whenever an Act in which such applicable
appropriation, fund, or authorization is included is enacted into law.
SEC. 3. TERMINATION.
Appropriations and funds made available and authority granted
pursuant to this Act shall be available until whichever of the
following first occurs:
(1) The enactment into law of an appropriation (including a
continuing appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are
made available in section 2.
(2) The enactment into law of the applicable regular or
continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any
appropriation for such purpose.
(3) September 30, 2026.
SEC. 4. RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect as if enacted on September 30, 2025.
Calendar No. 205
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3031
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
Making continuing appropriations for essential Federal Aviation
Administration and Transportation Security Administration pay and
operations in the event of a Federal Government shutdown, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 22, 2025
Read the second time and placed on the calendar
Introduced in Senate
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (Legislative Day October 21, 2025).
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 205.
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