Airport Alert: Key Airport Priorities Included in House DHS Subcommittee FY27 Funding Recommendations
In advance of consideration at tomorrow morning’s mark-up, the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee unveiled its proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its component agencies, including the Transportations Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In total, the bill provides $64.9 billion in discretionary funding for DHS.
While much of the bill is focused on immigration enforcement and border security issues, there are important wins for airports, particularly within the TSA section. Within the limited details provided, notable recommendations contained in the proposed bill and press release include funding for some critical airport priorities. Specifically,
- $45.9 million for the Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program. Funding was restored at this same level in the enacted FY26 funding bill after years of advocacy from impacted airports and AAAE to provide funding for this critical program.
- $34.1 million for canine reimbursements, another critical program AAAE advocated for restoration after a multi-year lapse in funding.
- $6.1 billion for TSA’s frontline screening workforce. Notably, the bill does not include statutory language that would permit TSA to shift the cost and responsibility of staffing exit lanes to airports as proposed in the budget request. This means that TSA will continue to staff exit lanes at those airports where it has been required by law to do so since 2013.
- The bill also does not include statutory language to require Category III and IV airports to participate in the Screening Partnership Program as proposed in the Administration’s budget request. Smaller airports and AAAE fiercely advocated that SPP should remain an option for airports of all sizes.
- $226 million for computed tomography (CT) systems to screen carry-on baggage at passenger checkpoints to enhance security.
Transportation Security Administration:
The bill includes $11.3 billion in overall funding for TSA, a decrease of $347.1 million from the FY26 enacted level and $320.6 million below the FY27 budget request. The bill also includes language that prohibits TSA from collecting any fee for a program vetting travelers arriving without acceptable identification at the security checkpoint, which appears aimed at TSA’s recently implemented ConfirmID program for travelers without a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
The bill recommends $18.3 billion in total funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a $6.6 billion increase above the FY26 enacted level, and $186.7 million below the FY27 budget request.
What’s Next?
The Subcommittee is scheduled to consider its legislation tomorrow at 8 a.m. ET and we will keep you updated on the bill’s progress.
A summary of the bill is available at this link.
Bill text can be found on the Committee website.
