What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
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 air traffic controllers and other FAA essential operational personnel whose services are required for the safe and orderly operation of the national airspace system; and TSA employees engaged in screening operations, aviation security duties, or related mission-support functions necessary to carry out security screening. 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.
Action Timeline
2025-10-28
Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
2025-10-28
Introduced in House
2025-10-28
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.5851 pass?
HR.5851 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does HR.5851 do?
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 air traffic controllers and other FAA essential operational personnel whose services are required for the safe and orderly operation of th…
Who sponsored HR.5851?
HR.5851 was sponsored by John James (R-Michigan).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 5851 IH: Keep America Flying Act of 2026 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-10-28 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5851 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 28, 2025 Mr. James introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations 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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Keep America Flying Act of 2026 . 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. 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. 4. Retroactive effective date This Act shall take effect as if enacted on September 30, 2025.
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