Senate Republicans Sponsor Bill to Pay FAA, TSA Workers

Essential staff from both agencies continue to work through the government shutdown.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 04:07 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Senate Republicans, led by Senator Ted Cruz, introduced the "Keep America Flying Act of 2026."
The bill aims to provide continuing appropriations to ensure essential FAA and TSA personnel are paid during a federal government shutdown.
This legislation addresses the current issue of essential FAA and TSA workers operating without pay, a situation that has prompted some workers, like air traffic controllers, to call out sick in protest.

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Senate Republicans this week introduced a bill that would continue to pay essential FAA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers during the federal government shutdown.

The full text of the “Keep America Flying Act of 2026” is not yet available through Congress’ website, but a summary provided by the Government Publishing Office (GPO) says the bill would make “continuing appropriations” for essential FAA and TSA personnel.